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Author Topic:   Stress crack repair advice

whaler007 posted 06-17-2014 12:24 AM ET (US)
After returning from the lake this past weekend, I noticed a stress crack on my 2008 190 Montauk. The crack is about 3" long and its on the non-skid area on top of the livewell. I believe it may have been caused by the live well lid slamming closing over the years. After its second season, I removed the small hydraulic bar because it had a habit of opening the livewell lid while underway. Is there a good product that I can buy that I could fill the crack with?
Binkster posted 06-19-2014 11:29 PM ET (US)
I assume the crack is only in the gelcoat. If so fill it with matching gelcoat and sand it smooth. If the lid is cracked all the way through, patch the underside with some mesh and polyester resin first then gelcoat the crack.
rich
wezie posted 06-20-2014 08:57 AM ET (US)
Sounds like the original lifter was too strong.
There are other strengths out there.
Rich sumed up the repair very well.
See if you can remove the cause or the repair may be short lived.
Good Luck
Buckda posted 06-22-2014 04:37 PM ET (US)
I would only add that if you want the stress crack to go away, you must first grind out the gelcoat down to the glass underneath. You can use a dremel burr or similar tool to grind a "V" in the gelcoat down to the glass underneath. You may find that the stress crack goes further along "under" the gelcoat than what was visible on the surface. Clean the area (first with compressed air, then with acetone), and then mask the area off. You can fill the excavated trench with gelcoat, or start with a new layer of resin (I like WEST SYSTEM with cabosil or some other filler material). Fill the area, let it cure, then grind a smaller V into the resin leaving 3/4 of your initial repair material in the V, remove the masking tape, wipe the area with acetone again, and put a new layer of masking tape down. Use the blue stuff as it won't leave adhesive on your deck. Then fill the area with gelcoat and wet sand it smooth starting with 500 grit and work your way to 3,000 grit and then compound and a good quality boat wax.

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Author	Topic: Stress crack repair advice
whaler007	posted 06-17-2014 12:24 AM ET (US) After returning from the lake this past weekend, I noticed a stress crack on my 2008 190 Montauk. The crack is about 3" long and its on the non-skid area on top of the livewell. I believe it may have been caused by the live well lid slamming closing over the years. After its second season, I removed the small hydraulic bar because it had a habit of opening the livewell lid while underway. Is there a good product that I can buy that I could fill the crack with?
Binkster	posted 06-19-2014 11:29 PM ET (US) I assume the crack is only in the gelcoat. If so fill it with matching gelcoat and sand it smooth. If the lid is cracked all the way through, patch the underside with some mesh and polyester resin first then gelcoat the crack. rich
wezie	posted 06-20-2014 08:57 AM ET (US) Sounds like the original lifter was too strong. There are other strengths out there. Rich sumed up the repair very well. See if you can remove the cause or the repair may be short lived. Good Luck
Buckda	posted 06-22-2014 04:37 PM ET (US) I would only add that if you want the stress crack to go away, you must first grind out the gelcoat down to the glass underneath. You can use a dremel burr or similar tool to grind a "V" in the gelcoat down to the glass underneath. You may find that the stress crack goes further along "under" the gelcoat than what was visible on the surface. Clean the area (first with compressed air, then with acetone), and then mask the area off. You can fill the excavated trench with gelcoat, or start with a new layer of resin (I like WEST SYSTEM with cabosil or some other filler material). Fill the area, let it cure, then grind a smaller V into the resin leaving 3/4 of your initial repair material in the V, remove the masking tape, wipe the area with acetone again, and put a new layer of masking tape down. Use the blue stuff as it won't leave adhesive on your deck. Then fill the area with gelcoat and wet sand it smooth starting with 500 grit and work your way to 3,000 grit and then compound and a good quality boat wax.