I am looking at buying a P&H Capella 169 from my coworker but noticed there are two hairline cracks at the back of the skeg slot. It is not leaking at all. I called P&H’s US office and they recommended either vinyl mastik (quick and cheap fix) or drilling out the ends to stop the cracks, patching the holes and then doing plastic welding. Any thoughts on all this? If I went the fancier route, what would the ballpark cost be for something like that? I know absolutely nothing about repairing boats. Need to decide today if I’m buying this boat, so thanks in advance for rapid responses!
Isn’t the Capella 169 …
a composite boat? P&H’s response sounds to me like it would be for a roto molded polyethelene boat like the Capella RM 166.
~wetzool
Glass work is easy
but the glass may not even be cracked. You may just be seeing hairline cracks in the gel coat. If it’s not leaking I’d guess that’s the case, and if so just buy it and paddle. If it is glass and it is cracked through, you need access to the inside of the cracked area. Pick up a glass repair kit from just about any boat shop. Rough up the inside of the area, lay in some epoxy, cover with glass cloth or tape, saturate the glass with the remaining epoxy, let dry and paddle.
Randy
thanks Randy!
It is definitely not leaking through because the hatch was actually dusty inside (had obviously never been used for storing anything). I would have seen water drips through the dust if it had in fact leaked even a drop. I’m definitely buying it, will keep an eye on the cracks, and repair the glass when needed. Thanks for your advice.
Lauren
You should enjoy the boat
I have one with a rudder and it is a ton of fun in textured water.
Have fun
Randy
Agree With All
Assuming that you are talking a composit boat with gel coat you are just seeing hair line cracks in the gel coat with is normal. I would not worry if it is not leaking.
Should you want to repair the gel coat cracks, (I wouldn’t), you just sand down the gel coat and apply more gel coat of the same color.
Mark