Njboo Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 In April 2015 purchased a Brand New Pathfinder 22 Tournament, around June I started noticing cracks in gel coat all along where the gunnels meet the floor and along the floor where the rear deck meet. Around the same time noticiced rear deck release well door and rear storage / pump access / fuel filter compartment door will not close straight, like they are warped. When standing on rear deck and stepping on these hatch doors they make all kinds of noise (squeaks). I contacted Pathfinder and they said to send pics to the dealer I purchased boat from and they would review with pathfinder and determine if warranty would cover! I receive info from the dealer I purchased from and they said not to worry about any major structure issues, it's just cosmetic and they will repair under warranty! I scheduled to have the repairs made in the winter so I would not miss out on much fishing time. Brought it to dealer two weeks ago and call today to check on it , dealer said they have not got to it yet because there fibergl*** tech quit! Really! What do you all think I should do? Did anyone have any of gel coat issues like this? Note: The boat is trailered and is flawless (showroom condition) washed, cleaned and motor flushed every trip. 60 hours on motor (250 SHO) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linesider 159 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Id do one of 4 things: go to a different dealer, get your boat from the dealer and use it until they are ready, get an independent shop to do the work with approval from MBC, or wait for Skip to reply here and/or call him. If you are in LA, im not sure there are any other dealers. I ***ume you are with Boat Stuf? I dont remember any others around there but could be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowcountry Joe Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 There's been a lot of postings about hairline "stress" cracks . I have them and had the dealer fix them only for them to return. Finally , I decided to fix them myself using Spectrum Gel Coat Repair http://www.spectrumcolor.com/. Excellent color match and easy to repair, just follow the instructions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hurricane Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Prolly not stress cracks, but spider cracks and are only cosmetic. I'd do as said above, find another dealer or contact MBC and get it done by a reputable shop. Who knows how long till they hire someone, and I wouldn't want some new fibergl*** guy they just hired to fix my new boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 since the boat is brand new, I would not attempt to do any work myself due to a wty. issue that may arise because of it. it is a shame your having problems like this on a brand new boat. sure mbc will work it out with you. I would look to get an approval to have a fb shop to do the repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
large marge Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 There's been a lot of postings about hairline "stress" cracks . I have them and had the dealer fix them only for them to return. Finally , I decided to fix them myself using Spectrum Gel Coat Repair http://www.spectrumcolor.com/. Excellent color match and easy to repair, just follow the instructions. if those areas are in a spider web pattern - near a radius,or point of impact,such as railings,cleats,or on the side of the hull - these can be an indication of problems... small lines,or cracks are really pretty normal - attempting to repair them,usually they return in short order.fibergl*** can flex,gel coat can't,hence the craze or crack... this gentleman is stating the area has "moved" - doors are sticking " In April 2015 purchased a Brand New Pathfinder 22 Tournament, around June I started noticing cracks in gel coat all along where the gunnels meet the floor and along the floor where the rear deck meet. Around the same time noticiced rear deck release well door and rear storage / pump access / fuel filter compartment door will not close straight, like they are warped. When standing on rear deck and stepping on these hatch doors they make all kinds of noise (squeaks" this could be an indication of a problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Njboo Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Thanks for all the input so for. I forgot to mention one important thing. I did travel out of state to purchase as the dealer had really good reviews. Roughly four hour trip one way. I know this was a chance i was taking when making the decision to purchase out of state but never would have thought I would be dealing with issues like this for the money I spent. I added a few photos for review. 1450279508-Gel_Coat_Cracks.pdf 1450279651-Gel_Cracks_2.pdf 1450279659-Gel_Coat_Cracks_3.pdf 1450279666-Gel_Coat_Cracks_4.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeetman68 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 since the boat is brand new, I would not attempt to do any work myself due to a wty. issue that may arise because of it. it is a shame your having problems like this on a brand new boat. sure mbc will work it out with you. I would look to get an approval to have a fb shop to do the repair. x2 on this answer. Have a friend with a Pathfinder and he had some issues. He was able to get repairs done through a local repair shop with Pathfinder guidance and approval. PF will take care of you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkB2 Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Njboo, Does the gel coat feel like it's hollow behind the cracks. It almost looks like there may be air voids behind the cracks. It's a new boat and the dealer or Pathfinder should take care of it like others have said. I had some of the same issue in a couple of areas on my boat. But mine is a 2007 and I bought it 2nd hand. I was able to repair it and 2 years later you cannot tell where the cracks were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slyshon Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Every boat manufacturer deals with gelcoat issues, nature of the beast. They are covered under warranty and in most cases cosmetic in nature. Gelcoat is very brittle, it acts as a barrier coat for the fibergl***. In many cases they occur when the parts is de-molded and do not show up until after the boat has a few on water hours on it. If you have ever been here for the factory tour you see we use a dye solution to try and find them as most times they are not visible. We warranty them for 1 year, most do not. Some models have more than others, depends on