Found these small cracks in the gel coat finish.. Anything to worry about?

[Buickgsman]

Hi all, I have a 1985 Four Winns horizon 195 Cuddy and I didn't notice these when I was buffing out the gel coat. I think I saw them but thought they were little scratches at the time. I noticed them yesterday again and took a closer look. They look like little cracks. Is this anything I need to be concerned with? With the boat sitting on the trailer, the most concentrated spots seem to be right about over the trailer wheels but I can see them from bow to stern in varying quantities. I am trying to get the boat into the garage for the Winter so I can gut and rehull/refoam it and I am hoping these minor cracks aren't going to be a big issue. Thanks!

 

[alldodge]

They look like scratches and not cracks to me

 

[Woodonglass]

What's leading you to believe they are Cracks???

 

[tpenfield]

Tell us more about the gutting, re hull and refoam that you are planning.

Although the picture does not show anything, if you have numerous gel coat crack along the hull, then the work needed on the inside of the hull may be related to what you are seeing on he outside of the hull.

 

[Buickgsman]

What's leading you to believe they are Cracks???

I originally thought they were scrathes but looking at it from the side and squinting down the panel, you can see a small defect in the area and not just the white of the scratch. Is it possible there are small cracks in the gelcoat?

I'm planning on getting the boat off the trailer, ripping out the floor, stingers, and foam and replacing it all with new. As of right now the floor is solid, but I think that's just the foam holding it up. I'm trying to sell a car project to make room for the boat project in the garage this winter. I'd like to have the boat in the water early in the Summer. If I cant get it in the garage this Winter I will start the boat in the Spring. Any thoughts on the cracks/ scratches?

 

[Woodonglass]

The Pics you posted are very hard to tell anything difinitive. I'm not seeing Cracks. I'm also not sure why you're doing a total deck removal and tear out. what's leading you to believe the boat is in need of these major repairs???

 

[Buickgsman]

I'm also not sure why you're doing a total deck removal and tear out. what's leading you to believe the boat is in need of these major repairs???

I've had the fuel tank cover off and the plywood is shot all inside that cavity. Between the tank and the bilge there is a piece of slimy black plywood flapping in the breeze. The transom is also rotted in the lower sections. Towards the middle of the boat there is what looks like a cooler in the floor. When that is removed, the drain hole is not pretty. So I haven't taken the floor up yet, but I don't think I have to to know the stringers are shot. It would have been a heck of a deal on the boat if it didn't need hull work and an engine. The rest of the boat is pretty nice.

 

[Woodonglass]

Alrighty Then!!! Once you get her gutted, you'll be able to tell a LOT more from the inside.

 

[DeepBlue2010]

I can only see scratches not cracks

 

[ondarvr]

Since you say there is a visible defect, I would say they are the beginnings of gel coat crazing. The gel coat is weak for some reason and these types of cracks start small and then progressively get more numerous and larger, until large areas are covered, they aren't easy to repair either.

 

[tpenfield]

I've had the fuel tank cover off and the plywood is shot all inside that cavity. Between the tank and the bilge there is a piece of slimy black plywood flapping in the breeze. The transom is also rotted in the lower sections. Towards the middle of the boat there is what looks like a cooler in the floor. When that is removed, the drain hole is not pretty. So I haven't taken the floor up yet, but I don't think I have to to know the stringers are shot. It would have been a heck of a deal on the boat if it didn't need hull work and an engine. The rest of the boat is pretty nice.

Looking forward to some pictures of the insides of the hull structure, but as stated, the cracks are probably due to the compromised hull and it is flexing more than it should. You may want to include a re-do of the gelcoat as part of your restoration work.