18'5 Double Eagle Crack

[Sandpiper]

A friend of mine bought a 2004 Double Eagle 18'5 with a yamaha 150 and a 8 HP kicker bolted to the transom. It was a one owner boat and he bought it without a survey. I got to lay my eyes on it this afternoon and I was a bit concerned when I saw a plate over the transom, The original owner (Seller) said that the plate was installed by SG Power when it was bought new. I have never seen one on a double eagle before and he also alerted me that there was a crack in the gel coat on the top cap near the transom my heart instantly sunk as the buyer did not have a survey performed prior to purchase as this is his first boat.

I tapped around the plate with a hammer to see for any obvious change in sound but no change tapping around the plate, I am really hoping this is strictly a cosmetic issue or possibly that the boat was backed into a wall or something to cause the crack. Please let me give him some piece of mind that others have seen this plate installed before and the crack is not structural, Pictures are below.

Crack is visible on the port side.

Dan

 

[salmonkiller01]

Hard to tell if that is structural. Trim main up and put tilt lock on. Have you or your buddy put all their weight on the out board leg other guy looks for flex. May need to connect to truck so trailer tongue does not lift. If it flexes not good.

 

[buzzbomb]

Looks to me as it’s a transom lift to accommodate a 25” shaft motor. That model of double eagle was made for a 20” motor and I’ve seen lots around converted to a 25” this way.

 

[Doubleheader]

That’s more than just a crack in the gelcoat. I’ll say it again, aluminum is for aluminum boats. Glass is for glass. I highly doubt that was plated new, it’s to hide something imo.

 

[ab1752]

He could have it surveyed now but there's not much point, he won't have any recourse with the seller most likely.

Maybe he will get lucky but all that hardware should be bedded again regardless and if it was me, I'd stat by pulling the engines and every bolt that goes through that transom for a good hard look.

Good luck, hope the rest of the boat is awesome and he isn't too bummed out.

 

[brutus]

I would say not good from that pic, just drill a test hole in the crack, small 1/8bit and see what comes out, my money goes on a bunch a rotting wood. Looks like the transom is separating from the stringers

 

[Doubleheader]

I would say not good from that pic, just drill a test hole in the crack, small 1/8bit and see what comes out, my money goes on a bunch a rotting wood. Looks like the transom is separating from the stringers

I dunno if I’d be that pessimistic. Iirc the stringers end well below the port crack. I’m guessing, as already mentioned, the alloy is to accommodate the 25” leg. Boat was never originally designed for that kind of leverage and scabbing on aluminum is not the best way to do it imo. The helper alloy is not distributing the extra stress as evenly as a proper glass job would.

 

[brutus]

I dunno if I’d be that pessimistic. Iirc the stringers end well below the port crack. I’m guessing, as already mentioned, the alloy is to accommodate the 25” leg. Boat was never originally designed for that kind of leverage and scabbing on aluminum is not the best way to do it imo. The helper alloy is not distributing the extra stress as evenly as a proper glass job would.

I know if it was my boat, I would go ahead and figure out why that crack is there, definitely not just gel coat crack. It is a stress crack and looks fairly deep from that pick, water infiltration is a big ??

 

[Doubleheader]

I know if it was my boat, I would go ahead and figure out why that crack is there, definitely not just gel coat crack. It is a stress crack and looks fairly deep from that pick, water infiltration is a big ??

I’d definitely be investigating. But the top deck is separate from the hull and transom. That crack shouldn’t be letting moisture into the transom etc. Unless there is bare wood behind it. The transom is all layed up before top deck is set into place, I’ve seen boats with a floating composite sandwiched between the two and also seen them bonded together with a structural putty. So they shouldn’t be communicating moisture wise if that makes sense?

 

[brutus]

I’d definitely be investigating. But the top deck is separate from the hull and transom. That crack shouldn’t be letting moisture into the transom etc. Unless there is bare wood behind it. The transom is all layed up before top deck is set into place, I’ve seen boats with a floating composite sandwiched between the two and also seen them bonded together with a structural putty. So they shouldn’t be communicating moisture wise if that makes sense?

Ya it does, never looked up closhow those boats are all put together, never owned one, from the pic it looks like it’s all tab in togheter , no worry about water in the transom, but wathever is behind that crack it wet that’s for sure

 

[Doubleheader]

Now I have seen, and I’m not allowed to mention on what, where the top of the transom was not sealed. So that pretty little chrome cap glued and screwed along the top of transom starts to wander and the sealant starts falling off letting moisture into bare transom wood. I suspect in this case the transom was layed up straight across the stern, then cut to shape afterwards to accommodate counter of top deck at motor splashwell. Easier that trying to glass around corners I get it, but the exposed transom wood should be glasses up prior to assembly imo. Relying on a chrome strip screwed and glued, really?

 

[casper5280]

Thinking the kicker may be causing the problem. No structure where the beefed up ear of the aluminum transom lift and old fiberglass transom meet. Maybe caused by kicker bouncing notice the jacked up mount on it. betting there is some flex in that plastic mount.

 

[Doubleheader]

Oh ya for sure, didn’t look that close in the one pic it really shows how high the kicker is.

 

[brutus]

Oh ya for sure, didn’t look that close in the one pic it really shows how high the kicker is.

Lol, I am sure the owner is having major anxiety now . Sunday morning on sfbc lmao

 

[casper5280]

I did this mount on a old boat I had to mount a longer leg and notice now much deeper it goes down to the keel. If it were me I would have a new mount built and carry the ears right across and pick up the kicker mount all in one.

 

[Doubleheader]

Lol, I am sure the owner is having major anxiety now . Sunday morning on sfbc lmao

Honestly I don’t think it’s a dealbreaker, I’d be tending to it to stop further damage but I’d be fishin er!

 

[Doubleheader]

Or tab some 1708 where needed and lower the kicker...

 

[brutus]

Honestly I don’t think it’s a dealbreaker, I’d be tending to it to stop further damage but I’d be fishin er!

I would definitely want to figure out the extent for sure. Prob would not venture out to far before I did, but that’s just me

 

[profisher]

My first thought is the high up mounted kicker is the culprit....bouncing around flexing things just enough to cause the crack over time. Especially with the aluminum plate that would cause the centre section of the transom and well to move less and the outer edge where the kicker is to move a bit more.

 

[RiverBoy]

i have the same boat and i’m wondering why he had one of those pos garrelick kicker mounts installed in the first place. know they are necessary with some applications but not on a 185. i have my kicker stern mounted with a connecting rod inside the boat. it’s crowded but it works