Spider cracks in fiberglass boat

Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. If you want them gone, take the time to do the job right and do the boat justice. Anyone who has ever seen airframe construction, particularly jet aircraft, understands why aircraft can be built with skins that are extremely thin. If, however, the spider cracks appeared at an attachment point or in a highstress area, theres a good chance theyll simply return after you fix them. Know what the causes are and fix them,then finish off with repairing the gelcoat cracks and. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. My guess is the fiberglass on a boat is much thicker. Aug 27, 2012 the cracks are called spider cracks, and they are normal for a gel coat finished boat. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. If there are hairline cracks in the hull, do these have to be repaired. Jan 24, 2016 repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint.

Those hairline cracks are probably following the lines of the fibers in the fiberglass when it was sprayed on with a chopper gun. These spider cracks happen because theres flexing in the fiberglass below the gelcoat and even though you can use body filler to make them dissapear, they will most likely come back. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. The pop out is a more common issue and easily fixed, normally the result of an air void between the fiberglass and gel coat. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks. Radial cracks spider cracks, star cracks caused by impact or by a fixture bolt that puts strain on a certain area of a boat and cracks occur around the hole. Dealer had the blue gel coat repaired on front end around bow eye, and also had the various cracks around the hull repaired. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. Theres a marine adhesive called sixtyten or something like that that ive used in the past. There are so many reasons why gelcoat developes spider cracks.

All gelcoat is, is nonreinforced tinted fiberglass. All that said i have cracks that will also need to be repaired at the end of the season. How to fiberglass fiberglass camper fiberglass resin fiberglass pools make a boat build your own boat boat building plans boat plans boat restoration repairing fiberglass in the remodeling of this trailer, i was left with many small holes from antiquated peripherals on the sides of the trai. Possible causes of fiberglass pool cracks home guides sf gate.

I think they are caused by sitting in the sun but it could be vibrations. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. The spider web crack was just in the gelcoat, not in the fibergalss. I found a bunch of spider cracks on the bottom of the boat. Use a rotary grinder on the dremel tool or a sharp knife to open up any cracks and enlarge them. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat spider web cracks in gelcoat. Because there is no fiber in it, over time it will crack because the hull naturally flexes a bit. How to repair blisters on a fiberglass boat sailboat. At this point i am not as impressed with yamaha quality as i was 4 months ago. Clean the area with acetone and a rag to remove any dirt or other impurities. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. These scars of a life welllived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic.

At this point i had taken a deposit from i guy that bought it from california sight unseen i didnt want to sell it. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Surface gelcoat scratches can be buffed with polishing compound, and deeper scratches can be filled. The cracks are called spider cracks, and they are normal for a gel coat finished boat. Sometimes, however, spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with the fiberglass structure under the gelcoat. Sstv 1 dealing with spider cracksprepping and painting boat. A friend of mine said to get fiberglass sheets and resin and cover over the crack. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Otherwise clean them out, polish up the boat as best you can and live with them. I am not knowledgeable enough in the construction difference to know why this is true, possibly someone else will know. A twopart system consisting of polyester resin and catalyst, gelcoats the first thing into the mold during manufacture. Your spider cracks are probably confined to the gel coat and are not a structural issue however these are tough to get rid of permanently. Under impact the fiberglass moves and the gel coat does not, hence the spider web cracks. Look for a pattern of spider webtype cracks radiating away from the damaged area.

Boat is dry thank you, the boat has been in the cellar for a month and should be completely dry. The boat is in pretty good condition for its age in my opinion, but the hull does have some minor hairline stress cracks. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it. That should help to prevent it from happening again.

The shock wave when the boat is tied up and there are waves really is a major cause of spider cracks around the cleats. Can anyone recommend someone that could complete these repairs for me in nynjct area. The clear exterior coat on fiberglass boats is formed by a substance known as gelcoat. Well in this episode of ship shape tv, john tackles all these issues as well as. Crack cure sealant at the official west marine online store. I have not seen the delamination in a boat, like i have seen in the rv. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which.

Sand the damaged area with 100grit sandpaper to roughen the surface. I had this issue on the chine corners on my 226ssi exposed by the lift bull at the dry stack marina, but due to mold deficiency at the factory. It appears that the gelcoat was probably not waxed for many years and is beat by the sun and has some crazing and spider cracks. Though smooth and relatively durable, gelcoat, like any finish, is prone to dings and scratches. Use it on cracks in fiberglass, metal, and wood on your boat or in your home. Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gelcoat of boats. I just did some more sanding and a new bunch of spider cracks almost overlapping about 4 inches in length and one wide just started up and yet another one about 6 inches from that. Glass reinforced plastic grp, known as fiberglass or glass wool, is thin fibers of polymer plastic woven together with strands of glass. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. Especially with the production polyester fiberglass, the gelcoat protects against weakening of the fiberglass laminate from water intrusion. Have had good results with a water based, thixotropic. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boat restoration. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat.

And almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spiderweb andor stress cracks. These cracks are along the cabin section and not in structural areas. It is very hard to pinpoint the cause to one finite reason because they occur on any fiberglass boat for very different reasons. Looks it had been awhile and i didnt check under the boat when i bought it. Do i grind the stress lines back to the laminate then fill with epoxy 1978 thompson 18 spider cracks. May 27, 2009 if there are hairline cracks in the hull, do these have to be repaired. A fiberglass and gelcoat repair is mostly needed for mending the surfaces of boats. Youll be surprised how they disappear, and most wont reappear because the stress has already been relieved.

Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Application results in a hard, impact and abrasion resistant protective barrier coat that minimizes fiberglass blistering and corrosion. Ill be taking the boat out of the water after each use, and storing inside. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners club. May 25, 2015 the sides of this boat are much more flimsy than my last boat, and pretty similar to my bayliner as much as i hate to admit it. What is the proper way to fix spider cracks in jell coat on a fiberglass boat. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. I have not had the boat for a while, i got it through a trade. Riding in the lap of luxury travel with a virgin island yacht charters. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. How to repair a flaking clear coat on a fiberglass boat it. I have 1977 fiberglasss 30 ft sail boat that has spider cracks all over the hull,no leaking just fine cracks. While the fiberglass is very straight, the deck, at least, has many spider cracks.

How to repair a flaking clear coat on a fiberglass boat. The sides of this boat are much more flimsy than my last boat, and pretty similar to my bayliner as much as i hate to admit it. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. There is a difference in the boat fiberglass and rv fiberglass. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. The cracks are purely cosemetic, and not structural to the boat. These might be in a parallel pattern or a nondirectional pattern.

I do not have the facility to keep this boat indoors over the winter to complete this project. I have a 10 year old fiberglass impex kayak that has several spider cracks that i would like to repair. May 05, 2015 the pop out is a more common issue and easily fixed, normally the result of an air void between the fiberglass and gel coat. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. This means that we can fix holes, cracks, scrapes, spider cracks, gashes, boat pox, scratches, dock rash, and more. After repairing all my spider cracks when i bought the boat, i use snubbers on the lines. Grind out all the cracks in the gelcoat, regelcoat and put a new nonskid in. Cracked compartment lid bass boats, canoes, kayaks and more. Dec 29, 2017 do i grind the stress lines back to the laminate then fill with epoxy 1978 thompson 18 spider cracks. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks. Apr 24, 2009 what is the cause of spider cracks on the hull of a boat. Gluvit is a waterproof epoxy sealer used to find, fill and seal leaks. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold.

Since these cracks often form from small impacts or minor flexing, they can appear just about anywhere on your boat. Using highbuild primer to repair fiberglass crazing. Fixing gel coat spider cracks 2002 malibu vlx fiberglass. Nov 29, 2018 i found a bunch of spider cracks on the bottom of the boat. When that happens, the gelcoat cant flex with the fiberglass, it just cracks. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. And while an aircraft isnt subjected to the same type of forces as a boat hull, the fuselage is the hull and must be strong in different ways. These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. Clean up the cracks as best you can, get some rubber gloves, mix up some marinetex, use fingers to force the mixture into the cracks, let cure, wet sand smooth with grit or so. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can. Cracked compartment lid bass boats, canoes, kayaks and.

With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. As it cures, gelcoat bonds to the layers of structural fiberglass laid on it to create a smooth, shiny. Possible causes of fiberglass pool cracks home guides. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. I also have an additional casting deck in between my two consoles. The number of boats that develop serious blister problems is extremely small. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. Magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application. Online article on hull design defects by david pascoe, marine surveyor, namscms. It can also be used for patching up chips, scratches, cracks and even holes in different kinds of vehicles. Aug 15, 2018 unless your boat lives her life dockside cuddled up to a couple of fenders, shes going to get a few scrapes and bruises. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat.

Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Sometimes, however, spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with. I did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and. If the gel coat cracks are on a bass boat, that is a common occurrence. Most of the time they are just cracks in the finish and do. This makes fiberglass and gelcoat repair one of best ways to restore a. Possible causes of fiberglass pool cracks improper installation and manufacturing or external forces such as hard impacts or earthquakes can cause a fiberglass pool to develop cracks. Diagnosing spider cracks in fiberglass it can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them. I was always under the impression from fiberglass kayak experience that hairline cracks didnt really pose a problem. Heres everything youll need to know to repair these cracks. My boat needs a new transom, new floor, and new stringers.

The fiberglass can take a lot of that flexing and twisting, but the gel coat is so brittle it sort of wants to just, well, snap. Oct 15, 2019 i have a 10 year old fiberglass impex kayak that has several spider cracks that i would like to repair. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. It can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them.

Jun 25, 2018 there are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. As we all know, even the best built and well designed fiberglass boat flexes and moves a bit while underway or docked. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners.

I thought about using it to glue an aluminum sheet or some other kind of brace on the underside. If the cracks on your boat were caused by impacts, such as around rub rails or where a heavy object was dropped, move on to step 1. Thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or contracts. Jul 24, 2006 i did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. That is unless you use a spray in bed liner materail but, that will just kill the boat appeal for resale.