crack repair

[irwinsailor]

I started grinding out some cracks where my cabin tom meets the deck. I am wondering how deep should I grind them out so that they do not return? I have ground out about 1/4 inch in depth and about 1 inch across.

[delmarrey]

Do ya have a picture?

[jim lee]

Mr Irwinsailor..

Have you checked -inside- the cabin to see if there were matching cracks? 'Cause, well you know, if there are you have more of a structrual problem than just fixin' up gelcoat.

One of my jobs on a raceboat crew (Past life) was to crawl under the hull and inspect for gelcoat cracks. If I found one, I was to go inside and check for matching cracks in the bottom of the hull. If I found -any- that matched up I was to pull the plug on the race and send them all home.

-jim lee

[Pblais]

I just can't see how a crack more than 1/4 inch deep would be anything other than something you can't patch unless it is a flaw in the layup finally aging to the point of being a problem.

Any real problem won't be fixed and will come back. If it is just a cosmetic problem I should think you could fix it with FAR less removal.