Gelcoat cracks at Tower Mount.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Its one of those xtp xtreem towers (I had on on my lxi in my gallery) , which have rigid mounts to the gunnels and do cause stress cracking pretty easily.

-Chris

Oh yea, that got picked up by Monster. Explains it all.

[wakeboarder3780]

Not to hijack the thread but I have some cracks in the gel and I have the Titan tower too. So just a heads up that the tower is not the solution. I think everyone else hit it on the head here that it comes down to a correct install. Unfortunately I also have a long crack up in the bow, so it seems I'll have a lot of gel repair that needs to be done. I live in WI, anyone know anyone in the state that is good? There is only one bu dealer in the state, and I guess I'd rather give it to someone like martin

Any idea how expensive it can be to repair the gel? I've heard you can get some paint mixed up at your local body shop (they use a camera and take pictures of the hue to try to get the correct shade) to use as your tint in your gel, so if a guy was willing, he could attempt the gel repair himself but I kind of doubt my ability to really get it perfect the way I want it. Are we talking a couple hundred to get some gel fixed or are we talking up near a thousand? I really want to get it fixed but I'll be sad if it's really expensive and probably just let it be.

Edited October 25, 2010 by wakeboarder3780

[99response]

Not to hijack the thread but I have some cracks in the gel and I have the Titan tower too. So just a heads up that the tower is not the solution. I think everyone else hit it on the head here that it comes down to a correct install. Unfortunately I also have a long crack up in the bow, so it seems I'll have a lot of gel repair that needs to be done. I live in WI, anyone know anyone in the state that is good? There is only one bu dealer in the state, and I guess I'd rather give it to someone like martin

Any idea how expensive it can be to repair the gel? I've heard you can get some paint mixed up at your local body shop (they use a camera and take pictures of the hue to try to get the correct shade) to use as your tint in your gel, so if a guy was willing, he could attempt the gel repair himself but I kind of doubt my ability to really get it perfect the way I want it. Are we talking a couple hundred to get some gel fixed or are we talking up near a thousand? I really want to get it fixed but I'll be sad if it's really expensive and probably just let it be.

Titans can crack like any other brand but they crack much less frequently because of the heim joints used in the design.

You can get matched gel from spectrum, since you boat is fairly new it should match well (assuming the boat is covered most of the time), so no need to worry about tint.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Not to hijack the thread but I have some cracks in the gel and I have the Titan tower too. So just a heads up that the tower is not the solution. I think everyone else hit it on the head here that it comes down to a correct install. Unfortunately I also have a long crack up in the bow, so it seems I'll have a lot of gel repair that needs to be done. I live in WI, anyone know anyone in the state that is good? There is only one bu dealer in the state, and I guess I'd rather give it to someone like martin

Any idea how expensive it can be to repair the gel? I've heard you can get some paint mixed up at your local body shop (they use a camera and take pictures of the hue to try to get the correct shade) to use as your tint in your gel, so if a guy was willing, he could attempt the gel repair himself but I kind of doubt my ability to really get it perfect the way I want it. Are we talking a couple hundred to get some gel fixed or are we talking up near a thousand? I really want to get it fixed but I'll be sad if it's really expensive and probably just let it be.

I had like 3 fist sized spots repaired in the white on mine when I first bought it. Cost me under $500.

I haven't seen any Titan's on cracked gelcoat. Not saying it doesn't happen, but the Malibu & Titan combo is very popular with foil riders I hang out with. The guys I ride with are big abusers of these boats. We're all pretty big riders & don't let go of the handle very easily. Plus our towers are usually pretty loaded with speakers & a pair of foils mounted on them, ie; well over 200 lbs.

Maybe it's the heim joints, &\or the fact that the towers are made specifically for the boat (measurements line up, no extra joints, etc.)

Edited October 25, 2010 by Bill_AirJunky

[davemac]

You can get matched gel from spectrum, since you boat is fairly new it should match well (assuming the boat is covered most of the time), so no need to worry about tint.

+1. I just bought a gel coat repair kit from spectrumcolor.com (to repair a small spot where a fork truck scored my chine). The color match was perfect. It was $25 or so..plus about $10 shipping.

[TallRedRider]

I thought that gelcoat cracks were a 1 year warranty item.

I can't even find current warranty information at Malibuboats.com. What's up with that?

So the previous owner pulls dual tubes on the tower and Malibu will warranty it even though this boat has been built at least 4 years ago?

