CONTINUOUSWAVE

I was looking at a 1995 Dauntless 17 Dual Console and was suprised to see so many stress cracks all over the boat.

Is [the appearance of stress cracks in the gel coat layer all over the boat] normal for a Boston Whaler boat?

The boat was fresh-water used and never bottom painted, was very well cared for, and was clean. I don't have any experience with Boston Whaler boats. so I want to know:

Do all c.1995 Boston Whaler boats have the same problems with these cracks?

To see stress cracks or spider cracks in the gelcoat of a c.1995 Boston Whaler boat is not normal and will not be seen on all Boston Whaler boats from c.1995.

Stress cracks in the gel coat layer are generally seen in some instances in areas of the gel coat layer where the thickness of the gel coat was built up too much in initial fabrication of the hull and the gel coat layer is subject to some stress or possibly even some slight movement.

Stress cracks will also appear as a result of impacts. Dropping something very heavy onto the deck or having a forceful impact on the hull sides with a dock or other immovable structure can produce stress cracks.

Gel coat which has not been properly maintained will also tend to shrink from drying out, and the shrinking will cause cracks to appear. Extensive spider cracking may be seen on boats whose gel coat has not be properly protected and has been exposed to sunlight for long periods. This occurs on boats that sit outdoors all the time in parts of the country with lots of sunshine and whose gel coat has not been cared for by period polishing, application of restorative compounds, and protected by top coats of wax.