Stress cracks near toe rail

[Snyper]

I seem to have gotten a few stress cracks near the toe rail heading towards the rub rail about 1 inch long during the hall out this winter it appears to be only in the resin I was going to let them be but I was worried about any damage that could occur later or should I V them all out and fill them with epoxy

[belizesailor]

If they worry you, then grind off the gel coat and look at the glass underneath. If its OK, then re gel coat and sleep better.

A Dremel tool is handy for this.

[Sailmonkey]

If I worried about all of the little cracks in our gelcoat I’d lose my marbles.

Our boat is 41 years old and none of the cracks have moved in the 9 years we’ve owned the boat

[JPA Cate]

Hello, Snyper,

I'm wondering, since you wrote that it happened as a result of your winter haulout, that it may be due to a developing delamination issue. Water got in, and with the winter freezes, expands, could it crack gelcoat? I don't know, but you might have a problem going there that wants investigation.

Good luck with working it out.

Ann

[Snyper]

I noticed it after the boat was blocked it was a good 2 month's till it got below freezing the cracks are in the paint and and surface of gel coat

[Suijin]

If they are midships, vertical from the toe rail down, like "checking", ignore them. I recommend that because they almost certainly go down into the glass, a fraction, and if you grind them out in just the gelcoat and paint and repair they will just come back. It will be a substantial amount of work for a limited time return. They're cosmetic and they won't hurt the boat.