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Author Topic:   Numerous hairline gelcoat cracks

Frank O posted 09-05-2014 02:43 PM ET (US)
Over the past couple of years I've been getting quite a number of hairline gelcoat cracks on my 1995 Outrage 21. The boat is stored under a mooring cover in a bottom liner in the water in Los Angeles, California. My impression is that some of the more severe heat spells of the past couple of years resulted in many of these cracks (in addition to glitches in onboard electronics.
None of the hairline cracks are on the outer hull below the rubrail. Some radiate from screwed-down fixtures such as cleats and rails, but many others appear in seemingly random spots around the deck. None are what I would call "crazed" or spiderweb-style -- they are pretty much either single cracks or in small groups of two or three cracks.
I've been going through threads here on hairline cracks, and will try to make a decision on whether or how to repair them. For the most part they seem cosmetic, and not an issue with seaworthiness. But I'd also like to do what I can to slow down the appearance of new cracks.
Some of the things I'm wondering:
-- For a boat this age, stored in this environment, are cracks like this pretty much inevitable?
-- Short of storing the boat somewhere else, is there anything I can do to slow them down?
-- One guy at my outboard dealer said that keeping the boat waxed (not one of my strong suits) would help protect it. True?
An overall redo of the gelcoat isn't in the cards right now, but I'm open to any other ideas on dealing with this.

contender posted 09-05-2014 07:50 PM ET (US)
Cracks in the gel coat are coming about from age and the sun, This is a cosmetic condidtion espically if it is just starting. Not much you can do, keep the boat covered and out of the sun. Waxing the boat would have helped, but like I said after a while the Whalers will crack in the gel coat. If you plan to keep the boat this is not a cheap fix, you would have to remove everything and have all the gel coat sanded down and redone. The only cracks I would worry about would be on the transom corners (transom and side hull come together). Enjoy your boat right now not much you can do....
Jeff posted 09-05-2014 08:02 PM ET (US)
The only things that will keep the gelcoat from crazy are: (in order of importance)
#1 Being covered from the sun - UV is a killer it will make gel-coat brittle.
#2 Being kept in a cool place - Heat makes cooks gel-coat making it brittle and shrinking it by drying all the oils out
#3 Having a good wax applied - Keeps needed oils in the gelcoat helping to keep it's elasticity and flexibility.
Frank O posted 09-05-2014 08:39 PM ET (US)
Okay, thanks. I'll plan on waxing it. As noted, the boat is under a mooring cover nearly all the time, so the areas where the cracks are appearing don't get any UV to speak of. However, I think the mooring cover makes it that much hotter underneath it during our heat waves. Not sure what I can do about that.
picflight posted 09-08-2014 01:19 AM ET (US)
Frank, if you can DIY, some of the cosmetic cracks you can take care of. Drop by the San Fernando Valley and see what I have done to some cosmetic cracks. I keep my boat covered as well.
Frank O posted 09-13-2014 11:09 AM ET (US)
Picflight, I'd be interested in taking a look. This website doesn't show an email for you. Do you want to drop me a message? My address here is slightly munged, but not hard to figure out.

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Author	Topic: Numerous hairline gelcoat cracks
Frank O	posted 09-05-2014 02:43 PM ET (US) Over the past couple of years I've been getting quite a number of hairline gelcoat cracks on my 1995 Outrage 21. The boat is stored under a mooring cover in a bottom liner in the water in Los Angeles, California. My impression is that some of the more severe heat spells of the past couple of years resulted in many of these cracks (in addition to glitches in onboard electronics. None of the hairline cracks are on the outer hull below the rubrail. Some radiate from screwed-down fixtures such as cleats and rails, but many others appear in seemingly random spots around the deck. None are what I would call "crazed" or spiderweb-style -- they are pretty much either single cracks or in small groups of two or three cracks. I've been going through threads here on hairline cracks, and will try to make a decision on whether or how to repair them. For the most part they seem cosmetic, and not an issue with seaworthiness. But I'd also like to do what I can to slow down the appearance of new cracks. Some of the things I'm wondering: -- For a boat this age, stored in this environment, are cracks like this pretty much inevitable? -- Short of storing the boat somewhere else, is there anything I can do to slow them down? -- One guy at my outboard dealer said that keeping the boat waxed (not one of my strong suits) would help protect it. True? An overall redo of the gelcoat isn't in the cards right now, but I'm open to any other ideas on dealing with this.
contender	posted 09-05-2014 07:50 PM ET (US) Cracks in the gel coat are coming about from age and the sun, This is a cosmetic condidtion espically if it is just starting. Not much you can do, keep the boat covered and out of the sun. Waxing the boat would have helped, but like I said after a while the Whalers will crack in the gel coat. If you plan to keep the boat this is not a cheap fix, you would have to remove everything and have all the gel coat sanded down and redone. The only cracks I would worry about would be on the transom corners (transom and side hull come together). Enjoy your boat right now not much you can do....
Jeff	posted 09-05-2014 08:02 PM ET (US) The only things that will keep the gelcoat from crazy are: (in order of importance) #1 Being covered from the sun - UV is a killer it will make gel-coat brittle. #2 Being kept in a cool place - Heat makes cooks gel-coat making it brittle and shrinking it by drying all the oils out #3 Having a good wax applied - Keeps needed oils in the gelcoat helping to keep it's elasticity and flexibility.
Frank O	posted 09-05-2014 08:39 PM ET (US) Okay, thanks. I'll plan on waxing it. As noted, the boat is under a mooring cover nearly all the time, so the areas where the cracks are appearing don't get any UV to speak of. However, I think the mooring cover makes it that much hotter underneath it during our heat waves. Not sure what I can do about that.
picflight	posted 09-08-2014 01:19 AM ET (US) Frank, if you can DIY, some of the cosmetic cracks you can take care of. Drop by the San Fernando Valley and see what I have done to some cosmetic cracks. I keep my boat covered as well.
Frank O	posted 09-13-2014 11:09 AM ET (US) Picflight, I'd be interested in taking a look. This website doesn't show an email for you. Do you want to drop me a message? My address here is slightly munged, but not hard to figure out.