Stress Cracks - Deck Edge - H376

[Don12364]

The construction of the deck/hull joint on my H-376 is that the deck edge rises up in a 3" diameter 'D' shape to form a toe rail, thereby saving the need for an aluminium toe rail. See attached pdf of crossection of what I believe it to be.

Right from new my boat developed lengthwise stress cracks in the fibreglass toe rail. I had these treated by the dealer under warranty in the first year though I don't know what they actually did by way of a repair.
The present position is this cracking is back with a vengeance and this time for much of the perimeter of the deck. I have asked the opinion of our local repair company who say the only cure would be to grind all the gel coat off and some of the laminate and then to build up the laminate significantly thicker than previously. Then to take down the head-linings internally and reinforce the hull deck joint. They reason it is all flexing when people walk about on the deck.
Obviously this is a major job and will be very expensive and even then it is only to overcome the very visual horizontal cracks in the gel coat on the turn of this piece of deck moulding. I don't think that there is any danger of structural failure.
I am reluctant to believe that my boat is the only one to suffer this problem as they all appear to use the same construction.
Does anyone else have this and, if so, how did you remedy it.
Thanks in advance - Donalex.

 

[kloudie1]

Bummer, Donalex.. I wonder if it might be a lot more simple to glass tab in a few "knees" on the inside to un-stress the toe rail. Some small triangles of wood (maybe 6-8 inch sides and 1 inch thick?) to take the deck load to the hull .. start the first one where the cracks first originate; put one forward and one aft of that one about half of the final crack length.. Ya should be able to do that without causing an eyesore..

 

[rfrye1]

Donalex, I have no such issues with my H376 (1998), sounds strange. Did they really say caused by people walking on the deck?

 

[Don12364]

rfrye1 - mine is a 1996 boat and, I believe, one of the first 50 off. Maybe Hunters made some alterations after that.

kloudie1 - thanks for your advice but I am trying to avoid major works inside the hull as the headlinings are not removable in a way that would facilitate easy replacement. i.e. they appear to be on grp tapes tabbed to the underside of the deck. The present symptoms do not represent a likelihood of structural failure - just flexing sufficient to split the outer layer of gel.

 

[jwieneck]

I have a 1998 376 and do not have any of the stress cracks your referencing.

 

[rfrye1]

Donalex. I don't know what happened on my post. My 376 is a 1998.

Bob

 

[Sailing Poodles]

I also have found strees cracks in the starboard toe rail of my 2009 41DS and would appreciate any comments on this. I also have the beginning of a hole at the starting point of the cracks. As I am sailing the Atlantic in 2014, I would like to get this sorted.

 

[seadaddler]

Cracks

My 07 H-36 had many tress cracks on the sloping down part of the stern
right after the arch and the dealer repaired them all and some have returned.
What they did was grind away the gel coat area of the crack and refill and regel coat making it look real good and no stress crack s where repaired but some minor ones other area.
Nick

 

[Mike OToole]

The construction of the deck/hull joint on my H-376 is that the deck edge rises up in a 3" diameter 'D' shape to form a toe rail, thereby saving the need for an aluminium toe rail. See attached pdf of crossection of what I believe it to be.

Right from new my boat developed lengthwise stress cracks in the fibreglass toe rail. I had these treated by the dealer under warranty in the first year though I don't know what they actually did by way of a repair.
The present position is this cracking is back with a vengeance and this time for much of the perimeter of the deck. I have asked the opinion of our local repair company who say the only cure would be to grind all the gel coat off and some of the laminate and then to build up the laminate significantly thicker than previously. Then to take down the head-linings internally and reinforce the hull deck joint. They reason it is all flexing when people walk about on the deck.
Obviously this is a major job and will be very expensive and even then it is only to overcome the very visual horizontal cracks in the gel coat on the turn of this piece of deck moulding. I don't think that there is any danger of structural failure.
I am reluctant to believe that my boat is the only one to suffer this problem as they all appear to use the same construction.
Does anyone else have this and, if so, how did you remedy it.
Thanks in advance - Donalex.

I also have a 96 H376. I have some horizontal stress cracks similar to those you have described. I've not tried to do anything to fix them and they don't seem to have gotten any worse over the years. I thought they might have happened from some very hard dockings against vertical pilings and or from being lifted in the slings for winter haul out. I have noticed the slings are tight against the rub rails when the boat is in the air. I guess I consider them as cosmetic cracks only.