Gelcoat cracking at cabin to cockpit gunwale connection

[kayakbriang]

On starboard side of the boat, the gel coat is cracking beyond spider cracks. Doesn't appear to more than cosmetic but I would like to spot the cracking and seal is back up. Anyone else have this problem? Grind it down and then do a gel coat patch?

 

[thataway]

A photo would really help. Does this look like an impact area? How deep is the cracking? Is any of the gelcoat loose, and can be flecked off? If so, are there any glass fibers in the gelcoat/piece which flecks off? How large an area?

Most likely you just want to get back to solid glass--you may need to put some fairing compound (not Bondo) to fill any voids, or irregular areas. Then match the gelcoat, and spray or brush on....Finally blend by wet sanding and compound.

 

[Barry Rietz]

When pounding into head seas, especially when the center portion of the hull is without support of water, the hull tends to "bulge" outward at this point. This causes stress on the "hard spot" where cabin and cockpit meet. You might notice on some similar designs where the cabin/cockpit transition has a very large radius thereby strengthing the juncture.