Gel Coat Cracks

[lorney]

Rensink I guess there could always be that possibility but I still don't think so. I load the boat in the drive way myself and everything pretty much stayed in there for the summer. Only think coming in and out daily are people, towels and a soft sided cooler. My kids are 1.5 and 3 years old so they can't even lift anything heavy. Boat sits in driveway and it is a 2 minute drive to the launch. My family is the only ones in the boat. My other two buddies and their families that we go out with have their own boats (both Tige too). Any switching between boats on the water is done off the back stepping between platforms. This is how I am sure that nothing has hit the boat there. I guess anything is possible and something could have happened but I just don't think so. Like Chpthril said it is up to me to prove it was not damage caused by impact and I don't know how else I do that. I guess like you said, Tige could just say you hit it with a cooler. Prove that you didn't. Pretty hard to prove I guess. Thanks for your response.

[rensink]

Rensink I guess there could always be that possibility but I still don't think so. I load the boat in the drive way myself and everything pretty much stayed in there for the summer. Only think coming in and out daily are people, towels and a soft sided cooler. My kids are 1.5 and 3 years old so they can't even lift anything heavy. Boat sits in driveway and it is a 2 minute drive to the launch. My family is the only ones in the boat. My other two buddies and their families that we go out with have their own boats (both Tige too). Any switching between boats on the water is done off the back stepping between platforms. This is how I am sure that nothing has hit the boat there. I guess anything is possible and something could have happened but I just don't think so. Like Chpthril said it is up to me to prove it was not damage caused by impact and I don't know how else I do that. I guess like you said, Tige could just say you hit it with a cooler. Prove that you didn't. Pretty hard to prove I guess. Thanks for your response.

Yeah not to point fingers I've seen both sides at times... Look into that rub-rail I just pull the screws on the SS section then look at the black piece behind it see if the marks are centered around screws worth a shot.. hope you get it figured out, definitely feel the pain I can always throw a call into a couple people at my dealership just to see what they think from the pictures second opinions never hurt.

edit: or ask the dealer if they have ever hoisted the boat when they had it at the dealership probably doubtful unless they ordered the boat without a trailer the first time and then ordered a trailer for it separately.

[WakerideN]

This could be a really crazy idea and far fetched but looking into the pictures and locations of the cracks I can come up with 3 opinions or possibilities. 1. the dealer hoisted the boat with a sling at some point whether unloading or loading it somewhere thus stressing hull. 2. impact of some kind dock, board, trailer etc and 3. the most far fetched one when installing the rubrail screws somebody over tightened them and which put to much pressure and thus started cracking from the stress the screws are putting on it... probably a pretty extreme idea thinking outside the box as you claim no impacts been made, pull the rub-rail section off and look behind it is all I can think of I can't recall for sure if the black rubber behind the rub-rail is screwed in as well in different locations of the rub-rail itself it's been awhile since I had one off.

edit: like you said the best thing to do is let the dealer handle it as they have the relationship with Tige so much easier for them to work on it coming up with a solution without somebody going to the dealer and talking to Tige because then stories get mixed and things can just get ugly.

i went with hoist issue at factory? screw holes not processed right.. meaning not beveled or counter sinked... or evil gelcoat minions jumping on it?

[talltigeguy]

Is it just me, or is it pretty weird how the gelcoat cracks seem to stop as soon as they hit the white area?

My conspiracy theory is that the green gelcoat was not put on correctly.

[lorney]

Not too sure about the cracks from hoisting. The cracks definately weren't there when I picked up the boat. They didn't show up until August after putting about 40 hours on the boat. They are in a very noticable place that I look at every time I put the cover on so I would have noticed. I don't know if hitting waves could put enough stress on that area to cause it or not if the gel coat was weak to begin with. I would really like to know the cause because I would hate to get it fixed and then have it just happen again. If something has to be reinforced underneath or gel coat stripped off and reapplied in a large area.
Does anyone see a problem with running the boat like this for next summer? If it is going to be an expensive fix I don't know if I can get it done this spring. Thanks for your help.

[mnpracing]

is it only on the lime green gel? I have heard that the bright colors are difficult to get right; needs to be thicker or is not as strong. Anyone else hear similar?

[WakerideN]

Is it just me, or is it pretty weird how the gelcoat cracks seem to stop as soon as they hit the white area?

My conspiracy theory is that the green gelcoat was not put on correctly.

that is something I was thinking.. is that color\layer or sub layer not as thick? or the material its self have some flaw?

[Heffs08rz2]

Hey bro my old cobalt did that and all it is, is stress cracking form the flex in the boat under load some do it and some dont. It can be fixed by a gel coat guy and good luck with it all!

[lorney]

Thanks Heffs. Yeah it looks like I will have to take it to a gel coat guy in the spring. So some boats get it and some don't? Is this a common problem? I just have shitty luck I guess. Still doesn't seem right that a boat that you spend that much money on gets cracks like that in under 50 hours and the the manufacturer does nothing. Basically sorry about your luck maybe the next boat you buy will be better. My concern is that I pay to get the cracks fixed and it just happens again because something is not right with the boat structurally. If it happened once chances are it will happen again if all I fix is the gel coat. What do you think? Did you ever try and have the cracks fixed in your Cobalt? If so did they show up again? Thanks for your input.
How this was handled will definately go into consideration when I purchase my next boat. My next door neighbor bought a Moomba for about 15 grand less at the same time I bought mine. He has had lots of issues with his stereo, tranny, ballast system, and trailer but at least Moomba has stepped up to the plate and taken care of the problems.

[JreisRZR]

this happens to literally every boat...i have them in a few corners in stress points under seats. my buddies brand new MC's both have them as well around all the hinges... theyre NBD just cosmetic and annoying are old malibu was covered in them.

[thtrog]

this happens to literally every boat...i have them in a few corners in stress points under seats. my buddies brand new MC's both have them as well around all the hinges... theyre NBD just cosmetic and annoying are old malibu was covered in them.

So you are saying if you bought a brand new boat you would be OK with stress cracks on the upper deck?

[jwanck11]

My 04 has no stress cracks and has had impacts as well as has been run in fairly active water of the Chesapeake Bay. I don't think virtually all boats get them.

I do not see any evidence of impact in the photos... or you are exceptionally good at fixing all marks of an impact other than the cracks.

Personally, I think Tige ought to step up and take care of these issues when they arise in a 1 year old boat.

That would surely make me feel better about being a raving fan of the brand than jean popping on here once in awhile to let the forum know swag is available...

[racerdave]

I had cracks in my upper deck also my boat is white gel-coat. It was handled under warranty about 7 months into mine with about 75 hours on it. Now the only complaint I have is the repair has fine pinholes in it.... Paying what we pay for these boats it definatly would leave a bad taste in my mouth to be turned away over a issue like this! JMO

[JreisRZR]

So you are saying if you bought a brand new boat you would be OK with stress cracks on the upper deck?

No, not a brand new boat. But after a couple hundred hours, rough lake days, and countless double ups, and 200 lb buts that have sat on my seat bases, paired with the fact that I've seen it on every boat I've ever been on when I start looking, I don't let them bother me.. They're purely cosmetic.