Can someone give me advise about the multiple surface cracks that have appeared when I removed the boat cover today after 3 years of storage on the trailer in my back yard. The 15 or so cracks appeared randomly on the upper deck and cockpit surface and range from 4 inches to 12 inches.Is there a glue that will bond and repair this surface? Jerry
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JerryA
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Sav'h Steve
Freezing water?
I notice you are from Chicago. Could this be due to freezing/thawing water on the decks or in the interior? Sounds like they are not stress cracks.
I notice you are from Chicago. Could this be due to freezing/thawing water on the decks or in the interior? Sounds like they are not stress cracks.
Gerald...Cracks in 170 ACP hull
Was your 170 stored in the open, where the sun could hit the tarp? Hunter warns that these cracks will occur if boat is covered with a dark-colored tarp. In fact, I believe their suggestion to be not to use a tarp at all, as the changes in temperature with the direct sun cause those cracks. Search the archives, or contact Hunter. I know this is a commonly reported problem here on the forums. Their is an ACP Repair Manual from Hunter - I'll try attaching it as an image here, otherwise I will upload it to the new Downloads section.
Was your 170 stored in the open, where the sun could hit the tarp? Hunter warns that these cracks will occur if boat is covered with a dark-colored tarp. In fact, I believe their suggestion to be not to use a tarp at all, as the changes in temperature with the direct sun cause those cracks. Search the archives, or contact Hunter. I know this is a commonly reported problem here on the forums. Their is an ACP Repair Manual from Hunter - I'll try attaching it as an image here, otherwise I will upload it to the new Downloads section.
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Gerald
170 was covered with a silver tarp
It was covered with a silver boat cover suspended above the deck surface and tilted for water run off.
It was covered with a silver boat cover suspended above the deck surface and tilted for water run off.
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Gerald
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Joe
Date of Purchase?
If you are the original owner and have receipt AND/OR less than 5 years, I would discuss with a dealer or JY for possible replacement. Not sure if warranty is transferrable. See Statement in Manual. Also, hull serial would I.D. date of manufacture and if younger than 5 yrs, DOP is irrelevant. I'll post later tonite what the serial characters mean. ACP is great when it holds together. Some early units had issues and Hunter did not neglect taking care of these customers. A hull older than 5 yrs yet owned by the original purchaser with DOP less than 5 years is entitled to warranty for warrantable problems. Best to eliminate yours as one of these and eliminate mfg defect as the cause before repairing yourself! Good Luck, Joe
If you are the original owner and have receipt AND/OR less than 5 years, I would discuss with a dealer or JY for possible replacement. Not sure if warranty is transferrable. See Statement in Manual. Also, hull serial would I.D. date of manufacture and if younger than 5 yrs, DOP is irrelevant. I'll post later tonite what the serial characters mean. ACP is great when it holds together. Some early units had issues and Hunter did not neglect taking care of these customers. A hull older than 5 yrs yet owned by the original purchaser with DOP less than 5 years is entitled to warranty for warrantable problems. Best to eliminate yours as one of these and eliminate mfg defect as the cause before repairing yourself! Good Luck, Joe
Hull ID
Here's a sample: HUN17XXXE202 HUN=Hunter 17=170 XXX=Hull Number (010 would be the tenth hull) E=Month Made (A=Jan, B=Feb etc) 2=Built in Year (2002) 02=Model Year Looked at my Manual. Warranty for my 2002 IS TRANFERRABLE. Don't know about prior or latter years. Probably unchanged. You mentioned a tarp on a frame. Regardless of tarp color, if air could freely circulate, can't see the tarp (trapped heat) as the cause. Good Luck, Joe
Here's a sample: HUN17XXXE202 HUN=Hunter 17=170 XXX=Hull Number (010 would be the tenth hull) E=Month Made (A=Jan, B=Feb etc) 2=Built in Year (2002) 02=Model Year Looked at my Manual. Warranty for my 2002 IS TRANFERRABLE. Don't know about prior or latter years. Probably unchanged. You mentioned a tarp on a frame. Regardless of tarp color, if air could freely circulate, can't see the tarp (trapped heat) as the cause. Good Luck, Joe
cracks
I've had the odd crack appear and they are easy to repair. I've also had reoccuring problems with cracks near the mast step. Not too difficult to repair, although they keep returning. Hunter is aware that a percentage of boats develop cracks near the mast step. They told me that's why the gasket was added to the mast step, but it apparently doesn't help. They also don't know why it happens. Oh yeah....they don't cover it with the warranty either. Before you do anything else, drill out the ends of all your cracks with a 1/8" bit to keep them from spreading. That will buy you time to repair them.