many things. I agree, hate to see them on a new rig but it happens. If you are not getting the answers you need from the nearest dealer call here and ask for Ray Ayres at x103, he can ***ist in getting things moving for you. Skip Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted December 16, 2015 Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Do you or have you ever used straps to hoist the boat? Some folks use straps on their boat hoist instead of bunks. If the straps are not positioned correctly, they will pinch the boat, causing spider cracks in the gel-coat. I know you didn't mention the boat was on a hoist, but this might be good information for those who use straps to hoist their boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChasinSnook Posted December 17, 2015 Report Share Posted December 17, 2015 Every boat manufacturer deals with gelcoat issues, nature of the beast. They are covered under warranty and in most cases cosmetic in nature. Gelcoat is very brittle, it acts as a barrier coat for the fibergl***. In many cases they occur when the parts is de-molded and do not show up until after the boat has a few on water hours on it. If you have ever been here for the factory tour you see we use a dye solution to try and find them as most times they are not visible. We warranty them for 1 year, most do not. Some models have more than others, depends on many things. I agree, hate to see them on a new rig but it happens. If you are not getting the answers you need from the nearest dealer call here and ask for Ray Ayres at x103, he can ***ist in getting things moving for you.Skip Skip And the above is why I am in my 5th Pathfinder....a manufacturer that consistently stands behind their product and is eager to help. Yes it does stink to have issues with a new rig and it is inevitable with all manufacturers. I have had a few small issues with a boat or two but everything was taken care of quickly and efficiently. Most of us know someone with a different brand who has not received the answers and results most MHP owners get on warranty issues. I dont mind tooting their horn it is just the plain & simple truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhinshoreangler Posted December 18, 2015 Report Share Posted December 18, 2015 My 2005 has them in the same places. They happened the first year and never got any worse. My friends 2007 has them in the same places also. I'm not making light of your situation, I was upset also. Document them and have them repaired under warranty when your fishing season is slow. Make sure filler is not used in the repair. Make sure fibergl*** is used in the repair. If allowed, have a good gl*** shop do the repairs and have the gl*** shop reimbursed by MHP. Get it in writing. They are cosmetic and common, go fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Skinny Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Couldn't agree more with most of what's been stated on this thread. I'm currently on my 3rd Pathfinder - all of which were purchased brand new. All 3 have seen this issue. Some more severe than others. As Skip stated, it's the nature of the beast. MBC quickly & gladly made repairs to all 3 within the first year of purchase. Unfortunately, they all reappeared. I've come to terms with this being a relatively minor cosmetic issue and overlook them. Don't get me wrong... I understand that after you've spent tens of thousands of dollars on a boat you want it to be perfect but I've yet to step aboard a perfect bay boat. Not to mention, if you're using it for it's intended purpose (hardcore fishing) it's not going to be perfect very long anyway. Just my .02 & I wish you the best with reaching satisfaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icatcher22 Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 Agree with Capt Mike about it will get banged up hardcore fishing anyways. That being said I don't agree with having to come to terms with that "cosmetic" issue on a 2015 60k+ boat. There is a specific reason that the cracks have appeared - to thin/thick or gl*** or the boat is flexing for some reason, etc. People will say all boats flex which might be true but all boats don't have stress/spider cracks. Follow it thru and get it fixed appropriately IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhinshoreangler Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 There is a specific reason that the cracks have appeared - to thin/thick or gl*** or the boat is flexing for some reason, etc. Pathfinders tend to flex a little more because of their light hull weight and thick gel coat. I guess it's the consequence of owning a 22' boat that floats in 11" of water. A friend of mine just bought a 25' Sea Hunt CC which has 3 or 4 up top already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 Boats do flex, that's an undisputed fact. And that's why I posted about picking-up the boat with straps. I hate the fact that a new owner has to go through this problem but I'm sure the factory will take care of him. Someone posted that "hardcore fishing" was what the boat was intended for. I agree, it's a fishing machine, but hard core fishing and hard core driving are two different things. I'm not suggesting that hard core driving was the cause of the OP's problem. But,you can only put so much stress on a boat before things start to come apart. I fish a lot and I fish hard, but I don't drive my boat like a battle ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin-addict Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 x2, there is no reason what so ever to run a boat so that you beat it up. not saying that was done. just agreeing with that statement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASB Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 Your boat has some serious issues. I would be very upset if my boat looked like that after a couple months not to mention the squeaking and warped hatches. It sounds like MBC will take care of it and I wish you luck. That's very disappointing after spending so much money on a boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCFD rtrd. Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 Wow, we talked so much about gel-coat cracks that I forgot about the problem with the hatches. I would have an absolute s###-fit if that were my new boat. Lucky for me, I've never had a factory problem with my rig. Just remember, document every conversation, keep all emails and paperwork, take pics. Keep lines of communication open with dealer and factory. Don't loose faith, I'm sure MBC will make it like new again. Keep us in the loop regarding the progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.