13
Nov
Heres how to fix the problem. Also are spider cracks bad.
Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts.
Spider cracks in fiberglass boat. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. Heres the best way to go about it. The good news about these cracks is that theyre largely cosmetic problems.
This means you can apply a simple cosmetic fix. Move your boat to a safe workplace. First get your boat.
The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gel-coat down to the fiberglass. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth.
Next wipe down the area with acetone again. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Stress cracks spider cracks and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are of course not rare.
Sometimes theyre merely cosmetic meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Sometimes they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate which in many cases is cored. A spider crack is identified by the numerous cracks on the fiberglass surface that spread out from a central spot on the boats hull.
However its pattern differs from that of a hairline crack. Hairline cracks are long cracks that dont completely open up. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts.
They can occur in any form of fiberglass including cars boats and swimming pools. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. These cracks do not affect the.
This is not to say that glass is not damaged but often its just the gel. Sometimes these spider cracks are in builders moulds too from accidental damage so the crack is then also moulded into each part made. You can tell if you look close.
A moulded spider crack is nothing and could be cut and polished away. Spider cracks are from impact normally or in some cases where a Bracing panel sandwiched between the layers of glass has had to much load at some time and the weakest point is the end of the braced part. Cracks inside impact out side cracks outside pressure and stress from inside.
Transoms you can just about stake your life it will be wet. The sun doesnt generally cause spider cracks. Its the unstable nature of the polyesterfiberglass hull under the gelcoat and its tendency to shrink slightly over time that cracks the gel coat.
All that filler wont allow the gel coat to shrink as much as the hull and the gel coat fractures. You can also get spider cracks from impacts. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired.
Learn how in this tutorial with Andrew Price. A fiberglass layup that is too wet or has too much resin will crack also. The resin does not bear strutural loads well either.
It is the right proportion of resin an fiberglass that gives the greatest strength. So if there is spider cracks there are typically two reasons. The gelcoat was applied too thick at an area that does flex.
How to Fix a Crack or Hole in a Fibreglass Boat - The NEW Fibreglass Boat Restoration Project - YouTube. Fixing small stress cracks in fiberflass. Spider cracking is a pain because unless you fix the flex it will come back under like conditions.
If its an impact repair then you need to grind out the fractured glass underneath and reglass it. If its stress related you can seal em up with boat life and paint over em or. Spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural problems that will need to be addressed to prevent spreading but most often they result from relatively inflexible gelcoat that is too thick.
Stress by thermal expansion or when bulkheads and liners were installed can cause minor flexing. Also there is a spider crack around one of the corners of the center console at the floor where it is screwed to the floor. Around 8 cracks 2 to 4 inches long.
Also I found two other small cracks In two other places that are about 2 to 4 inches long also. Add to this that the exterior gel coat is cracked where the front eye attaches to the boat. How to Fix Spider Cracks in Fiberglass Clean the area with acetone and a rag to remove any dirt or other impurities.
Sand the damaged area with 100-grit sandpaper to roughen the surface. Wash the area with acetone a second time to remove all sanding dust. Mask off the area around the cracks with masking tape and plaster to protect against drips.
Gelcoat cracks also known as spider cracks indicate that your boat has suffered from severe structural problems or impact damageAs such you need to address cracks in gelcoat on boat surfaces immediately to prevent them from spreading. While it is possible to fix these cracks yourself your best option is to hire a contractor to fix the cracks. Spider cracks are small hairlike cracks that appear on the gel-coat of boats.
They are also referred to as crazing. These cracks are generally cosmetic and indicate flexing of the hull. Sometimes however spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with the fiberglass structure under the gel-coat.
How to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats with the new WEST SYSTEM Fiberglass Boat Repair Kit. Spider cracks in fiberglass. Clean up the cracks as best you can get some rubber gloves mix up some Marine-Tex use fingers to force the mixture into the cracks let cure wet sand smooth with 1000 grit or so.
Youll be surprised how they disappear and most wont reappear because the stress has already been relieved. Since the cracks are all the way through the first step is to grind the broken fiberglass back into solid unbroken material. Go at it with an electric grinder or very coarse sandpaper.
Aim for a 12-to-1 taper on the fiberglass so for the thickness of your hull this is 2 to 3 inches past the repair. Crazing in gelcoat also known as spider cracks or stress cracks plagues countless boaters. Heres how to fix the problem.
Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics in severe cases these surface cracks can grow deepen and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. Also are spider cracks bad. Spider or stress cracks are a fact of life on fiberglass boats.
It does not mean a lack of quality as even brand new boats can have them from time to time. All it takes is for the gelcoat being sprayed in the mold to be slightly over thick in an area. Gelcoat is very brittle and has no strength properties.
Stress cracks spider cracks and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are of course not rare. Sometimes theyre merely cosmetic meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Sometimes they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate which in many cases is cored.