Strange line appeared in gelcoat on transom

[vetplus40]

I found this line (not a crack) on my boat. It starts dead in the center of where the transom meets the outdrive (at the top) and runs straight up for a few inches then gets fainter. You can actually feel a "raised" bead of gelcoat for about 2 inches. Guy on Baja forum said it was a centerline cut in the mold to locate center point for engine placement. Has anyone ever seen something like this before? The guy may well be right, but I cannot ever recall seeing this line before. Any thoughts?

 

[cptbill]

Could be that, could be a run in the gel coat, probably need some more info like make, model, year

 

[Scott Danforth]

cant tell if that line is 1mm long or 1 meter long

stand back and post another photo so we can get some perspective.

sort of like trying to post a picture of a tree, and all we see is a grain of bark.

 

[vetplus40]

Pics are tough to get. Too much reflection from the gelcoat and you have to be at an angle to see it, but I will try again. If it is a mold centerline mark, I cant figure out why it's just now becoming visible. Under a magnifying glass, the gelcoat is rippled like a small weld bead. Further up, the line gets more faint. The line is only 1 1/2 inches long.
My main question at this point is learning if molds actually have scribed centerline marks.

 

[vetplus40]

Could be that, could be a run in the gel coat, probably need some more info like make, model, year

04 Baja Outlaw. 20 footer with Alpga One outdrive.

 

[Bob_VT]

Place a piece of masking tape along side that mark then step back so we can have the proper size. Di this appear all of a sudden?

 

[vetplus40]

I am getting a "file exceeds limit" nag message trying to post another pic.
The line is about 1 1/2 inches long. I have had the boat for 3 years and never saw it before this week.
If boat molds have scribed lines, this may be it.

 

[vetplus40]

I cropped it a bit. The raised gelcoat looks like blistering, but its solid and not soft.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

If you mess with it you may find out. Personally I’d document its size and re check it long enough to know you have a problem or not.

If its an issue you might see some growth. Can you feel it with your finger nail if not it’s probably been there a while.

 

[vetplus40]

Yes I can feel it. When you look at it with a magnifying glass, it resembles what a weld bead would look like. The gelcoat is slightly raised off of the surface, but not cracked or soft. It is one of the oddest things that I have seen in quite some time. Without the magnifying glass, it looks and feels like a crack, but there is no fissure in the gelcoat.

 

[Bob_VT]

Yes, probably the easiest thing to do is monitor it - just blame it on age Go and enjoy the Summer

 

[vetplus40]

I'm not overly concerned and will monitor. I am just trying to understand the scribe line in a mold. I can see where it would be beneficial for engine and outdrive positioning, but they must normally buff them out somehow at the end of production.

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

If you’ve ever sanded gel coat or fiberglass you could grasp how a scribed mark for a template could go without being removed it could take wet sanding and polishing to get it out and I doubt anyone would pay that much attention in this area. So measure the end of it record it and watch it. If it doesn’t grow great or even if it doesn’t grow much live with it if it grows fast you can decide. Can you get a close up view from the inside as well kind of tricky in there but the inside might tell more tales.

 

[vetplus40]

I have never worked with gelcoat or fiberglass. The line is not getting bigger and its tok straight to bvb e a crack. It may just be getting a bit more noticeable with age.
Thanks for the input.