Bow eye cracks....help please

[kitman]

Today I was cranking my boat onto the trailer, and saw some cracks beside the bow eye on the fiberglass or gelcoat , seems the cracks is getting longer from last couple time we used the boat.just wonder how big a deal is it? And is it still safe to trailering the boat around?
I have some photo attached .

I would be greatly appreciated if someone can give me some advice...thank you.

 

[brutus]

My guess is it’s rotted out in behind, 99% sure it is actually, eventually it will pull out, don’t rely on it to hold your boat on the trailer. It’s not that big of a job if there is good access

 

[Aquaholic]

Be sure to tie a safety rope to a bow cleat until you get that fixed.

 

[Foxsea]

Today I was cranking my boat onto the trailer, and saw some cracks beside the bow eye on the fiberglass or gelcoat , seems the cracks is getting longer from last couple time we used the boat.just wonder how big a deal is it? And is it still safe to trailering the boat around?
I have some photo attached .

I would be greatly appreciated if someone can give me some advice...thank you.

That's a fail. Unlikely to be any wood there. Remove the eye, then get in behind, clean up thoroughly and then use epoxy mash to set an 8"x 3" x 1/4" aluminum backing plate. Redrill and install the eye with 3M 4200 and threadlocker.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Rotten. I would be fixing that.

 

[mbowers]

Looks like there might be no backing plate behind that. Happened to a friend where boat builder forgot to install one. The eye also looks on the small side. If you can correctly fit in a larger bow eye with thicker metal after repairing like @Foxsea mentions would be easier to get safety chain in there.

 

[Aquaholic]

Theirs is a bow eye thread showing just below this. Maybe some ideas in it too.

 

[kitman]

There no access from behind to fix it, anybody have good recommendations for shop that could fix the bow eye problem?

 

[ship happens]

The whalers had a through bolt style bow eye. That must be a copy? If you can gain access ( might be foam. Might not ) you could fabricate plates on both side and eliminate having do to fiberglass repairs. No telling what is inside until you cut a hole. Or maybe I just can't see the whole picture here... might end up being both glass reinforcement and backing plates. Need to gain access and have a look see

Kinds looks like under that nav light there could be access. You could cut a hole and make a plate to cover it. That would be easiest if it's possible. Hard to tell from pics

 

[Foxsea]

The whalers had a through bolt style bow eye. That must be a copy? If you can gain access ( might be foam. Might not ) you could fabricate plates on both side and eliminate having do to fiberglass repairs. No telling what is inside until you cut a hole. Or maybe I just can't see the whole picture here... might end up being both glass reinforcement and backing plates. Need to gain access and have a look see

Kinds looks like under that nav light there could be access. You could cut a hole and make a plate to cover it. That would be easiest if it's possible. Hard to tell from pics

Always good to have access to enclosed spaces. Cutting an appropriate hole and installing a plastic, screw in cover is a great idea.

 

[brutus]

Here you go

 

[Loghauler]

do you use tie downs on the transom to keep the boat secure on trailer or just the eye ? Go with tie downs on transom for piece of mind
Fibreglass is easy next time in Canadian tire check the fibreglass kits out, and ya looking like cutting a hole is needed so at that point I’d go with a screw plate as pictured in previous pic
you tube videos for tutorials and save a buck or two

 

[Foxsea]

Here you go

Looks like someone snapped into action once that problem became apparent.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Here you go

Holy fak

 

[brutus]

Looks like someone snapped into action once that problem became apparent.

Funny you would day that, there are lots of boats out there putting around with transom in that condition without a care in the world, nothing an aluminum sandwich won’t fix lol

 

[Aquaholic]

Funny you would day that, there are lots of boats out there putting around with transom in that condition without a care in the world, nothing an aluminum sandwich won’t fix lol

Many won't know until they hit something.

 

[kitman]

do you use tie downs on the transom to keep the boat secure on trailer or just the eye ? Go with tie downs on transom for piece of mind
Fibreglass is easy next time in Canadian tire check the fibreglass kits out, and ya looking like cutting a hole is needed so at that point I’d go with a screw plate as pictured in previous pic
you tube videos for tutorials and save a buck or two

Yes I do use transom tie...thanks for advise

 

[brutus]

Many won't know until they hit something.

Not always, there is a video out there of a trophy with twins, with a big crack at the transom way out going tuna fishing that sinks on the video

 

[dglass]

Not always, there is a video out there of a trophy with twins, with a big crack at the transom way out going tuna fishing that sinks on the video

I gotta see that! Link? I had a rotting transom on my 17.5' Olympic. Cut all that rotten wood out and replaced it. Pain in the arse but she's solid now.

 

[Foxsea]

Many won't know until they hit something.

Or they trim ever higher as the motor leans ever further back.