Should I be worried about these cracks?

[Cornishman1983]

Hi Everyone, I’m new to the forum and looking for some advice as I’m at the end of my first season sailing so don’t have much experience. Recently lifted my boat for the winter and on inspection noticed some crazing around the pulpit. My boat has a foam core construction and wondering if this crazing is significant enough to allow water ingress into the core? Should I just try to repair the gel coat or is this worth getting some moisture readings to check for water ingress to the foam core? Thanks for any advice.

 

[Concerto]

That looks like stress cracking of the gel coat as the pulpit has hit something. Water ingress into the foam core is unlikely as the glassfibre has flexed and the brittle gel coat does not like bending. To fix, you will need to clean the edges of the cracks using a a Dremel with a small grinding point. You do not mention what type of boat you have as this will affect what material you need to use. On my 41 year old Westerly Fulmar I use Teroson Gel Coat Filler. Once filled you will need to sand the filler smooth and possibly refill any dips. Once smooth you then need to compound it to a shine. You might find useful this PowerPoint presentation I made to the Westerly Owners Association.
https://wiki.westerly-owners.co.uk/images/8/86/Gel_coat_renovation_19May2020.pdf

 

[Neeves]

And welcome to the forum.

I might check the interior, it looks like a stanchion or part of the pushpit or pulpit that has been stressed - have a look inside for the amount, area, of reinforcing inside and maybe beef it up. It looks like common stress cracking of the gel coat, as Concerto says, nothing to worry about (unless there is no reinforcing) and don't worry - just ask again about reinforcing. Those stress cracks are common place especially in older yachts that have been well used.

Its worth while if you do post again to tell us what the yacht is and maybe how old.

If its new - and there is no decent reinforcing - I'd go through the whole yacht and check all the stanchions etc to see if they are suitably reinforced - but its nothing to worry about.

We had stress cracks just like yours at a pad eye that supported the bowsprit. I added a 200mm square sheet of 750gsm glass and a 100mm square predrilled (for the pad eye bolts) 5mm thick piece of aluminium. I then went through the whole yacht adding backing plates where I thought they might be needed.

Jonathan