Spider or structural cracks around transom

HI All

I am new to the site and was looking for opinions on the attached cracks. The boat is a 2010 inner liner skiff. There is one crack on either side of the transom as noted in the pictures .

Thanks

 

Hi,
is it possible to show a more general (zoomed out) picture of the transom, in order to better understand where the loads are coming from, together with a couple of bigger and sharper pictures of the cracked areas? For this kind of evaluations, sharp pictures at least size 1024x768 pixels would be useful.
Cheers

 

larger pics

Hi All

These are the only pics I have but made them larger

 

Sorry mate, just enlarging the pics is not enough, because it is still the same picture with the same resolution. In fact, the pictures you have enlarged have gotten blurred and do not reveal anything new respect to the original ones. And, again, it would also be necessary to see the big picture of the transom in order to understand what loads are present there, which are stressing the structure. Things like a big and heavy outboard motor, perhaps?

At first glance it looks like a gelcoat issue though. But that's just a first glance.

Cheers

 

Thanks

Thanks Daiquiri They were taken with an Iphone

 

Thanks for pics, as daquiri says a further out shot or two would help. At first glance the first shot looks like a gelcoat issue but the second looks like a little more reinforcing behind would be welcome.

If I am reading it right (Shot 2) there is effectively a cross beam shape ending there and the stress on that may be causing a little too much load resulting in the cracks. I doubt it would take much to beef it up and make it solid. Hopefully you can get in behind the stucture.

 

I'm guessing its one of those flats boats, the splash well is in the background and the structure stuff is the supports for the poling platform.

Or it's one of those clever European things, a combo boat/car/airplane/apartment/spa/wet bar/boombox.

 

Welcome the the forum.

The one on the left looks like is a gelcoat stress crack, but the one on the right looks like it's deep enough to be in the laminate.

It would be helpful if you told use the make, model of this 4 year old boat, also how it's equipped (engine, options, etc.).

It probable that the laminate is too thin in this area, for the loads being imposed on it, particularly considering it was built at the height of the economic down turn, where companies may have been cutting every corner they could to stay alive.

 

Looks like the splash well on an outboard powered skiff
If so cracks in that area are often from trailering with out a transom saver support between the lower unit and the trailer. The engine bounces and puts tremendous stress on the transom or splash well and deck interface.

 

It is hard to make evaluations from such small photos, but if one of the cracks is suspected to be more than just a gelcoat issue, then the other one should be treated the same way.
The loads by the outboard are likely being transmitted symmetrically to both corners of the transom and the structure is symmetrical too. Should one of the sides fail, the other one would soon follow.

 

This is a pretty common place to see cracks on typical outboard equipped boats.

 

thank you all for the advice

it is a 2010 savannah skiff with a 2008 f150trx yahama. I have attached a profile pic of the boat. and you are right the cracks, one on either side, are on the outside stern splash well. the 2nd owner informed me it was a concern for him when he bought it and they have not gotten any larger in the 2 years he has owned. He has never hit anything as the motor (skeg) and prop are spotless. I spoke to the manufacture and they stated they have no transom failures but awaiting their prespective as I sent the pics to them.

 

What model of Savannah skiff is that? Looks like the bigger of the two, so you are within the recommended maximum HP.

 

Good hint

 

model of the skiff

is the 2286