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preventing stress cracks?

 
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skers85
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Joined: 10 Apr 2013
Posts: 4
City: Seward

PostPosted: Jun 10, 2013 4:44 am    Post subject: preventing stress cracks? Reply with quote

Just wondering if anyone had some good ideas on how to prevent stress cracks on the gel coat from tower install
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kartman
Wakeboarder.Commie
Wakeboarder.Commie


Joined: 29 Oct 2008
Posts: 1542
City: meridian, Idaho

PostPosted: Jun 11, 2013 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

chamfer all the holes.
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trying to find a $5-7K usable saltare if anyone knows of one.
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INVERTCRASHER
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Joined: 10 Aug 2013
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Aug 10, 2013 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chamfer holes. Basically you are grinding out the edge of the hole going through the boat. I think this help but over time but most towers will eventually crack gel coat. Cost of doing business!
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Suprahunter
Soul Rider
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Joined: 28 Apr 2008
Posts: 486
City: Lowell

PostPosted: Aug 12, 2013 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stress cracks are caused by movement or flex fiberglass will tolerate some flex but the gel is hard and brittle it will crack. Some boats have thin fiberglass on the upper deck there may not be anything you can do to prevent stress cracks. Here is what I did on my 89 Supra Sunsport.

Chamfer the holes so the stress is on the fiberglass not the gel cote. Reinforce as much as possible under the deck where the tower legs attach.
I used 3/4'' plywood covered with fiberglass and then epoxied them to the under deck. I also made larger aluminum backers out of 1/4'' thick material.

Its been 4 years and no cracks.

I chamfered thr holes using a countersink bit you can see the different colors of gel used on the top deck


Bigger backing plates



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INVERTCRASHER
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Joined: 10 Aug 2013
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Aug 14, 2013 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i thought about a ring of rhino liner on inch or so larger that the foot of the tower, Never tried it tho
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