# Fiberglass repair



## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

Good afternoon all...I need your advice for repairing a cracked transom and cracked rear casting deck on a 2006 Kenner VX 19. The transom is cracked almost the full width of the boat along the top edge about 1/4" wide and the rear casting deck is cracked along the rear edge about the same about 3/8". The rear deck looks like there is separation between the layers and I would like to glue/epoxy and clamp to make the repair. The transom crack is in the middle and looks more cosmetic...it's just above the mounting bolts and plate. Any ideas on what to use? I'm a DIY kind of person and would like to give it a shot. Thanks, Frank


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## offshore64 (Sep 30, 2007)

duck tape fixes everything:moon


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## Sailor612 (Oct 3, 2007)

West System makes great epoxies. You can add many different types of fillers depending on what you truely need done with it. It is very simple to use. They have come out with pumps that dispense the right amount of resin and hardner. I believe all West System is 5 to 1 resin to hardner. If your talking some deep cracks, the best thing to do is grind down the crack and add fiberglass cloth and epoxy to build it back up. I have seen people drill holes at the end of each crack...all the way though...to prevent the crack from ever traveling in the future. You must make sure you fill those hose with thickened epoxy, and still repair the crack.

Keeping your work area clean is VERY important. If you have ANY contamination (from dust to oils...) your epoxy WILL NOT bond properly!!

West System has a good website to look at too. Westsystem.com 

One word of advise, be sure you do research before expoxing if you've never done so. It is simple, but does have the chance of problems arising if you don't know whats going on.

Post some pics of the things you need to repair.


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## metal11 (Oct 7, 2007)

2006 with a cracked transome. I would use a warranty


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

I agree with metal11. Cracks are caused by flex or the core gone. Which will make it flex. I'd think that that boat is cored with Divenacell, which does not rot.



Neep pix's.


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

> *metal11 (11/15/2007)*2006 with a cracked transome. I would use a warranty






+1


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

I would love to go the warranty route, however the dealer and Tracker won't help in anyway, mater of fact, they don't respond to my emails or phone calls. The warranty went out in May, 07, and they were notified before that happened. So, to get to the problem, I need to know what to use to glue this thing back together. The crack on the transom appears to be about 1/4" wide, 1/4" deep, and almost the width of the transom. The cracked casting deck looks like the wood separated under the fiberglass...nice, big, open crack that I can get to. What do I use? I have some skills in woodworking, lamination, etc. but nothing with fiberglass. Thanks, Frank

BTW, I take some pics over Thanksgiving...


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## orion (Oct 3, 2007)

I can't be of help to you, but I'm glad I read this post because I sure won't buy a kenner now. Most hulls nowadays come with at least a 10 year warranty. And often the transoms are lifetime.


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## oldflathead (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Frank,

Tough luck! I will sure spread the word about Tracker/Kenner. If that boat had been built properly, that would not have happened, and if it did the builder and/or dealer should have fixed it immediately. Name the dealer.

I have been doing this kind of work for years, but am temporarily 10-7. If you want to bring your boat over to my house on Bayou Chico, I will tell you how to do it, use my tools and epoxy. No charge, but I do enjoy an occasional Sam Adams.

If the dealer/builder were really nasty, we can take pix and post on the web. My 30 year old Correct Craft has never had that type of damage and I'll bet there are few two year old boats that have.

Burn them :moon

Old Grouch Tom


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## Kajun (Oct 4, 2007)

dude..GO down to the nearest dealer IN PERSON and talk to the manager...did you buy this boat new or you got it second hand?


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

Bought new in May, 2006...been to the dealer, my local dealer gave up the line because of this kind of stuff. My main concern is to get the boat repaired, when the steering went out at 6 months I was treated the same way. Horrible customer service and a nonexistant warranty, but my main concern is to learn how to do the job properly and not sink anymore money into this boat. Thanks for all the suggestions and help, next time I get down to the boat I'll take pictures and post. Thanks again, Frank


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## Salt Life (Sep 30, 2007)

Oh, hell No ! ... Man I cant believe this ! I had a Kenner 21 and LOVED THAT THING !! I had a warrantee issue with a decal and my dealer, Dons Boats of Tallahassee got in touch w/ them while I was standing there and they sent a complete whole boat set sent to my house. At no cost of course. When I opened the box there was three hats, three golf shirts and three T shirts for me my wife and daughter. Man, that was just a decal. 

Dude go to a "real" dealer. Kenner is a great boat built by great people. If all fails PM me and I will put you in touch w/ the sales manager ( personal frend ) at Dons and he will help you. 

IF I COULD I WOULD OWN ANOTHER KENNER W/ OUT A DOUGHT.

.


