Parker 1801 transom cracks

[white76]

I just bought a 2003 1801 with 229 hours on it but it has a eight inch long stress crack on top of the transom has anyone else seen this? I will try to get pictures up tonight.

 

[TomS]

Not that it will make you feel any better, but my 1999 21' DVCC has had the same thing. I've filled them in with penetrating epoxy, only to have them re-emerge after a few years. Has happened to both sides of the transom.

-- Tom

 

[ernie]

I had a 2004 1801 had the same thing happen I think it's best to take it to a fiberglass guy have it ground out and filled that's what I did not a big deal to fix on my boat

 

[Bryan 2530]

A friend of mine has that on a 2120, we filled it with 5200.

 

[DaleH]

To me it is a gelcoat issue and not a Parker issue. Due to changes in formulations mandated by the EPA, the gelcoat made today is not as durable than the gelcoat of old ... it is much more brittle. These aren't my words, but those of the large, volume gelcoat manufacturers like PPG et al, and from experienced glass people.

We all know that frp boats made 30-years ago were built to heavier laminations and coring, but back then ... then really didn't know what the boats needed. Today's boats maybe thinner in layup and maybe even within the coring, yet as an offset, the assembly techniques and designs should be superior.

Fact is, gelcoat is like 10X more brittle than the frp substrate & layup and while the substrate and layup will 'bend' - gelcoat cracks.

That said, stress cracks CAN BE due to a faulty deck, layup, or structural/supporting design issue, so if I had a newer boat with stress cracks, you can bet I'd be back at my dealer pronto looking for answers, regardless of which way it went, i.e., even if cosmetic.

FYI, my local glass guy ******* all the time about the lousy (OK, poorer ...) gelcoat :shock: available , as he has to hear about it ALL the time ...