New guy questions
- Thread starter Starboardport78
- Start date
Well, you may not like this answer. The crack is either no big deal or it's huge.
Going with the "no big deal" route first. The crack is on a tight radius. One common problem with fiberglass is trying to lay up glass on a tight radius. The deck is built by first spraying gelcoat into a mould and then laying up fiberglass on top of the gelcoat. With a tight radius, like you show in the photos, it is difficult to get the fiberglass cloth to conform to the radius. The glass pulls away from the mould and gelcoat leaving a void. Sooner or later the gelcoat cracks because it is unsupported by the glass. Gelcoat (and resins without glass or fillers) is really brittle, it breaks easily. This is not a structural issue.
The next step is to remove some of the cracked gelcoat. If you see a void and solid glass laminate beneath the void, you're in a good place. Just remove the gelcoat, chip it out and sand. Rebuild the area with thickened epoxy and paint or gel coat over it. Or use a good marine quality polyester resin filler and gelcoat over the top.
If the laminate is cracked, well, that might be a big repair. It is a structural issue.
While you're messing around with gelcoat, what are those screws for? It might be worthwhile to remove them and fill the holes.
Going with the "no big deal" route first. The crack is on a tight radius. One common problem with fiberglass is trying to lay up glass on a tight radius. The deck is built by first spraying gelcoat into a mould and then laying up fiberglass on top of the gelcoat. With a tight radius, like you show in the photos, it is difficult to get the fiberglass cloth to conform to the radius. The glass pulls away from the mould and gelcoat leaving a void. Sooner or later the gelcoat cracks because it is unsupported by the glass. Gelcoat (and resins without glass or fillers) is really brittle, it breaks easily. This is not a structural issue.
The next step is to remove some of the cracked gelcoat. If you see a void and solid glass laminate beneath the void, you're in a good place. Just remove the gelcoat, chip it out and sand. Rebuild the area with thickened epoxy and paint or gel coat over it. Or use a good marine quality polyester resin filler and gelcoat over the top.
If the laminate is cracked, well, that might be a big repair. It is a structural issue.
While you're messing around with gelcoat, what are those screws for? It might be worthwhile to remove them and fill the holes.
The transom looks like it gets a good deal of abuse with the boarding ladder and outboard right there. The extent of the cracks, as dlochner says, makes it look like surgery may be necessary. I would be suspicious that perhaps something hit the stern and pushed it in to make it crack like that, but we don’t know. The thing to do is to explore the crack and open it up to see what’s going on in there. It could just be a crack in the gelcoat, as dlochner says, and simply need filling with epoxygoop with a gelcoat cap to match the color.
If it goes in beyond that, into the laminate, there will be more to do, and that depends upon how the transom was built. If the transom isn’t cored, the crack, if it’s in the laminate, will need to be exposed along its whole length ( a disc sander is useful for this) and new fiberglass cloth and possibly roving will need to be resined over it to make the repair. Gelcoat can go over it when it has set and been sanded smooth. If there is any coring (we don’t know how this transom is built- there may be plywood or balsa coring, or there may not be any) exposed by the crack, it has probably gotten wet and may be delaminated or rotted. The fixes for this depend a lot on how bad it is. If it is really bad, with rotten core leaving an empty space instead of connecting the inner and outer laminates, it will need to be replaced. This means opening up the whole affected area back to solid core and re-doing it. If the core is simply damp, but not delaminated, people sometimes drill holes to help dry things out with fans and heat and then inject epoxygoop into the holes to hopefully stick it back together and keep it from getting worse. (It’s not the best but may be quick and sufficient.) Essentially, you need to take a look and find out. Good luck!
If it goes in beyond that, into the laminate, there will be more to do, and that depends upon how the transom was built. If the transom isn’t cored, the crack, if it’s in the laminate, will need to be exposed along its whole length ( a disc sander is useful for this) and new fiberglass cloth and possibly roving will need to be resined over it to make the repair. Gelcoat can go over it when it has set and been sanded smooth. If there is any coring (we don’t know how this transom is built- there may be plywood or balsa coring, or there may not be any) exposed by the crack, it has probably gotten wet and may be delaminated or rotted. The fixes for this depend a lot on how bad it is. If it is really bad, with rotten core leaving an empty space instead of connecting the inner and outer laminates, it will need to be replaced. This means opening up the whole affected area back to solid core and re-doing it. If the core is simply damp, but not delaminated, people sometimes drill holes to help dry things out with fans and heat and then inject epoxygoop into the holes to hopefully stick it back together and keep it from getting worse. (It’s not the best but may be quick and sufficient.) Essentially, you need to take a look and find out. Good luck!
My last boat was a Starwind 19. It's a well made boat built by Welcraft in Michigan. Its very similar to the Precision 19 (or 18?) which is also a Jim Taylor design. Members of the now defunct Starwind association put together a manual which I managed to download before the site went offline. PM me for a copy.