I've had the odd crack appear and they are easy to repair. I've also had reoccuring problems with cracks near the mast step. Not too difficult to repair, although they keep returning. Hunter is aware that a percentage of boats develop cracks near the mast step. They told me that's why the gasket was added to the mast step, but it apparently doesn't help. They also don't know why it happens. Oh yeah....they don't cover it with the warranty either. Before you do anything else, drill out the ends of all your cracks with a 1/8" bit to keep them from spreading. That will buy you time to repair them.
Yeah, But...
Pretty much everyone's heard of the occasional crack in the early production but Jerry mentions a very high number...just sounds like further investigation would be prudent and maybe to his benefit. I agree that minor cracking shouldn't be alarming and is pretty easy to fix. As Dick mentions, drilling the ends immediately is essential. I would hope (and believe) Hunter's position is that cracking hulls is not a normal condition. Would not bode well for the Co's reputation or sales! I believe the mast step issue has been resolved. Would love to hear from others with 2002's and later on this issue. Mine's holding up fine so far. Stored under a med gray breathable cover I had made. Outdoors year round. Snow, sub zero, rain, sun (seems in that order) etc here in the Northeast. Always covered when not in use. One thing I'll add is when I put it up for the winter, I support the mast as mentioned in other posts. Removed the Mast the first winter but since (2 winters) have left in place & supported with no problems noted. Also, I take the pressure off the bow eye by releasing the winch. This way the hull lays supported on the bunkers only. No chance of pressure to the hull from being pulled down by the winch. So far, so good. Joe
Pretty much everyone's heard of the occasional crack in the early production but Jerry mentions a very high number...just sounds like further investigation would be prudent and maybe to his benefit. I agree that minor cracking shouldn't be alarming and is pretty easy to fix. As Dick mentions, drilling the ends immediately is essential. I would hope (and believe) Hunter's position is that cracking hulls is not a normal condition. Would not bode well for the Co's reputation or sales! I believe the mast step issue has been resolved. Would love to hear from others with 2002's and later on this issue. Mine's holding up fine so far. Stored under a med gray breathable cover I had made. Outdoors year round. Snow, sub zero, rain, sun (seems in that order) etc here in the Northeast. Always covered when not in use. One thing I'll add is when I put it up for the winter, I support the mast as mentioned in other posts. Removed the Mast the first winter but since (2 winters) have left in place & supported with no problems noted. Also, I take the pressure off the bow eye by releasing the winch. This way the hull lays supported on the bunkers only. No chance of pressure to the hull from being pulled down by the winch. So far, so good. Joe
Mast step crack
I have a 2002 and the mast step cracks weren't solved then. I've done everything right since I owned the boat and once a year I've finally gotten to the point where I remove the mast step and look for new cracks (going by the theory that it's better to catch them early before they spread out beyond the mast step). The biggest one as been 6 inches. I have the gasket in my mast step but it doesn't help. When I spoke to Hunter about it they were very aware of the problem but seemed clueless as to how to prevent it. Certainly it happens on only a fraction of 170's. But if you're one of that fraction and Hunter doesn't cover it under their warranty, it's an annoyance.
I have a 2002 and the mast step cracks weren't solved then. I've done everything right since I owned the boat and once a year I've finally gotten to the point where I remove the mast step and look for new cracks (going by the theory that it's better to catch them early before they spread out beyond the mast step). The biggest one as been 6 inches. I have the gasket in my mast step but it doesn't help. When I spoke to Hunter about it they were very aware of the problem but seemed clueless as to how to prevent it. Certainly it happens on only a fraction of 170's. But if you're one of that fraction and Hunter doesn't cover it under their warranty, it's an annoyance.
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