Frequently Asked Question
I have stress cracks. How did they get there and what do I do now?

Answer
Gelcoat, the final layer of material on your boat's exterior finish, is less flexible than the layers beneath it in your fiberglass boat's construction. During normal use, a boat flexes from the stresses encountered on the water, and on the trailer. If the fiberglass flexes beyond the gelcoat's ability to flex, you wind up with stress cracks.

It is important to note that stress cracks are common across many brands and types of boats. The amount of stress cracking often has to do with the rigidness of the boat's construction, the type and amount of gelcoat used, the curing process used when the boat was made, and how much stress is encountered during use of the boat.

Most stress cracking is cosmetic in nature. In other words, the integrity and safety of the boat is not in jeopardy. However, some types of stress cracking do occur because of structural problems with the boat. If you have stress cracking and are concerned, your dealer or a fiberglass repair shop are a good place to start getting an assessment of the problem.

Last Updated
9/3/2000