Cracked gel coat below the waterline

Don Crowther

Don Crowther

.
Sep 4, 2007
780
Hunter 33.5 Elbow, Saskatchwen, Can.
Good Morning
I have a 1993 Hunter 33.5
This fall when loading it onto the trailer one of the pads flipped and went unnoticed until the boat was out of the water. It was the aft pad that did the damage. now I have to figure out how to fix this.
Do you think I will have to grind down just the crack or is the entire area compromised? Any suggestions?

sailboat crack.jpgIMG_8861.jpg
IMG_8861.jpg
the boat
sailboat crack.jpg
 
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

.
May 17, 2004
5,816
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Any way to tell what it looks like on the inside? If you can see the inside and there’s nothing structural there (no grid or stringers, for example) and the crack isn’t through, then I think the fix isn’t so bad. You could probably just grind the cracked gelcoat away at a bevel. Then build it back up with epoxy and glass, fair, prime, and paint. If there’s anything structural on the inside or you can’t tell then it may be a bigger issue.
 
Don Crowther

Don Crowther

.
Sep 4, 2007
780
Hunter 33.5 Elbow, Saskatchwen, Can.
Thanks
I'll have to have a closer look inside. I think it's under the aft berth. I may just grind the gel coat down with a Dremel for a better look.
 
C

colemj

.
Jul 13, 2004
765
Dolphin Catamaran Dolphin 460 Mystic, CT
When the gelcoat cracks and stays proud like in the picture, it is almost likely to be damage in the underlying laminate.

It may be a perspective thing, but that gelcoat looks like it is sticking out 2-3mm.

What does "pad flipped" mean? It was up on edge and the hull was resting on a thin hard support edge?

Mark
 
Don Crowther

Don Crowther

.
Sep 4, 2007
780
Hunter 33.5 Elbow, Saskatchwen, Can.
Yes Mark the pad was standing on edge and the hull was resting on the edge of the pad. The gel coat isn't sticking out that far maybe 1-3 mm. but it has me concerned that the underlying laminate maybe damaged. If it pushed the hull in enough to crack the gelcoat that maybe a soft spot now.
 
C

colemj

.
Jul 13, 2004
765
Dolphin Catamaran Dolphin 460 Mystic, CT
Hulls can flex more than one would think without damage, but the gelcoat usually cracks differently than that looks like. I would have expected more of a spider web type of crack, or at least radiating cracks. Yours seems to have come apart in a shelf. However, it does look like that crack is right where the edge of the pad would have been, so maybe the pad edge only allowed one dimension of cracking, and that crack edge just lifted off the laminate a bit.

Could be either way, but if you can access it from the inside, and/or grind off that gelcoat around the crack, you will see the condition of the underlying laminate.

I wouldn't worry about a "soft spot". It will either be fine, or you will see damage.

Mark
 
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