Cracked cap... How bad is TOO bad?

[CN Spots]

I have a friend with a '98 19ft Champion bass boat that was involved in some type of accident prior to his owning it. There are spider cracks in the gelcoat all over the port/stern area of the boat, The top cap has the worst evidence... there is a crack in the cap bad enough that you can push down on either side of the crack and it flexes. The gunnel "looks" ok. I have ridden in this boat and it showed no signs of flex in the hull and he drove it pretty hard. The transom was fine.

I told him that the cap had to be removed to repair that kind of damage properly. He was not down with that especially since he is doing rather well in the local bass club. Such a repair would ground him for the rest of the season. I advised him to at least have a professional 'glass repair shop look at it. -and to drive gingerly until.

Is he in more danger than he thinks? Or is a cracked top cap not life threatning? Thanks.


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[redfury]

Re: Cracked cap... How bad is TOO bad?

Not life threatening, but I wouldn't be smacking it up against the big waves. The cap adds the rigidity to the sides of the boat, that's pretty much it. Otherwise its other purpose is to add a lot of extra weight to the boat for such items as windshields, dashboard, front seats on runabouts, and some support for the transom with the splashwell to catch water when hitting waves going the wrong way. I'd run the season with it and fix it afterwards. As long as the boat isn't taking on water and he isn't driving it like he got an id 10 T license, then he should be fine IMHO.

 

[oops!]

Re: Cracked cap... How bad is TOO bad?

ditto ^^^^^^^^^

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Cracked cap... How bad is TOO bad?

Rodger.

Thanks!


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