small hairline cracks?

[plio7]

so in some spots on the hull of my boat there are small dark lines i assume to be hairline cracks, are these something i should be worried about over time?

 

[oops!]

Re: small hairline cracks?

small cracks that start in one spot and radiate outward.....some times looking like a spider web of sort.....are called crazing.......they are a pita....

the black marks in the crack is where a small amount of water has penetrated the gellcoat......

caused by impact, stress, flex or improper cure gellcoat.

no big deal....all old boats have them....there is pics of it in the hull ext thread....around page 30 i think....

crazing wont sink you....if not repaired....it will over the years...get worse.

fix each hair line crack as you would a single gellcoat repair....grind the crack....clean with aceitone...fill with marine tex or gellcoat...then sand and buff

 

[plio7]

Re: small hairline cracks?

when you say sand and buff you mean buff with polish, and then wax i assume

 

[oops!]

Re: small hairline cracks?

yup.....after its repaired....its part of the hull.....but the repair area will have a dull look until its buffed and polished with the usual polish....

some people wet sand to 400 grit then sand to 1200 or 1600.....forget going finer than 14-1600 at 1600 you are allready as fine as your buffing pad

 

[plio7]

Re: small hairline cracks?

thanks so much for all your help, i was worried about all of this and now i'm at ease knowing its not too overly hard to do myslelf.