I have been looking at bu's....if they warranty this, I better get one quickly!

FWIW, my MC has some tiny gelcoat cracks around the tower too, I don't think I would worry about repairing them until you sell the boat, because some naive buyers think they mean something serious is wrong. I didn't even dream of having the dealer fix it....the gelcoat warranty was run out in May 2007.

[WakeGirl]

I thought that gelcoat cracks were a 1 year warranty item.

I can't even find current warranty information at Malibuboats.com. What's up with that?

So the previous owner pulls dual tubes on the tower and Malibu will warranty it even though this boat has been built at least 4 years ago?

I have been looking at bu's....if they warranty this, I better get one quickly!

FWIW, my MC has some tiny gelcoat cracks around the tower too, I don't think I would worry about repairing them until you sell the boat, because some naive buyers think they mean something serious is wrong. I didn't even dream of having the dealer fix it....the gelcoat warranty was run out in May 2007.

If you didn't buy it new, you would have had to do the warranty transfer.

[martinarcher]

Titans can crack like any other brand but they crack much less frequently because of the heim joints used in the design.

You can get matched gel from spectrum, since you boat is fairly new it should match well (assuming the boat is covered most of the time), so no need to worry about tint.

Anyone have a case of a documented gel coat crack with a Titan. I've never heard of one, but the Illusion....well.

It sucks too because it is such a bad arse looking tower. Mention Malibu to someone and they immediately think of a Wakesetter with an Illusion.

[WakeGirl]

Anyone have a case of a documented gel coat crack with a Titan. I've never heard of one, but the Illusion....well.

It sucks too because it is such a bad arse looking tower. Mention Malibu to someone and they immediately think of a Wakesetter with an Illusion.

I've seen mention of a few over the years, but the ratio compared with the Illusion or even Swoop.....well, it doesn't compare. I've always thought that the design of the Titan lends itself to be more forgiving on a boat than other designs & I suspect that the few that you do see from time to time have to do with maybe a bad installation and/or other variables.

It will be interesting to see how the new G3 fares.

[martinarcher]

I've seen mention of a few over the years, but the ratio compared with the Illusion or even Swoop.....well, it doesn't compare. I've always thought that the design of the Titan lends itself to be more forgiving on a boat than other designs & I suspect that the few that you do see from time to time have to do with maybe a bad installation and/or other variables.

It will be interesting to see how the new G3 fares.

Thanks WG for the response.

I agree - I look forward to seeing the G3 get a good rep. So far it has done very well from what I gather from user reviews.

Edited October 25, 2010 by martinarcher

[Ndawg12]

I've seen mention of a few over the years, but the ratio compared with the Illusion or even Swoop.....well, it doesn't compare. I've always thought that the design of the Titan lends itself to be more forgiving on a boat than other designs & I suspect that the few that you do see from time to time have to do with maybe a bad installation and/or other variables.

It will be interesting to see how the new G3 fares.

as much as I hate to admit this, my Titan has a few small spider cracks as well (don't tell the illusion guys, I still like to bag on them). All 4 of my tower feet were replaced this spring due to flaking. I'm 90% sure there were no cracks before and it took me a couple months after the swap to notice them. The dealership had just switched from Mastercraft to Malibu a few months prior, might have had something to do with it.

[99response]

as much as I hate to admit this, my Titan has a few small spider cracks as well (don't tell the illusion guys, I still like to bag on them). All 4 of my tower feet were replaced this spring due to flaking. I'm 90% sure there were no cracks before and it took me a couple months after the swap to notice them. The dealership had just switched from Mastercraft to Malibu a few months prior, might have had something to do with it.

Did you double check they installed the backing plates when they did the swap.

-Chris

[Ndawg12]

Did you double check they installed the backing plates when they did the swap.

-Chris

hmmm, no I did not....

[martinarcher]

Did you double check they installed the backing plates when they did the swap.

-Chris

Oh man......if not they are...well.... not so smart.

[Ndawg12]

Oh man......if not they are...well.... not so smart.

I'm kinda hoping they're not installed, I'm confident that they would own up to it and make it right, even though they have MC roots they are actually pretty good guys to work with (North Point Watersports, Mooresville, NC)

[TallRedRider]

Did you double check they installed the backing plates when they did the swap.

-Chris

MC towers have a backing plate too, so I would be surprised if they forgot them.