Question about crack in gelcoat near bow eye.

[Daytomann]

I understand what your saying but the ramp really isnt very steep. I dont think the stern is that high above the boards. I'm sure the stern settles some but still not enough to stress it that much I think. I will make note in the future.

[bkhallpass]

My trailer has a bar which goes horizantally across the
crash pad. When towing, the winch strap goes under the
bar and then to the hook on the boat. This hold the boat
tight against the crash pad. When we pull the boat out of the
water we put the strap over the bar to avoid the type of
stress DavidF is referring to. Once out of the water, we move
it under the bar and cinch down for towing.

Still, I don't think that stress alone would damage your gel
as depicted.

BKH

[Daytomann]

I took a look at my winch and strap placement in relation to the bow eye. I think DavdF's theory is not applicable in my case due to the fact that the winch and strap is right in line with the bow eye and there really isnt any downward pressure.

[Daytomann]

I took it to the dealership today. The service manager could not tell for sure wether this is a crack or a scratch. He said it could go either way. The mobile repair service will be at the dealership next week, they will be able to tell for sure. Either way, it shouldnt take long to fix. if it is a crack, I'll try to find out why it happened.

[bkhallpass]

Let's hope it's only a scratch. Looks like you're right. If pulled all the way
forward, difficult to see how you could generate much downward force.

BKH

[AbunDiga909]

Is it possible that one time someone, probably not you, was just carelessly hooking up the boat, took a swing clipping it on, missed, and put a helluva knick into the gelcoat... At this point, that doesn't seem too unreasonable...

[ag4ever]

Who was it that first said they thought it might be a scratch?

[Daytomann]

HA HA you did ag4ever! Yellow_Flash_Colorz:
I hope thats all it is.

AbunDiga909...my wife took it out last Saturday afternoon while I was out playing golf. So I dont if something could have happened...I wouldnt be surprised........and I know she wouldnt admit to it if she scratched it...Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

But, like I said, nothing is known for sure yet.

[AbunDiga909]

my wife took it out last Saturday afternoon while I was out playing golf. So I dont if something could have happened...I wouldnt be surprised........and I know she wouldnt admit to it if she scratched it...

Yellow_Flash_Colorz: You're a brave man Daytomann... I know I'm not one to speak, but my mom is extremely "boat-retarded," so to speak, and I would not be happy to say the least if it was in her hands, lol...

[redelf75]

THe fact that it leads directly to the bolt is enough evidence for me to believe that it is a stress crack. Furthermore, how it got there is irrelevent and it should be repaired under warranty. Chances are you didn't do anything that could have caused it, but I would take head to DaivdF's trailering suggestion. His theory makes sense and there's no need for the winch to be over-taught. But I'll admit, it does look like a scratch. I guess you could take the eye bolt out and see if it extends beyond the eye plate...

[DavidF]

Looking at the latest picture leads me to believe that my original theory probably does not hold much water. However, for others, it migth be something to watch out for. If your situation is a crack and not a scratch, then you need to evaluate your routines and try to determine what you are doing that would overstress the bow eye.

Did you inspect the winch hook for a sharp barb that could have caused a scratch?

[ag4ever]

It might be a crack in the gell coat that was caused by not releaving the edges of the hole when the bow eye was installed. What ever it is i would say it looks very superficial from the photo. (again photos are very bad diagnostic tools since we can't run our fingers across it or change the angle with the light to see it better)

As a side note, I always have my winch strap on so tight as to it can be strum like a guitar. If it is too loose the boat will slide front and back loosening the rear straps on the transom. I would rather have my boat firmly straped to the trailer. Also the points I strap too are designed to hold that stress. Heck, you should be able to hold the boat up by the bow eye, as it is installed just as securly as the lifting ring above it.

[DavidF]

Yep, the bow eye and lifting ring are both bolted to the same hardware glassed into the hull of the boat.

[Daytomann]

When I put my boat on the trailer last weekend, I took a little bit of tension out of the winch strap by the time I got it back to the storage building the boat had moved backward a little bit and the winch strap was very tight again. So I dont think I was doing anything out of the ordinary from the beginning.

I have always heard you "should" be able to hang the boat from the bow eye as well.

It might be a crack in the gell coat that was caused by not releaving the edges of the hole when the bow eye was installed.

The service manager at my dealership mentioned something like this a well as a slight possibility.

I have not checked for any sharp edges on the winch hook.

[ag4ever]

You would not see the causes, as it would be under the chrome of the bow eye.

A little info on fiberglass: Fiberglass is actually a plastic. The resin and glass strand combination makes a composite that is relativly light for its strength. It also bend without breaking. That is what makes it so great for boats, as they must be allowed to bend and move to absorbe the impact of the forces exerted on it by the water. This movement can cause the gelcoat to crack if there is a "stress riser" in the general vacinity of the flexing fiberglass underneath. The stress riser can be as simple as a imperfection on a hole drilled thru the hull, hence the reason that the hole must be chamfered before anything is bolted thru it. When the bolt is tightened it can also creat a fracture point becuse the fiberglass directly around the bolt sees higher stress that that a just a fraction of an inch away from it.

All this means is that the factory MIGHT have forgotten to chamfer a hole that the bow eye bolts thru.

On a side note, my dealer typically has a boat on display at the boat show that is just hung by the lifting rings. If it was not safe to do so, I am sure he would not do it there due to liability.