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crack in transom

S

stephen

New Member
I removed the name from the transom and found this crack beneath the decal. Not sure if this is just a stress crack and can be gouged/epoxied of if I need to go deeper and add laminate.

The area of the hull behind the backstay has a pretty large backing plate or built up laminations inside the lazarette and looks healthy. There are a couple of nicks with blue paint in the transom from possible minor contact by another boat, but everything seems solid.

Anyone have experience with cracks in this area or thoughts?
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My 382 has the same kind of crack in the transom and when I asked about it, I recall hearing others have them, too. No one seemed to think it was a problem. Previous name on the stern.
Evenstar-Stern.jpg
 
I believe the hull was joined in halves lengthwise during manufacture. A putty filler was used on the seam to cover the roving/cloth joining left and right. I'm guessing its a bit unstable after 3+ decades. Mines cracked too.

I think Morgan used the same filler to fair the hull/keel area. Perhaps other areas as well. My humble opinion is one could spend alot of time/$ to make it look nicer. Perhaps not really improve it structurally.

I'd be especially interested in Jeff L's opinion.
Dave
 
IMG_1465.JPG IMG_1462.JPG Mine was cracked when I bought the boat. I was assured it was cosmetic, but the gelcoat was peeling so I had it sanded and painted, pictures show it cracked and then sanded. There was nothing in the seam to indicate there was, or ever would be, a problem. Also previous name, now Sjokolade.

panache12.14.10 004.jpg
 
Yes ...I was concerned about this crack also. It does not go all the way through just on the outside. I had it dug out filled and painted. It's back again after eight years. Maybe if a piece of glass fabric had been placed over it after sanding etc. like the picture above from Rolf and redone properly it would not come back. I just filled it with gel coat repair you can hardly see it...only cost a couple of bucks...I'm sure one day it will be repaired properly. Only cosmetic.
 
Dana had the crack, which I did repairs on over the years. In 2010 when the hull was professionally painted, the yard did an in depth repair, inside and out. They assured me that it was not a critical flaw. It has not reappeared since.

Jim
 

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Looks like you had it done "properly" ...such a pretty part of the boat...think maybe we'll get it done next year the same way.
 
Had same crack. Had similar on the bow.
Boat was built in half's, can't have a 1 piece hull with reverse transom unless mold is hinged, Hull wouldn't come out of mold very easily.
I was advised gel coat covering the joining pieces was too thick causing crack when flexed.

Dick
 
dickkilroy said:
Had same crack. Had similar on the bow.
Boat was built in half's, can't have a 1 piece hull with reverse transom unless mold is hinged, Hull wouldn't come out of mold very easily.
I was advised gel coat covering the joining pieces was too thick causing crack when flexed.

Dick
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Do You mean, place a length of glass fabric over the crack and fo a typical sand, fair, paint, etc.?
 
Not to derail the thread but along the same lines, my boat has some cracks on deck such as where bow deck meets forward house and along deck edge by hand rails. I dont know if that is also common on these boats Hoping when we get to gouging/dremeling them out and filling in that we find it is only skin deep from perhaps too thick gelcoat and not a deeper issue. Deck otherwise seems very solid.
 
Pete
Those sound like crazing or stress cracks. They should not be structural or damaging to the deck. The thing with those is to not let water sit in them when the boat is up on the hard for the winter. The water will freeze and pressure the crazing wider. I try to coat them with paste wax (unbuffed) in the fall when putting the boat away. Seems to work.

Jim
 
jimcleary said:
Pete
Those sound like crazing or stress cracks. They should not be structural or damaging to the deck. The thing with those is to not let water sit in them when the boat is up on the hard for the winter. The water will freeze and pressure the crazing wider. I try to coat them with paste wax (unbuffed) in the fall when putting the boat away. Seems to work.

Jim
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input. I definitely need to fill or cover them before winter sets in.
 
Hey all,
I fixed that on to! Grind back gelcoat, glass with a tape or two, fair and paint. Don't try and make it look pretty until you glass it, it will just crack again.
Best,
David
 
Not yet. Had an issue with the blue paint color for the stripe and rain every afternoon. Got the transom done, sans blue stripe, about a week prior to Matthew and have been busy with several other projects on her.
 
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