I've got some cracking happening on the deck where the lifeline stansions meet the deck. The cracks are about 3" long. How do I repair this or do I need to worry about it at all?
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Hairline crack cement
Chad, if they're small hairline cracks get some hairline crack filler from West Marine. I believe it's a thinned epoxy where capillary action pulls it into the cracks. If they're large you might need to consider more support under the attachment points. Just a question: do you or your passengers lean on the stanchions a lot? They really should hold onto the lifelines and not the stanchions, this way the force is shared on all stanchions and attachment points. Grabbing or throwing a large man's weight against a stanchion can snap it right off. Steve
Chad, if they're small hairline cracks get some hairline crack filler from West Marine. I believe it's a thinned epoxy where capillary action pulls it into the cracks. If they're large you might need to consider more support under the attachment points. Just a question: do you or your passengers lean on the stanchions a lot? They really should hold onto the lifelines and not the stanchions, this way the force is shared on all stanchions and attachment points. Grabbing or throwing a large man's weight against a stanchion can snap it right off. Steve
sounds good
I'll give that a try. We have a West Marine here in town. The cracks are small and just in a couple places at this point. I try to keep the weight off of the stanchions. I think, on more than a few occasions, that the 2 stanchions in particular were used to heave a person up into the boat while it was trailered. They are perfect hand holds for that.
I'll give that a try. We have a West Marine here in town. The cracks are small and just in a couple places at this point. I try to keep the weight off of the stanchions. I think, on more than a few occasions, that the 2 stanchions in particular were used to heave a person up into the boat while it was trailered. They are perfect hand holds for that.
In all probability...
it's just gel coat crazing...not a structural issue...just cosmetic. If you want to fix it, the common way to do it is to take a can openner (do they still sell those triangular can punchers?) or something like that and run it along the crack to widen it and make it V shaped. Then fill with gel coat repair. Here's a tip, follow the curing instructions on the can to the letter, some gel coat will not cure properly while exposed to oxygen. After it has cured, take a utility knife blade and cover the sharp tips with masking tape, then use the blade to scrape the new gel coat almost down to the level of the old gel coat, then sand...saves tons of time.
it's just gel coat crazing...not a structural issue...just cosmetic. If you want to fix it, the common way to do it is to take a can openner (do they still sell those triangular can punchers?) or something like that and run it along the crack to widen it and make it V shaped. Then fill with gel coat repair. Here's a tip, follow the curing instructions on the can to the letter, some gel coat will not cure properly while exposed to oxygen. After it has cured, take a utility knife blade and cover the sharp tips with masking tape, then use the blade to scrape the new gel coat almost down to the level of the old gel coat, then sand...saves tons of time.
a ladder..........
My neighbor did, and now he uses a ladder, and/or uses the grab bars on the cabin when climbing aboard. I use a ladder all the time. I never pull on them, nor the bow pulpit. I am pretty short, so a 6 foot ladder does the trick when it is on the trailer. I would follow Dave's ideas to fix. I have heard of others doing that, and it seems to work.
My neighbor did, and now he uses a ladder, and/or uses the grab bars on the cabin when climbing aboard. I use a ladder all the time. I never pull on them, nor the bow pulpit. I am pretty short, so a 6 foot ladder does the trick when it is on the trailer. I would follow Dave's ideas to fix. I have heard of others doing that, and it seems to work.
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