Chips in hull of new boat. Used it twice. How serious?

[mags88]

Hi all,

New to boating and I’ve had the boat out twice on the lake. Been careful and mindful of hazards. No crashes, impacts.

Stupidly stopped at beaches on each trip but conditions weren’t rough and and no big jagged rocks.

I spoke to the local marine shop and they’re installing a keel guard, I was inspecting the hull to see how much scraping I caused by stopping at the beach and we also launch from the most popular area of the lake beach into a area that’s full of pebbles, again not shallow every man and their dog is there.

Dealer thinks the trailer could have caused the damage as it’s on both sides of the hull on the same parts. How serious are these chips? I just can’t figure out if I did this or
The trailer. And if this is me 2 days in being cautious I feel like I won’t have a boat in 12months haha.

Cheers.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Repair the gel, and get a keel guard if you plan on continuing to beach the boat

 

[paulswagelock]

I would not put the boat in water until those are fixed.

 

[mags88]

I would not put the boat in water until those are fixed.

So the dealer has advised that the boat was ok to use this weekend and then he’ll fix on Monday. Why do you advise this? Please excuse my ignorance.

Today I beached the boat, and I also had some harder impacts into these beaches. No damage like this… so I do not believe I have caused the damage and I stupidly did not check the hull for these type of issues being a new boat.

Any ideas what would be required to cause this kind of damage? I’m feeling a bit upset that the boat could have been sold in this state as he’s fixing it no quibbles.

 

[paulswagelock]

So the dealer has advised that the boat was ok to use this weekend and then he’ll fix on Monday. Why do you advise this? Please excuse my ignorance.

Today I beached the boat, and I also had some harder impacts into these beaches. No damage like this… so I do not believe I have caused the damage and I stupidly did not check the hull for these type of issues being a new boat.

Any ideas what would be required to cause this kind of damage? I’m feeling a bit upset that the boat could have been sold in this state as he’s fixing it no quibbles.

Those are down to the substrate. There is a chance water will wick up into that layer.

 

[Lou C]

I agree I would get that fixed you don’t want water in the laminate. Looks more like trailer damage than beaching, beaching not as likely to take off chunks like that.

 

[Scott Danforth]

So the dealer has advised that the boat was ok to use this weekend and then he’ll fix on Monday. Why do you advise this? Please excuse my ignorance.

Today I beached the boat, and I also had some harder impacts into these beaches. No damage like this… so I do not believe I have caused the damage and I stupidly did not check the hull for these type of issues being a new boat.

Any ideas what would be required to cause this kind of damage? I’m feeling a bit upset that the boat could have been sold in this state as he’s fixing it no quibbles.

You caused the damage by beaching

Breaches in the gel will lead to other issues with the hull later. I would not use it until you patch the gel

You need a keel guard if you plan on beaching

I agree I would get that fixed you don’t want water in the laminate. Looks more like trailer damage than beaching, beaching not as likely to take off chunks like that.

it will if there are rocks in the sand..... BTDT, patched and did a keel guard

 

[tpenfield]

It is hard to tell where on the hull these gelcoat chips are from the pictures you posted.

Your two possibilities are beaching or loading onto the trailer. They will need to be fixed and you will have to be more careful going forward.

 

[mags88]

Thanks for the replies. I can assure you that when beaching we’ve been extra careful. We haven’t gone right up onto the beach, we’re still in the water. We have also been with experienced boaters who haven’t voiced concern. There hasn’t been any big impacts.

Dealer does think trailer damage as it’s on both sides of the hull at the same area of the hull. We’ve again been very careful with loading onto to the trailer and will continue being careful.

Will update next week.

 

[Scott Danforth]

all these scratches and gouges are from beaching

the big chip could be from the trailer, or debris on the beach

 

[mags88]

all these scratches and gouges are from beaching

the big chip could be from the trailer, or debris on the beach

100% the scratches are me and beaching. Keel guard going on. The chips and gouges we are unsure if trailer as looks like it could be causing it and potentially beaching.

 

[KJM]

Just my opinion, but I'd use the boat this weekend. Everyone talks about water soaking into the laminate, but I don't think that would happen that quick, maybe more like months or even longer. It is fiberglass not carboard, They use it in boats because its practically waterproof. Gelcoat is only resin with dye so why don't water soak thru that?

 

[Lou C]

Gel coat isn’t really waterproof that’s why some boats are prone to blisters.

 

[Lou C]

I'd look carefully at the trailer to see if a bracket is causing the chips. All it takes is a bracket in the wrong place or a bolt head or threads sticking out too far to do that.