Hair line crack !

[Glenn Basore]

I have discove a small hair line crack running from under the stern ladder. it runs in the middle of what I would call a joint area. this area form the lip that protrudes out from the stern and the bottom of the hull meet, hope that makes some since to you readers.

Any how, when you step on the ladder the crack widens to about 1/8" and it runs about 12 inches on this lip.

I can squeeze it together with my fingers.  I don't know if this is a separation of the glass, stress crack, or a manufacture issue !

I had no water in the bilge after sailing Sunday for about 2.5 hrs.

I don't no if this is a simple fix or something I should have done.

Glenn B.

[BrittainMach92]

Glenn,

Can yoou post a picture of the crack you describe?

PCB
Winds Aloft

[Gil Weiss]

While gel coat cracks ( like spider webs, etc. ) are fairly common, the fact your boat is new and the crack widens to 1/8" leads me to believe this could be a separation issue. The typical gel coat cracks don't spread, even with force applied.

I would get this checked out by your dealer . .. my 2 cents, Gil

[TR2020]

Glenn...

How are you making out with the crack problem ?  I see only a few hairline like cracks in the gel-coat in this area on my boat.  Nothing like a separation of these surfaces.  I have one of the oldest Eclipses (hull#2) and have had only one problem,  a leak in the centerboard compartment. Com-pac fixed this problem even though the boat was slightly out of warranty.

[Glenn Basore]

Hi PCB

I was looking at the crack over the week end and realized I have two such cracks !

I will take a couple of pictures and try to post them here, I'm not very good at this computer stuff bare with me, I might just have to email them to you if you.

you could email me at glenn.basore@medtronic.com and I could send them to you.

but first let me try and post them.

I also want to crawl inside and take a good look in the stern area to see what there is structurally.

While rigging the boat in the parking lot I was boarding the boat using the swim ladder when I heard a load crack sound, but did not see anything. I'm now thinking possibly hair line crack is what I heard.

Although it is on the lip under the step, I have a second crack on the starboard side of the lip as well so now I'm not so sure the ladder has anything to do with the cracks ?

I will try and take some pictures tonight before it gets to dark and post Tuesday morning.

Have you been sailing ?

[Gil Weiss]

The support on the hull on the trailer is considerable different than when it is in the water . In the water there is even support on the bottom of the hull. It is quite possible that when you climbed onto the boarding ladder on land you may have created stress in the transom and hull junction  that caused the cracking.

[hazelscamp]

Should we consider the weight of the motor and if the boat is trailered with the motor mounted?

[Glenn Basore]

You all have good points here, but the most disturbing part of it is, I'm just not sure.

I'm going to crawl back in there and see what I can see, structurally this week end.

When I bought the boat from the previous owner, we just climbed on board using the swim later, the previous owner was about my weight and size.

I have done some fiber glassing and different projects of my own but never any marine experience.

I will try and post pictures Tuesday morning, if not may be I could email the pictures to one of you to post for me if I'm not successful.

[Rick Klages]

I have a boarding ladder on my CP-16 and I don't think I would use it except for boarding while afloat.  I use a three step folding ladder from Home Depot for boarding on the hard.  My guess is using the boarding ladder overstressed your hull. Good luck with the repair Glenn, once fixed I'd only use it to re-board after a swim. Or  as you have no traditional transom discard the ladder and "swim" aboard.  I owned a Hunter 212 (open transom) for a few years and no ladder was required for boarding while afloat.

ick

[Glenn Basore]

OK all,

I've got some pictures but cant figure out how to post them ?

Insert image doesn't do it ?

[Rick Klages]

load them into the gallery first.

ick

[Glenn Basore]

Some how I was able to get two pictures to load on the Gallery but haven't figure out how to get them to here ?

So I guess everyone will have to go to the gallery to view ........

[AT]

Go back to the gallery, open your image, right-click and select "Properties," copy the address. Then come back here, post a message and use img tag pair with the address in between. There is a designated button "Insert Image that places the img tag pair into the body of the message. This is what you get:

[Glenn Basore]

AT

Thanks, I will try it again.

[Glenn Basore]

Picture of crack


Well, at least I got it posted !

why didnt it appear larger like yours did ?