gelcoat stress cracks under the strut... normal?

jvanick

I hit something last year and bent the strut and shaft a little bit... (not so bad that there was any shaking or anything, but the boat shop said I should replace it before it causes major damage to the transmission or vdrive unit)...

when they pulled the strut off, they found a few stress cracks in the gelcoat around where the bolts go through...

they look the same as the ones that are in a few other places on the boat...

they wanted over $1000 to "repair" the area under the strut... I told them to not bother and just put the new strut and shaft on and be done with it...

does anybody think that the stress cracks around the bold holes under the strut will cause me any major problems down the road??? When the strut is on, they will be completely covered, and I can't believe that the gel coat adds any additional strength to the hull.

Any ideas?

-J

siuski · Posted: Apr 25, 2003 11:19 am Post subject:

I would repair the cracks only if there is structrual damage to fiberglass. Can you see and damage from the inside of the boat where the strut attaches?

jvanick · Posted: Apr 25, 2003 11:46 am Post subject:

nope... no other damage other than the small stress cracks.

-J

Leggester · Posted: Apr 25, 2003 12:01 pm Post subject:

I'd at least fill them in. Don't want water getting between the gel and glass.