Unwrapped the shrink wrap on my 98 21se this week and noticed two very large cracks where the transom joins the port and starboard compartments on the top side. the crack continues from the topside down to the floor, only a hairline crack by the floor. is this due to water intrusion or sign that the transom is weak and flexing? will sanding out the crack, sealing it and repairing the gel coat suffice?
21SE transom gel coat cracking....please help
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Unwrapped the shrink wrap on my 98 21se this week and noticed two very large cracks where the transom joins the port and starboard compartments on the top side. the crack continues from the topside down to the floor, only a hairline crack by the floor. is this due to water intrusion or sign that the transom is weak and flexing? will sanding out the crack, sealing it and repairing the gel coat suffice?
Brent
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I cant see the image. Can you re post it?
Brent
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m2cw from the pics is the gel coat cracked. You can grind it out and take a better look or a have a glass guy inspect it
DaleH
FOUNDER of Classic Parker Forum
From my experience, stress cracks look like hairline cracks ... they should not have any appreciable depth :shock: .
Any crack big enough to drop a coin into to .. would be a concern, to me, for deeper structural or layup issues, and I'd only feel comfortable having a pro assess it. Sure it can be ground out simply enough, but it may happen again. Something is moving (structure or layup) in the substrate to allow the much more brittle gelcoat 'cosmetic finish coat' to break, as it's tensile strength is many-X harder than the substrates.
Any crack big enough to drop a coin into to .. would be a concern, to me, for deeper structural or layup issues, and I'd only feel comfortable having a pro assess it. Sure it can be ground out simply enough, but it may happen again. Something is moving (structure or layup) in the substrate to allow the much more brittle gelcoat 'cosmetic finish coat' to break, as it's tensile strength is many-X harder than the substrates.
windknotnc
Well-known member
It looks like something bumped that box pretty hard. The box is only 3/16" thick glass and not real hard to break. Can you post a couple pics without the close up of the crack but in relation to other distinguishable features.
thanks, I will take some more pics later and post.
the crack starts on the port side box, on the top where it meets the transom, and continues along the seam as a hairline crack along the joint down towards the floor and into scupper well. there is a much narrower crack on the starbord side box with a similar pattern running down towards the floor.
the crack starts on the port side box, on the top where it meets the transom, and continues along the seam as a hairline crack along the joint down towards the floor and into scupper well. there is a much narrower crack on the starbord side box with a similar pattern running down towards the floor.
DaleH
FOUNDER of Classic Parker Forum
Your transom is clearly moving, which isn't unexpected as long as it isn't structurally caused, but when it does move ... the more-brittle gelcoat doesn't ... and voila - stress cracks.
I would bring it to a Parker dealer if under warranty and if not, I'd email the pics to Parker engineering and see what they have to say. For the fix, if not under warranty, go to the BEST glass shop you can find. 'Any' glass shop can repair it cosmetically ... only to have it occur again. You want it really checked out.
Now, is the boat original to you? Do you know any history? Do you trailer it? I have seen this happen before on boats that (1) were trailered (and at too fast speeds :shock
, on (2) a poor-fitting trailer, and where (3) the OB wasn't properly secured during travel to prevent transmitting torque and g-forces to the transom. And even cases where the owner would step on the OB vent plate to enter the boat, whenever it was sitting in his driveway ...
That said (and I'm getting tired of writing about this :roll: , haha!) is that the gelcoat made nowadways is crap compared to that of 10 or even 20-years ago (not a Parker issue, but of all the base gelcoat makers like PPG et al, due to EPA regs, etc). One only sees stress cracks on my '92 vintage hull where it was rammed (2004 season) by a 34-footer, or where some heavy piece of ??? was dropped to the deck or washboards.
I want to be clear ... it could be a user issue (trailering [not picking on the current owner]) or gelcoat issue ... and far more likely it is one of them, than it being to be an inherent fault by Parker Marine. I'm no apologist for them, but they can't control how the boat gets used/cared for after it leaves the factory.
Good luck and please keep us posted!
I would bring it to a Parker dealer if under warranty and if not, I'd email the pics to Parker engineering and see what they have to say. For the fix, if not under warranty, go to the BEST glass shop you can find. 'Any' glass shop can repair it cosmetically ... only to have it occur again. You want it really checked out.
Now, is the boat original to you? Do you know any history? Do you trailer it? I have seen this happen before on boats that (1) were trailered (and at too fast speeds :shock
, on (2) a poor-fitting trailer, and where (3) the OB wasn't properly secured during travel to prevent transmitting torque and g-forces to the transom. And even cases where the owner would step on the OB vent plate to enter the boat, whenever it was sitting in his driveway ...That said (and I'm getting tired of writing about this :roll: , haha!) is that the gelcoat made nowadways is crap compared to that of 10 or even 20-years ago (not a Parker issue, but of all the base gelcoat makers like PPG et al, due to EPA regs, etc). One only sees stress cracks on my '92 vintage hull where it was rammed (2004 season) by a 34-footer, or where some heavy piece of ??? was dropped to the deck or washboards.
I want to be clear ... it could be a user issue (trailering [not picking on the current owner]) or gelcoat issue ... and far more likely it is one of them, than it being to be an inherent fault by Parker Marine. I'm no apologist for them, but they can't control how the boat gets used/cared for after it leaves the factory.
Good luck and please keep us posted!
windknotnc
Well-known member
Dale is spot on...It is obvious to me the cracks are from transom flexing. Look in your back hatch at where the two center stringers are glassed to the transom and check to ensure there are no cracks there. Look inside your pods to see if the cracks exist where the floor is glassed to the the transom. If they do this is absolutely something you need to address. Transom flex, as Dale has correctly stated is caused by a multitude of reasons, but at the end of the day if flex turns in to structural compromise it is a problem. Look for a good glass guy to check it out or tackle the project yourself with our help.
