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Help! Is my 25 classic breaking in half ?
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 7:50 AM
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I have had my 1985 25 boat for 15 years. Probably only used it a dozen times or so over the years due to bad transom , and new family. I final decide to tackle the transom, and decided to clean her up and make a good fishing boat out of her again. I did install a 30 bracket and a closed transom, Custom live well, and New fuel tanks, re-cord all decks , new console, and total regelcoat. We were on our fifth trip out, with a strong out going tide in front of the inlet. We had only hit I cupple steap swells at slow speed when I heard a large bang, crack. We did not realize till we got home that we had a crack running from the water line up top of gunwale. If I jump of back of outboard the crack with open slightly.
question is can this be repaired? Who in the stuart area could do this? And can I trust that it will not crack again? I am totally bummed out I put my heart and sole into this boat. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Edited by Stepano359 on 05/11/15 - 7:52 AM |
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| spuds |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 8:05 AM
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Could you post some pics on your Member Page?
1985 Outrage 18 |
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 8:06 AM
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Photo's on personal page now !
Edited by Stepano359 on 05/11/15 - 10:00 AM |
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| steelhead55 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 11:44 AM
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Im shocked that crack is even possible on an 18' outrage. My opinion as a mechanical engineer is that it is a structural issue. Until it is fixed, it will conntinue to propagate down towards the keel Mathematically the forces at the point of the crack approach infinite (crack propagation theory)
As a lay person boat owner, this looks like a manufactureing flaw. I would take to whaler, and see what they say.
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| tom blinstrub |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 12:25 PM
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Those 25' hulls have been known to crack near where the fuel fill hose is. The hull is narrow on both sides of the hull. If you take the plastic cover off that hides the fuel fill hose you will see what I mean.
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| mtown |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 1:23 PM
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I am no expert but bet that the repair method will be to laminate a strong cloth at least 3' fore and aft of the stressed area. The chopped glass Whaler used is great as long as the "unitized" foam and glass are not over stressed. I would guess that it would be best if done gunnel to keel, which would mean a lot of work, and possibly having to flip the boat.
Really a shame, it is a beautiful boat.
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 1:23 PM
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Yes it has cracks on both sides in the same spot. only stress cracks by the vents at this time. It had small cracks around the fuel tank vents in the past. it was repaired. I made that area stronger only to the other side rip open. At the time of repair I thought that it was not structural. I did not even think this boat needed sidewall to support the front half.
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| mtown |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 1:28 PM
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Just saw your reply. Did not occur to me that the sides cracking would possibly not be related to hull flex from down below. I would really closely inspect the hull below the water line for the beginning of a crack. If there is no indication of any problem it is possible that the cracks are much less serious.
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 2:26 PM
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The crack starts at the top and works down. When I jump on back off the boat, the back moves away from the front half at the top of crack. The foam is dry, no work done previously on the cracked side. I think the foam has cracked as well.
Edited by Stepano359 on 05/11/15 - 2:31 PM |
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| mtown |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 7:45 PM
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The fact that you can open the crack by adding weight to the stern definitely indicates that the boat is flexing at that point. Assuming you now have the boat on a trailer, does the crack close if you jack up your bow, or stern. I would carefully observe what is closing as the jacking is in progress.
If so then the problem is not in sidewall flex but would seem serious. If serious why is there no indication of a crack on deck.
The foam cracking is no big deal as far as structure except it indicates the glass is failing, and that is structural.
The foam is only structural in that it attaches glass to glass like a surfboard. Glass fails and the foam is just flotation.
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| Marko888 |
Posted on 05/11/15 - 9:25 PM
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I'm pretty sure there is a Whaler repair document for this known issue. Do a bit of searching and you should find it. I believe it outlines the repair steps needed to resolve the problem.
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| Phil T |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 9:04 AM
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Mark and Tom are correct.
I read discussions on the boards back around 2004-07 regarding a few Outrage 25 hulls with brackets suffering a vertical crack in the area near the fuel fill.
There is a Boston Whaler recommended repair technique. While I searched and did not find it, I would call Boston Whaler Customer Service 877-294-5645 and ask them to email it to you.
It is a serious repair but fixable.
Edited by Joe Kriz on 07/29/16 - 6:30 PM |
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 1:03 PM
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Thanks for all the help guy's.
I have searched the internet about this topic, but did not hear of any one who had the repair done. I heard about 4,000$ for a guy in Texas to do it. Supposedly he has a lot of experience with this problem. I did do all the work on the boat my self, but don't know if I want to tackle this one myself to save a couple bucks. But on the other hand if it cost much more it would be hard to swing. Maybe someone will chime in.
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| Phil T |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 1:11 PM
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To get an accurate estimate, get the repair instructions and take the boat to 2 shops in the area. Make sure the scope of work is the same from both shops.
Unless you are a fiberglass skilled person, I would leave this to the pros since it is a structural repair.
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 1:26 PM
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Mtown,
yes when I jump on the back the crack will open at the gunwale. Maybe because the sides support the front of the boat. I just had fuel tanks out and decks up. everything was solid like a rock. Strange how a force from under the boat would cause it to break in the other direction. I could imagine a crack like this being from a drop on a point in mid section of the boat. But not from regular use? The whaler drive must put same type of force as a set back bracket. So i don't see why the bracket would be a issue. but if the boat has a week point i guess that would break first. I really do not push the old boat that hard, so i am perplexed it this crack, wondering where did i go wrong?
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 1:41 PM
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Thanks Phil ! that's a great idea. I will probably do that. See what the others say. Be nice to find a offshore fishing type with a set back bracket Who has had the repair done, and if was around 4,000ish
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| Phil T |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 2:48 PM
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I reached out (offline) to a veteran whaler owner who has an Outrage 25 and is knowledgeable of the crack issue (participant in linked thread)
He has seen and heard of 2 owners on the West Coast who had backing plates (inside and on the outside) installed. We discussed the “repair” and he (and I) strongly disagree with that approach.
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/12/15 - 7:06 PM
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Don't think I could stand the new look of brackets on the outside Phil.
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| mtown |
Posted on 05/13/15 - 3:59 PM
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I am guessing Phil is not a fan of an external fix for 2 reasons. Whaler purity and it is not the best way to repair.
If you engage a person that will use epoxy and cloth to make your repair. It will be stronger than the rest of the hull
It should involve an over lap of good to good f.glass, and possibly be on the exterior and interior of the damaged area.
With what you have done with a classic, made it clean and beautiful, I would not let this deter you from either making this repair yourself or getting in done.
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| Stepano359 |
Posted on 05/13/15 - 8:03 PM
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I am starting to feel better about this situation. At first I thought my hull was doomed, but
I guess its just Fiberglass, and gel-coat and it can be repaired. After searching the internet, I heard that Kevlar is used in this repair. I also hear the repair may cost 3,000 to 4,000$
I am about to just rip into it and start striping the rub-rail, and gunnels down. I definitely will be in contact with whaler to see about the bulletin. As far as doing it myself, it does seem like a straight forward repair but seems like it would involve a lot of free hand sanding,and shaping on the inside. My time may be better spent on doing other things if it is in the 3 to 4 thousand ballpark. I may have to wait until my work season comes around again. Guess the fish win again this year.
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