Cracking deck on 2520

[captmccadie]

I just bought a 2520 built in 2001. Its the deep v with a single transom mounted yamaha 250. When I looked at it on a stand at the dealership there was one cracked area about midway betweeen the back of the house and the transom halfway between the gunwale and the center of the boat. It was just a small crack about 4 inches long. The dealer said the seller had dropped a dive tank there. I figured it's an easy fix, so I didn't worry about it.

I got the boat home, ran one 5 hour fishing trip with 4 customers and 2 coolers of ice on a slick calm day. After this first trip that crack has gotten much larger and another appeared in the exact same place only on the other side of the boat. It feels like they are on a stringer when I tap the deck with a sounding hammer.

In addition, there are 5 or 6 cracks randomly scattered around the deck after this first trip that were not there before the trip. Unlike the two I mentioned first they don't go through the deck, they are just in the paint, so they may be a sign of a crappy paint job by the seller, which isn't the end of the world.

Has anyone ever had an issue with the deck cracking out there?

Thanks,

Brian

 

[sparky]

Post pictures, I'm sure someone will be able to help.

 

[DaleH]

Do a search on my name and the terms "tensile gelcoat stress"
and you'll read up on carious causes and reasons for cracks in gelcoat.

 

[gw204]

Cracks in glass and gelcoat that are growing/appearing that fast are not something to take lightly.

You shouldn't be able to tell where the stringers are by sounding the deck. My guess is you have rotten core in the deck. How well sealed are the flanges for your deckplates? Is anything else fastened to the deck? Do you notice any "sponginess" in the deck when you walk on it.

 

[DaleH]

Cracks in glass and gelcoat that are growing/appearing that fast are not something to take lightly.

I agree 100%!

You shouldn't be able to tell where the stringers are by sounding the deck.

I disagree 100%!

 

[QwikSticks]

I actually had two cracks form in a similiar spots on my 2006 2320 almost like mirrors of each other. When I ground it all out what i found was NOT rotten deck but 1.5 - 2 inch holes in the plywood that were used to spray floatation foam in. The holes were never plugged with a wood core or even fiberglassed over. The factory just sprayed gelcoat right over the foam that filled the hole.

 

[jutah09]

Does your crack look like the one posted in the projects forum titled "Found crack on deck!"? I just got back from fishing this morning and while i was washing the deck i notice three small cracks around in the same spot of yours. I thought they where leg hair at first. Never seen them before or notice them when bought the boat in this past fall.