We loved that little boat. It's far more comfortable to sleep in than my O'Day 25. Please send a pic of your rudder configuration. There is a design flaw that can cause them to crack if it's not setup correctly.
My Starwind had a similar crack in the transom. Other sailors said it wasnt an issue. As far as I know water never leaked into the hull.
As with all boats, your windows will leak at some point. When they do then you'll have soaked cabin cushions. Exact replacements are not available. I did draw up some dimensions for a plexi replacement with no frame. Sold the boat before doing that project but files are available if you want them.
I had that little boat in winds upto 20 or 25mph. It was a blast until the wind started kicking the 4ft waves in my face. My outboard also went under water twice that night but kept on running as if nothing ever happened. I started out reefing the main but eventually pulled all reefs out. Nothing broke. The boat really came alive in heavy winds.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. I know that boat very well and can send you a bunch of info on it
We loved that little boat. It's far more comfortable to sleep in than my O'Day 25. Please send a pic of your rudder configuration. There is a design flaw that can cause them to crack if it's not setup correctly.
My Starwind had a similar crack in the transom. Other sailors said it wasnt an issue. As far as I know water never leaked into the hull.
As with all boats, your windows will leak at some point. When they do then you'll have soaked cabin cushions. Exact replacements are not available. I did draw up some dimensions for a plexi replacement with no frame. Sold the boat before doing that project but files are available if you want them.
I had that little boat in winds upto 20 or 25mph. It was a blast until the wind started kicking the 4ft waves in my face. My outboard also went under water twice that night but kept on running as if nothing ever happened. I started out reefing the main but eventually pulled all reefs out. Nothing broke. The boat really came alive in heavy winds.
Feel free to ask any questions you may have. I know that boat very well and can send you a bunch of info on it
Project Mayhem , our 25 Oday has a slide out under the port side settee . When I sleep on the boat by myself ,it's what I use .
When I'm lucky enough that my wife is able to join me . we utilize the slide out under the starboard settee and use a memory foam mattress and sleep athwarts. .Very comfortable , I'm about 6'2" and there is plenty of room .
When I'm lucky enough that my wife is able to join me . we utilize the slide out under the starboard settee and use a memory foam mattress and sleep athwarts. .Very comfortable , I'm about 6'2" and there is plenty of room .
@Timm R Oday25 We tried sleeping in the bow on the O'Day. It's not comfortable with two people. At 6ft I barely fit and our feet kept touching. The main cabin looks like it'd be much more comfortable. I know a couple that did a half loop in an O'Day and they said they slept on the settees. I'm guessing those slide outs were added by you or a PO at some point?
The Starwind can comfortably accomodate two people in the bow and one or two more on the settees. I've only slept in the bow of that boat. PO had new cushions made with memory foam. Was more comfortable than my mattress at home
The Starwind can comfortably accomodate two people in the bow and one or two more on the settees. I've only slept in the bow of that boat. PO had new cushions made with memory foam. Was more comfortable than my mattress at home
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Hi everyone, I am new here, and to forums in general, please pardon me if this is not the correct site or way to pose this question.
I have a 1986 Starwind 19 which I disassembled a few years ago, and which I am trying to rebuild. Would you guys know where I can find a stern rail (pulpit) for this boat? I am in Miami, FL, and would gladly take suggestions for local fabricators, of which I have found none willing to work the Stainless Steel. I have attempted to form the shape with 1" 316 SS tubing, but my bender just can't do it, and then I would have to deal with the welding. Precision Boats folks swear their stern will not fit.
Separately, also for this boat, I created AutoCAD files for the port light frames, which I plan on reassembling using a sandwich of 1/8" SS Sheetmetal around the perimeter of the opening on the outside, then Plexiglass on the inside, then the deck, and finally another SS frame on the inside of the cab. I can send the files for anyone wanting them in order to have your local fabricator with a CNC Waterjet cutter make a set for you.
Thank you,
Infante
I have a 1986 Starwind 19 which I disassembled a few years ago, and which I am trying to rebuild. Would you guys know where I can find a stern rail (pulpit) for this boat? I am in Miami, FL, and would gladly take suggestions for local fabricators, of which I have found none willing to work the Stainless Steel. I have attempted to form the shape with 1" 316 SS tubing, but my bender just can't do it, and then I would have to deal with the welding. Precision Boats folks swear their stern will not fit.
Separately, also for this boat, I created AutoCAD files for the port light frames, which I plan on reassembling using a sandwich of 1/8" SS Sheetmetal around the perimeter of the opening on the outside, then Plexiglass on the inside, then the deck, and finally another SS frame on the inside of the cab. I can send the files for anyone wanting them in order to have your local fabricator with a CNC Waterjet cutter make a set for you.
Thank you,
Infante