Gel coat cracks on top cap

[Javelin387]

Those are cosmetic and are from the screws in the rubrail. They are pretty common. Unfortunately many of the new boats get stress cracks because the resins just are not as good as they used to be, plus because everyone thinks they can smash a wave and the boat should handle it. In the second picture it goes through all the way to rub rail. It is not as expensive to fix as they make it sound on this forum. Send the pics to a couple of shops for reference. I had a few fixed on a Ranger and it was around 600 bucks. The guy guaranteed them for life, if they ever came back he would fix for free. They never came back, I had the boat another 2 years. If you have a good glass guy, they can repair them.

[Ranchdip]

This is great to know. Thanks.

[Ranchdip]

What kind of drop in price you guys think is reasonable? $2k?

[mikesxpress]

You need to get the glass shop estimate 1st.

[2stroked out]

Where the top cap tapers off make sure the glass guy looks there. Im on my phone and had to blow it up. It may be glare but looks like sanding marks. Somebody with good eyes blow it up where the glare is.

[DewRonInc]

I have some in mine, when I had redone, I wasnt even worried about them, hasnt changed in years, but hey, they bug ya, get um fixed

[H2O_Fowl]

First I wouldn’t buy an old pros boat. But, white gel is easy to spot stress cracks in. Dark colors tough to see them in. Most all boats have them.

[JJohnSind]

Luck of the draw as to whether a boat gets a lot of them, or a few (of course some brands are simply built better than others). Typically, it’s just cosmetic, but, for me personally, it would be a deal breaker. I’ve noticed the ones that get them, keep getting them and they keep getting worse. My last 10 year old Skeeter 20i had zero visible stress cracks when I sold it, and it had its fair share of Lake St. Clair. & Lake Erie (it was a white hull too). My previous 5 year old Stratos had a few, but nothing like what this OP posted (white hull also & it will be more obvious on white). It’s whatever your tolerances are, just not for me because I know it just keeps getting worse.

[250bassFL]

For me I could never buy a pro’s boat.

+1

[Meleagris1]

If it bothers you then don’t buy it - but its just cosmetic and up here around big water its unusual to find a boat that’s more than a couple years old without a couple stress cracks in the gel. Doesn’t mean the boat was abused.