Do you ever inspect for cracks?

[TeamYeeha]

I had a small leak in my NR right under the center rib which I found when I filled my boat up with water in the driveway. Opon removing the floor I found a couple of cracks along the rib foward of the fuel tank running port to starboard along the weld. The crack in the bottom was about 3" long and probably started this summer while fishing outside the Columbia. This boat is 9yrs old and has been used hard. All were easily fixed :smile:

Anyone else ever find cracks in your boat :whazzup:
Yeeha

[Abalone]

There is a guy in the Milwaukie area that does Tig welding on Duckworths boats.
He does the warranty work. He told me this ! Most boats are welded with Wirefeeders for the
sake of production costs. Duckworth and other boat manufactures expect leaks to occure.
It just isn't feasable to TiG weld the whole boat and make a profit. I think most of the boat
manufactures will pay for the repair if you take it in. This is not at all uncommon.

You think that's bad the termites almost got my boat.

[ 02-12-2004, 02:09 PM: Message edited by: Abalone ]

[Sled Dog]

Boat (18ft alumaweld flat bottom) goes in monday for weld repair. I crack a weld about once a year or so. If you use a boat hard, particularly in shallow water it will happen. I don't trust shiny undented boats. If you fish hard your boat will show it.

[Tacklebuster]

Im as paranoid as paranoid can be about cracks in the welds and other areas. I had to send my boat back to the factory twice because of it. I always inspect the bilge for water during a trip.

[TeamYeeha]

For sure Sled dog. My boat has some dents here and there, but I didn't think it would do it so far forward. NR was happy to look at it, but want to fix things in Roseburg.

Don't get the wrong impression here I would buy another NR in a hart beat (As soon as there is 3 bay shop to put it in)

Tacklebuster is that a willy or a NR that you have?

Yeeha

[Sled Dog]

Alumaweld, particularly Stevens Marine, where I bought the boat, (rightly so, in my opinion) have told me damage due to normal usage is the financial reponsiblity of the boat owner. Material defects etc are covered but cracks etc. due to pounding waves, sneaky river bottoms etc are not. I fiqure its all part of using and owning a boat.

Aluminum work hardens and will develop cracks eventually.

Some manufactures have design problems that cause cracks to develop prematurely (stress risers)

Some manufacturers allow their welders to do poor work (not back filling the puddle)

Now this is in no way to be taken as criticism for whatever make of boat you all own, it's just facts, I will not list the manufactures that I am referring too. All aluminum boats will crack eventualy.

Keta does. :shocked: :blush: :grin:

[TeamYeeha]

Thanks everbody for your replies. As soon as I can I will post a picture of where the weld broke. Never seen a weld do this. (inspected welds for yrs)It cracked along the bead the holds the center rib. I mean perfectly following the bead line.

Thanks

That's called "the heat effected zone" and it is one of the spots that will develop cracks.

[Tacklebuster]

I have a Weldcraft. The cracks were in the the "stitch" welds and was about mid way down on the right side of the V. I had three cracks total. I take my boat out in the salt and put her through some pretty good pounding water throughout the year but it still shouldn't crack in that area. The factory had misplaced a support brace or something of that nature and that was the cause of the crack, at least thats what they told me. I am just glad my hull has a lifetime warrenty(sp?) and it didn't cost me anything other than being boatless for a spell.

I am very paranoid about water being in the bilge. When I pull in my sea socks I make sure I drip dry them over the side as much as possible so I can account for every drop of water that might come in my boat. Nothing like the feeling at the end of the day when I pull my two plugs and nothing comes out Very frusterating when you pull your plugs at the end of a bright sunny dry day and a couple of gallons run out

[ 02-14-2004, 09:32 AM: Message edited by: Tacklebuster ]

[Ragnar]

I am no expert, but.....
As a guy who builds aluminum boats for a living.....
I'll have to agree with Keta on this one.
When he mentioned the "Heat Effected Zone" , it's very important to really get in there and inspect how the boat is built before you buy.
Many boats may LOOK pretty, but I look at it from a function standpoint first.
Those skip-welds on the Weld-Craft and many other boat manufactures are notorious for cracks forming.
They need to be welded full length. This will minimize the cracking.
If a crack ever does occur in the hull? Sometimes that will be that spray-in floatation foam inside... Let me tell ya people. I'd rather have my hand smashed with a ball peen hammer than to have to weld that toxic mess.
That spray-in foam ususally contains two parts. When tose two parts are combined, it creates a Cyanide Gas. That's bad news people. So you can see where someone might be a little apprehensive about welding around it.
I mean, bilge grime is bad enough to deal with.
I personally like Ed Wing's idea of having fully enclosed air chambers inside as floatation.
Hope this helps,
Ragnar

[TeamYeeha]

Thanks Keta.
Tackle B lifetime warranty only is valid if you are original owner at NR

Larry