Transom Paint cracks

[James Herrington]

I have just purchased a 1995 - 23.5 hunter and the only problem that I have found so far is the paint is cracked and splitting along the 1 1/2" lip along the lower part of the transom where the hull joins. (below the rudder mount) I would like to know the best way to repair this. I have had the boat out sailing three times and have not noticed any water entering the hull, but I have found a small amount of water in the bilge compartment. I do not know if this bilge water is a natural occurance or not. I initially was inclined to take a belt sander and go all across the back lip of the transom, then use epoxy to seal it or fiberglass it, but I am not sure if my idea is correct or not. Should I just take it to a repair shop? I really hate to spend money on something that I could do for myself. Has anyone had this problem? Can anyone offer me some suggestions.

 

[Carl]

its not paint

the gelcoat is what is coming off the transom lip it happens to mine to usually from my 14yr old ramming the dingy into the stern its easy enough to repair you can get a small tube of gelcoat from west marine i use light sandpaper to rough up the area and then apply the new gelcoat if it is a deep crack i have used a conical shaped dremel bit to dig it out then fill it

 

[Dave Royce]

It is a bigger issue....

I found the same cracks on my 23.5 a few years ago and did the gel coat repair. Not a good thing. I has my boat in the yard this spring and the cracks where still there. My mechanic looks into it and was not happy with what we found. The gel coat in the area is very thin, and there is only closed cell foam behind the gel coat. The crack allowed the water to sit in the closed cell foam. Well we opened up the cracks and allowed the area to dry (three days with a heat lamp), the area where then filled with fiberglass, (very think mesh), then after reshaping the transom, we reapplied new gelcoat. I guess my point is, the without fiberglass behind the cracks you will keep having the problem that I did.