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't think it's a matter of which dealer as much as the attitude of Tracker! You tow the boat 325 miles oneway to hear that we don't cover that under warranty. I bought the boat beacuse I had a service dealer nearby that I trusted (and still use) but he got smart and dropped the line. I'm glad you had good luck with your boat and I'm sure there are others out there as well, but the general consensus from owners past and present (since Tracker took over) is nothing but bad. Back to the reason for the post...should I use epoxy to fix this crack? Anyone with hands on experience able to give me a few tips? Like I said, I am a DIY kindof person and I really don't want to sink much more money into this boat. I still haven't installed the electronics that I bought last year because I don't trust the boat enough to stay repaired! Thanks again, Frank


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## LibertyCall (Oct 3, 2007)

Frank,

Really need to see pics to say howto fix it. It makes no sense to fix the crack without figuring out why it happened/preventing a repeat. I live on Innerarity Point and have everything here at the house if you want to get a quick lesson. 850-918-9020. 

Doug


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I made it down to OB for Thanksgiving and took a couple of pictures with my phone camera...how do I post pictures? Thanks again for everyone's help, Frank


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## Danno (Oct 17, 2007)

I am not a Kenner fan, but I do believe that most manufacturers will take the responsiblity of repairing something as serious as a cracked transom. I am surprised that the hull only has a 1-year warranty. 

Believe me when I say that manufacturers don't like this kind of press.

Contact Kenner directly, try the phone first, if that doesn't work send them a certified letter. They can be reached at:

*Customer Relations
(417) 873-4555
Monday - Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST

*Corporate Center
(417) 873-5900
Monday - Friday
8:00 am to 5:00 pm CST

*Mail:*

KENNER<SUP>®</SUP>
2500 E. Kearney
Springfield, MO 65898


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

Doug, thanks for the offer...I hope to be down the 2nd week in Dec and will contact you then. Thanks again, Frank

Danno, thanks for the advice! I've tried that route with no success...if I thought there was a snowballs chance I'd give it another shot but past experience has proven them to be unresponsive at best. Thanks, Frank


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

Not too good at adding pictures, but as you can see, the casting deck is pretty obvious but the transom is harder to see because of the aluminum cap. The crack is about 1/4" wide and runs the width of the transom. Thanks again, Frank


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## Outta Line (Dec 1, 2007)

i agree duck tape......


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## leeprice72 (Oct 3, 2007)

That is crazy. A crack like that on barely a year old boat. In noway would I fix it myself you need to have kenner fix that boat. If it cracked like that in under a year I would not want the thing. Kenner would fix it even if me and my lawyer had to show our butts. If you documented it with them before the warranty expired they should not have any way of wiggling out of it. 

One question though is how did it crack? Is your engine the right size (not overpowered)? Or has the boat ever been "dropped"? Unless one of these things happened there is no reason for that thing to crack except for manufactures defect. Even if you fix it it still loses alot of value that really stinks on a year old boat. I would raise hell with Kenner.


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## Perdido (Oct 4, 2007)

Lee, I couldn't agree with you more, but it is what it is...I even have a family full of lawyers that may do that for grins. My son is picking the boat up this weekend and our plan is to take it to another dealer, heck, it's only another 5 hrs one way, and see what can be done. If we show up on their doorstep with the attorney driving the truck, we may get their attention. I want nothing more than a good repair, but they dance around every issue and this is not the first. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and we'll see what happens. Frank


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

Well is it obvious KENNER makes a pos? I think we should show our strength, everyone on the pff shud call these turkeys and tell them not to bother trying to sell their pos product her in p'cola. Here's KENNERS #

If you have a question or concern regarding your *boat*, *trailer* or *equipment*, other than your motor, you may reach one of our *customer relations* representatives at *(417) 873-4555* Monday - Friday between the hours of 8am to 5pm Central Time.


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## sailmaker (Dec 10, 2007)

Man, that really sucks! I've been all over the net searching through Kenner and Tracker boats websites and I haven't even been able to find any verbiage referring to any Warranty as it pertains to the boat.



I used to build boats and have been in the glass repair business since 1975 and I have also been to the Kenner plant. Although I believe that they build a good product for the money I will have to say that I witnessed them using WAY to much resin and not enough glass while installing stringer systems and parts, etc. This makes for a product that is heavier, weaker and more prone to crack and/or delaminate than it should be. If they do a few steps this way they do them all the same way. That was 5 years ago. Since they jumped in the sheets with Bass Pro/Tracker Boats I'm sure that they are selling more boats from having a national market. That combined with what I have already said would lead me to believe that the quality of their building has to have gone downhill. 



I would suggest going straight to the top of the heap, Bass Pro Shops, and threaten to sue the hell out of them and I think you just may get some sorely needed attention. It sucks but their it is. Nice guys finish last for a reason in sports and legal issues, among many others.



As others have said, no quality boat has less than a 5-10 year warranty on the hull.


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