Filling in cracks, etc.

[play2win]

I am in the process of drilling holes in back of transom for motor mounts, drain, etc. I noticed some hairline cracks along with the places I needed to fill in from repairs. What should I use? I have a gel-coat finish, what do I use to fill in gouges, seems, cracks? I went to Boaters World, and it seemed as if they had 20 different products for the same task.

 

[12Footer]

Re: Filling in cracks, etc.

It sounds like "spider cracking". These are stress cracks. Yuo can grind it all out, re-lay , refinish it all--- only to have it return after a few hours of use. You will need to get to the reason why it has done that, especially on the transom. The transom takes the most punishment.<br />It could've been caused by a motor too heavy for the design. Or transporting the boat without the motor being braced properly ("transom saver" or motor strut), <br />or stiking a submerged obstacle, or a hole not sealed, allowing the wood core to rot away.