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Author Topic:   Cracked Gunwale

Bowman9491 posted 06-24-2008 02:49 PM ET (US)
I have a 1978 Revenge 21 that I cracked the gunwale--again. The gunwale broke last summer and my dad had a friend who was supposed to be pretty good with fiberglass repair it. This past weekend we took the boat out, [the seas] were a little rough, and [the gunwale] broke again in the same spot. It is right where the middle rod holder is, and the gunwale is cracked all the way to the rub rail. [Give] suggestions on repair ideas. Is this something I should just let a professional handle? Thanks
Jerry Townsend posted 06-24-2008 08:58 PM ET (US)
Unless you REALLY know what you are doing with glass - have a professional do the repair for you. Also - the fact that you have a crack is, obviously, indicative that the gunwale is weak at that location - and has been damaged further - therefore beef it up by providing additional support (i.e. embedded metal) on the underside of the gunwale. Simply patching the crack on the outside will not do. --- Jerry/Idaho
DickRussell posted 06-25-2008 09:04 AM ET (US)
Yes, something is wrong structurally under the fiberglass shell might be where the top meets the bottom hull. Was the rod holder added or original? Is the top and bottom loose? - Is the rubrail loose?
If yes to the above - take to a REAL professional who is familiar with Boston Whalers and has separated the top and bottom shells.
jimh posted 06-25-2008 09:29 AM ET (US)
Materials crack because there is some stress on them which exceeds the material strength to resist. To prevent reoccurrence of the crack, you have to either remove the stress which caused it, or increase the strength of the materials being stressed.

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Author	Topic: Cracked Gunwale
Bowman9491	posted 06-24-2008 02:49 PM ET (US) I have a 1978 Revenge 21 that I cracked the gunwale--again. The gunwale broke last summer and my dad had a friend who was supposed to be pretty good with fiberglass repair it. This past weekend we took the boat out, [the seas] were a little rough, and [the gunwale] broke again in the same spot. It is right where the middle rod holder is, and the gunwale is cracked all the way to the rub rail. [Give] suggestions on repair ideas. Is this something I should just let a professional handle? Thanks
Jerry Townsend	posted 06-24-2008 08:58 PM ET (US) Unless you REALLY know what you are doing with glass - have a professional do the repair for you. Also - the fact that you have a crack is, obviously, indicative that the gunwale is weak at that location - and has been damaged further - therefore beef it up by providing additional support (i.e. embedded metal) on the underside of the gunwale. Simply patching the crack on the outside will not do. --- Jerry/Idaho
DickRussell	posted 06-25-2008 09:04 AM ET (US) Yes, something is wrong structurally under the fiberglass shell might be where the top meets the bottom hull. Was the rod holder added or original? Is the top and bottom loose? - Is the rubrail loose? If yes to the above - take to a REAL professional who is familiar with Boston Whalers and has separated the top and bottom shells.
jimh	posted 06-25-2008 09:29 AM ET (US) Materials crack because there is some stress on them which exceeds the material strength to resist. To prevent reoccurrence of the crack, you have to either remove the stress which caused it, or increase the strength of the materials being stressed.