Stress Cracks

[Silversurfer]

I know stress cracks are fairly common on phantoms especially if they have been raced. But I spotted this one on the transom today and the transom has been repalced once alreday by trio moulding. The crack is therefore in the new layer of gelcoat. Is there anything i should do about this or would you not worry about it? If I need to do something about it to stop it spreading for instance then I obviously want to do that sooner rather than later. Thanks in adavnce for your advice a relatively good quality pic can be seen here http://www.stewartwatkins.com/phantom/crack.jpg
The crack is at the end of the black rubbing strip heading under the metal.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Mr Unhappy

I'm a panic merchant by nature, but i aint so glad to see that.....they're building me a boat as we speak!

 

[Jon Fuller]

I wouldn't worry CK, the transom in this boat is probably 10 years old or more (can't imagine they actually replaced the whole transom, as in all the ply) and is bound to move a bit

 

[Captain Chaos]

Transom

Actually,

on a 2nd viewing of the pic....i think they seem to have mad a nice job of it...assuming thats all new gell. the real telling is obviousely from the inside. as our man stewart resides near to me i'm quite sure i'll see it out & about one day

notice that they now glass & coat over the join on the transom top lip..... i quite liked that on the boat i was shown.

 

[Silversurfer]

Captain, I have a sixteen as well thats a 1996 Boat its also showing some signs of stress cracks but these are mainly on the front deck. I wouldnt worry about buying a phantom we give the sixteen (V4 100HP) hell in devon and she has held up really well. Prior to that boat we had a Wahoo (Boston Whaler type boat) It lasted 6 weeks (from new) before the boat had so many strees cracks we sued the company to get our money back. Phantoms - are hard boats

Have you got a boat at the moment Captain where do you launch?

 

[Silversurfer]

Does this mean I should or shouldnt do anything about the crack?

Nice Boat Jon! - the hull on mine is an 1986 - Can anyone reccomend a good repairer?

Has anyone used this book? http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0070133697/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/202-6023852-8229458

 

[Captain Chaos]

Captain where do you launch

The stone watersports club, near bradwell on the blackwater.....

you more the sarthend pier type?

 

[Silversurfer]

Based in Leigh-on-sea went out off Two Tree Island last night thats the best launch retrive I have had. Thorpe bay slip sucks got the landy stuck. Launched at Essex Marina for the River Crouch thats OK but as soon as the tide drops the slipway is covered in silt up to your waist! You can get some good speed up down the river Roach though! Havnt been over to your way yet whats the slipways like over there? High / Low tide launches etc?
Are you near Maldon?

 

[Captain Chaos]

Near maldon

yes, just up river.

As with the rest of essex, its an absolute mud bath! Bradwell marina has a slip way which is accesable all but 1.5hrs either side of low.

I use the ski club where we drive the tractor out on to the shingle at low. but i pay a few hundred for that privelage.

it gets mobbed down there on hot days and can turn a bit lumpy when you get wind over tide!

but i have a carabvan there and mainly use my boat as part & parcel of a weekends stay.

 

[Hydrostream]

Transom

Are there knees inside the boat supporting the transom, You could add tie bars between the transom and the front of the splashwell. I did this to try and stem the growth of the cracks on mine. It works prety well.