Fiberglass cracking around forward engine mount - big issue?

HRK

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
47
Looked at a very nice 19 today. I noticed some cracking of fiberglass around the area that the front motor mount bolts into the floor. Is this a common issue or is it indicative of major damage? Here's a photo, I circled the area of concern. Still felt hard to the touch, the area around the motor and mount was not soft as far as I could tell. Don't mind the belt hanging, it's just an extra belt he tied to the motor mount.
20160730_172209.jpg
 
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Skribble

Cadet
Joined
Jul 26, 2016
Messages
7
It could go either way just from use and wear and tear or a weak spot. To be honest I'm a bit new to inboard boats but body work (fiberglass, gelcoat etc) I work with for a living. My opinion and from knowledge if possible remove the mount and check under it and around to see if it is weak in that area just from the vibrations and slight movement of the motor if nothing is weak then probably just cracked from age. To fix the cracking here if that is the case take an angle grinder or even about 80 grit sand paper and clear the area of the cracks so its bare fiberglass and you can run a layer of new to even it back sand with atleast 320 and paint. If you are able to get gelcoat even better even hull repair paste. My boat has the same kind of cracks around a couple tie offs and just where screws are holding the air vents
 

ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
imho, i'd check to see if the ft. motor mount bolts tighten up. while there's not much wood in a Nineteen, there is wood right under the deck right below the ft. motor mount. it's what the ft. motor mount bolts secure too. if the boat has wet foam, or moister under the deck. that wood could become degraded. trying to tighten the ft. mount bolts may lead you to the answer as to weather that wood is intact.

from the pic. it does look cosmetic to me (gel coat just cracking off), but certainly would be worth further inspection. i'd be concerned about the wood. i've not seen anyone else with your issue in the reading i've done.
Don't mind the belt hanging, it's just an extra belt he tied to the motor mount.
good idea. i've got one around my ft. mount too. better to have a spare and not need it, than have it break and need one. the belt is only kinda easy to install. so someone was thinking ahead.
 

HRK

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
47
Thanks guys! I wound up picking up the boat. I've had it in the water every day for the last few days, just feeling it out. Runs great. A little stumbling off-idle but may just need to be tuned.

My timing cover started leaking today - so the motor mount will have to come out anyway. I'll poke and prod the area, hopefully it's just cosmetic and not a sign of rotting wood underneath or something serious like that.
 
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ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
A little stumbling off-idle but may just need to be tuned.
yep, i give mine a tune up every spring. rotor, plugs, points and condenser. i dwell and time it and check mid season see that it hasn't changed from where i set it. i also did a carb rebuild since i've owned it. my original carb must have had some linkage wear so i switched carbs to the same exact carb that i had on a 72 tri sonic w/the same engine i got in my Nineteen. that fixed my linkage issue.
My timing cover started leaking today -
bummer. i havn't had that problem, yet. but i did get to do a pan replacement (pull engine for that job). the original one i had got a rust hole in it that ya couldn't even see. it was under the paint that had only bubbled a little tiny bit. not enough to notice untill after much inspection to decide where the leak was at.
so the motor mount will have to come out anyway. I'll poke and prod the area, hopefully it's just cosmetic and not a sign of rotting wood underneath or something serious like that.
ya don't even need to poke or prod. if yer ft motor mount bolts take and will torque down. i suspect yer good. if they strip under torque, then it'll be time for inspection. i'm treaddin on thin ice there. one of my bolts torques down fine. the other one, tightens down and stays put, but i bet if i were to really torque on it, i could strip it right out. so i don't do that. i tightened it down snug and marked it so i can see it move, if it does. so far so good. it's stays where i put it at. but i'm still skeptical about the condition of the wood, just not ready to go look at it for obvious reasons.
 
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