Cracked hull ?

[Betik]

Yesterday, I took the boat for "seatrial" in preparation for the 2017 Bimini trip. I pushed it more than I would expect for my crew to take during the Bimini crossing. For example, I took the waves at 40+ per hour regardless of the wind or wave size ( winds where around 15 mph, waves maybe 2 feet). I was happy with the boat and the crew's performance, but this morning I was cleaning the and I found this crack ( see pictures). I have no idea if it from yesterday or not, but I am assuming it has to do with yesterday as I never noticed it before. I know people have cracked their windshields, but I had no idea the hull could crack that high up. It is actually right above the throttle.

Can I get some feedback about the potential of the seaworthiness of the vessel ? And maybe if it is fixable or not. If it is do I drill at the end of the crack to stop it? I should probably get a hold of glassman, but I will try to resolve it before without bombarding him with questions.

 

[Bruce]

That is called a spider crack. I really want to tell you that your boat is unsafe and you should dump her at my house but the reality is that I am surprised that is the only spider crack.

You are fine, she is fine. You can enlarge the crack in the gelcoat and repair it but it will likely come back.

As for subjecting the family to jumping waves at 40 mph, I think you have done enough of that and should start enjoying the boat without the pain.

 

[robert843]

LOL @Bruce I was just about to type a response saying how tragic that was and his Bimini trip hopes were now gone.

 

[txav8r]

I am willing to bet that close set and irregular lake waves are harder on the body and the host than the crossing will be. That said, don't go if it isn't! The boat can handle it, but your crew may mutany! Someone post up the hurricane wave jump Yamaha did in the gulf on the 210 years ago. I'm not at the computer to post it.

 

[haknslash]

I'll think you'll be fine...

 

[2nazt]

Wave spacing is usually more important than size to a degree. I wouldn't worry about the spider crack either. I would take 4-6' at 14 seconds over 2' at 4 sec any day. But I would doubt you will push 40mph in open water unless you have flat conditions, and I would usually go at a normal pace and enjoy the conditions and the beauty of the ocean.

 

[tdonoughue]

@Bruce is exactly right. But I will elaborate on 'spider crack'. This is a crack in the gelcoat (the 'shell'), that does not run to the underlying epoxy and glass. I have several around the seats that I need to address. They are non-structural. I do agree they are probably from your seatrial. Flexing of the hull likely cracked the gel up high. Yes, you can enlarge it with a Dremel tool and fill it in. But I wouldn't. Very minor, will probably come back if you take a really good pounding again. But it means nothing in the grand scheme of things. Nicely done to run the boat so hard to get one up so high!

 

[Bruce]

LOL @Bruce I was just about to type a response saying how tragic that was and his Bimini trip hopes were now gone.

Knowing Betik he would just buy another boat!

 

[txav8r]

I am willing to buy it back @Betik, of course taking into consideration all the wear and tear!

 

[Bruce]

I am willing to buy it back @Betik, of course taking into consideration all the wear and tear!

I expected you to criticize @Betik for damaging your perfect boat!

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I'll think you'll be fine...

I'm so glad this video resurfaced!!!

 

[tdonoughue]

resurfaced!!!

So to speak... <grin>

 

[txav8r]

It resurfaces every two to three seconds! lol!

 

[txav8r]

I expected you to criticize @Betik for damaging your perfect boat!

It "was" his perfect boat, now it's cracked! 50% depreciation it think? No worries, it's all fun!

 

[Betik]

THANK YOU YALL
when I was posting this up I was so stressed that I could not properly articulate what I wanted to say (worse that usual). And then it has turned to a satire. Very similar to my " can I tow a 240 on a Honda Pilot" post. Trust me you guys I am really happy it did. For the record, towing the 240 behind my V8 F150 is awesome. at times I forget that there is boat behind me. Although that may be premature dementia, but that is another topic for another day.

The priceless part was when Bruce first responded. I was driving so Claire was trying to read the email on my phone. She started reading out loud and then when she got to the word "unsafe" she become silent. "What does it say?" I said. response. " need to go to Arkansas ? I am not sure!" Then I asked to read the whole thing and OMG what a relief.

To be more honest than I should, I did not think about buying another boat, but rather buy 2 ACR for the kids and raising the agreed insurance value from $30,000 to $40,000.

Mel 50% deprecation will not be doing you justice. The "hull crack", apparently gel coat spider crack was the damage I was worried it might be a structural issue. There are other cosmetic things that happened on the lake that will make your former Bristol boat look like a project boat. For example, the left screw of the bimini came undone while bouncing and the support bar landed between seat and the hull. Now both the inside of hull area and the outside have an "impression". The only good thing that gel coat is all white so it does not show much. I was too stressed to take picture of the bimini but on the crew members thought it was funny to take a picture of the VHF cushion. It was bouncing all over so I had to protect the windshield and dashboard. Those beer cushions come very handy. Also 2 of the snapon screws came undone. For the record, I was told that you cannot do a submarine move on 2012+ model... apparently with the trim tabs fully deployed you can. Not quit submerged, but definitely taking water over.

Did I also mention that there are 50+ more holes ( 20 below water line) on the boat now?

 

[swatski]

@Betik I am so glad you are here on this forum.

BTW - I think your wife must be a saint.

--

 

[Betik]

@Betik I am so glad you are here on this forum.

BTW - I think your wife must be a saint.

--

Claire a saint???? LMAO.

Every circus needs a clown. You have no idea how happy I am to have found where I belong.

BTW. I got to tell you about those tabs.... Running WOT with one trim tab 100% deployed and then letting the steering go. Priceless.
Crew member making fun of the captain; crew member flying from port side to stbd side in 0.5 second. No more jokes about the captain. I love it.

 

[Matt Phillips]

@Betikand your original question...

My 09 232 had those little slide cracks along the base of the windshield, each about a foot apart. I noticed them during the first season and added them to my warranty punch list items. Yamaha ended up covering the repair under warranty, which took about 4 weeks to fix.

At the end of the day, it was a defect in the manufacturing process as these cracks appeared at most of the places where the windhield attached to the boat. The dealer told me that the holes were off just a little bit, and when the boat and windshield flexed at different times, the cracks were the results. The cure was to remove the windshield, fix the glass, then reattach the window. The fiberglass shop my dealer used did a great job, and when I sold the boat 5 years later, it still looked perfect.

 

[txav8r]

......

 

[96Pirate]

@Betik Just my opinion but don't waste your money on fixing them. I had a couple on my port side and when my boat was backed into in my storage yard I had them repaired along with the rest of the damage since they needed to remove the windshield. That same season they reappeared. I have a few on my stb side that I have not touched and they have not gotten any worse.