I have a Spectrum 1994 16? Sport model. (Bow rider, 40HP Force, 12 gal below-deck fuel tank, carpeted, twin wood consoles, canvas/clear plastic top and sides, Escort trailer.) Deck is soft in spots, and the hull leaks. Leaks are bad enough that boat would sink if left in water unattended overnight. For simple fishing purposes, the single 500gph sump pump can keep up with it.
Inspecting the outside of lower hull, I found several hairline cracks that run along side some 3? to 4? long welds that attach aluminum hull material to stringers. (I can see slight dimpling of the inside hull material from the factory original welds.) The cracks all run lengthwise to the boat. I assume they are stress cracks, with the welds being stronger than the immediately adjacent aluminum. I tried some short-term external-hull fixes using 3M 5200 sealer/adhesive, and aluminum strips. The strips held, but the leaks did not stop, again assuming that there may be cracks I could not see under trailer bunks, or even worse, the keel.
Are there other Spectrum owners that have noticed hull cracks? If so, how severe, and how did you deal with it?
I plan to replace the carpet, deck and water logged floatation foam, and seal the hull somehow. I don?t want to throw good money after bad, so I start in this forum to see if someone has experience with a Spectrum cracking issue. I?ll take any repair/procedure related questions elsewhere.
Thanks!
Inspecting the outside of lower hull, I found several hairline cracks that run along side some 3? to 4? long welds that attach aluminum hull material to stringers. (I can see slight dimpling of the inside hull material from the factory original welds.) The cracks all run lengthwise to the boat. I assume they are stress cracks, with the welds being stronger than the immediately adjacent aluminum. I tried some short-term external-hull fixes using 3M 5200 sealer/adhesive, and aluminum strips. The strips held, but the leaks did not stop, again assuming that there may be cracks I could not see under trailer bunks, or even worse, the keel.
Are there other Spectrum owners that have noticed hull cracks? If so, how severe, and how did you deal with it?
I plan to replace the carpet, deck and water logged floatation foam, and seal the hull somehow. I don?t want to throw good money after bad, so I start in this forum to see if someone has experience with a Spectrum cracking issue. I?ll take any repair/procedure related questions elsewhere.
Thanks!