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Tower base gel cracks. Deal breaker?


dihrdskir

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Yes it's an illusion and the boat I am looking at Hana's gel cracks at the base. I'vr read the threads about it in here. The question for me is talk him down or walk?

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Stress cracks are usually cosmetic, and do not effect structural rigidity. It is the gelcoat that cracks and not the fibreglass. The Illusion X tower has had some failures and for a lot of people it is the deal breaker. The tower would have to be removed to ensure the repair of all the spider cracks and depending on the stress on the tower (pulling tubes is bad) the cracks can re occur. The choice is yours, to walk, or talk. I would try and see underneath at the glass and get a better idea on the damage, and get a quote on the cost of the repair, make sure they fix under the tower or it will most likely crack again.

Edited by Vettesetter Z06
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Not at all. Looking at this vintage of boats, it's a pretty minor issue in all reality.

Most boats of this age will have small issues of this sort. I had two boats with the illusions and both of the developed small stress cracks at the base. What happens is over time the mounting bolts get loose and you don't know it. They mount the tower on a rubber gasket and over time it just compresses and leaves the tower not as tight to the hull as it once was. There are large studs and nuts under the gunwales and they are easy to tighten, it's just most owners have no idea they have gotten"loose" over time.

If you like the boat and it's priced right I wouldn't let it hinder you a bit. Maybe be worth a couple hundred in negotiation, but if you tried to get thousands off, as the owner I would tell ya to pound sand then.

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My MC had some tiny gelcoat cracks that were about an inch long. I can't believe the lame people who walked because of that. Most people are undeducated about it. It was irritating to the point I took it to the fiberglass shop. The shop said that they could easily fix them, but that the area is difficult to do perfectly and that small cracks might reappear. (Maybe my shop is not the most competent?) The cracks were there when I bought the boat and I am sure are in identical condition to this day. I was fortunate to be able to articulate the issues, and not to have to sell in a hurry, but I did have to tell a good number of people to 'pound sand'. Maybe if he is uneducated and eager to sell you can get him down based on that, but I would guess not.

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