So I unwrapped the chitbox after 3 years of dry storage. This is a 01 206 keylargo that was used quite a bit before kids but meticulously maintained. It has seen very little use over the last 6 years and has been shrink wrapped entirely for the last 3 years. None of this stuff existed before I put it away after last use.

There are spider cracks originating from almost every transom penetration. There are hairline cracks at most 90 deg corners around the transom and rear compartment areas. There is a nasty crack at the top of the transom where it turns out at the top where the motor is mounted. WTF??

I'm assuming this is all caused by the (supposidly resing impregnated) glass wrapped plywood transom absorbing water and swelling. It's all easily fixed with a dremmel tool and new gelcoat but how did this happen?? The boat was dry inside the entire time it was wrapped.

Is this a Keylargo trait? There is a lifetime stringer and transom warranty? Do you think this qualifys as warranty?

Some pics

Some more pics

Assuming this was dry inheated storage? Ice has allot of power.

Did you sound it with a hammer?.....wonder how far it goes.

Holy chit!
I'm thinking all that area was somehow saturated and never completely dried out,, was the shrink vented (important IMO )
My guess is that type of (surface) failure is not on any warranty

Assuming this was dry inheated storage? Ice has allot of power.

Did you sound it with a hammer?.....wonder how far it goes.

Not heated, just shrink-wrapped (with a vent) and sat in the driveway but. I was in it several times and it was always dry.

......meant to type unheated........also very important to have vents in the cover, things mold up fast otherwise. This is probably from freeze damage after moisture got in there somehow from poor sealing.

Can I just use a dremmel with a fine tip to grind out the cracks and re-gelcoat, sand with 400 /1000 and buff to get rid of them? Should I even bother?

I'm thinking of trading it in on something new.

Another thing I noticed that is new. I had my kids in the boat helping me clean it and they're now complaining about having fiberglass "prickles" in their legs. I have a few too, like when you do grinding work without wearing a suit, you can feel them stuck in your skin when something touches them. They have them all over their legs.

The interior of the boat is just rough sprayed jell coated, almost like nonskid but it's a bit powdery. Would buffing and a good coat of wax stop this from happening?

Another thing I noticed that is new. I had my kids in the boat helping me clean it and they're now complaining about having fiberglass "prickles" in their legs. I have a few too, like when you do grinding work without wearing a suit, you can feel them stuck in your skin when something touches them. They have them all over their legs.

The interior of the boat is just rough sprayed jell coated, almost like nonskid but it's a bit powdery. Would buffing and a good coat of wax stop this from happening?

Regardless of what else is going on, I don't think the fiberglass fibers should be detaching. Something has happened, IMO, to the integrity of the glass itself. I'm no expert but I'd have a shop check it out.

My hunch. It got really hot in there over the last summer...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

My hunch. It got really hot in there over the last summer...
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I agree. I have been told that leaving shrink wrap on all year is worse than not covering in the winter. The glass needs to "breathe" during the summer (expand and contract) and, apparently the shrink wrap will prevent that from happening. Not sure of the physics of the process but something definitely has happened to the glass if fibers are airborne.

Regardless of what else is going on, I don't think the fiberglass fibers should be detaching. Something has happened, IMO, to the integrity of the glass itself. I'm no expert but I'd have a shop check it out.

After a couple of searches for "removing oxidation from nonskid decks" on THT, I found a thread about exactly the same issue I'm having with the fibers. There's a product called Bar keepers friend that is exactly like ajax but has 10% oxalic acid instead of bleach. Wet the surface, sprinkle it on, (don't inhale the dust, trust me on that) work it in and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing in tight circles with a stiff bristle brush. I found that if I just lightly go over an area and move on, leaving the area to sit for a while, the next pass takes off more, etc until it's clean. Seemed to work better than scrubbing the #^&#^&#^&#^& out of the same area.

The stuff is unbelievable! It's looks like it did when it was brand new. The water coming out of the scuppers after rinsing looked like milk from all of the oxidation coming off. I'm going to seal it with a couple of coats of a liquid wax and work it in with a fine bristle scrub brush. This should seal it good. I'll post some before and after pics tomorrow.

I highly recommend this product. $1.50 a can at the grocery store. http://www.barkeepersfriend.com

After a couple of searches for "removing oxidation from nonskid decks" on THT, I found a thread about exactly the same issue I'm having with the fibers. There's a product called Bar keepers friend that is exactly like ajax but has 10% oxalic acid instead of bleach. Wet the surface, sprinkle it on, (don't inhale the dust, trust me on that) work it in and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing in tight circles with a stiff bristle brush. I found that if I just lightly go over an area and move on, leaving the area to sit for a while, the next pass takes off more, etc until it's clean. Seemed to work better than scrubbing the #^&#^&#^&#^& out of the same area.

The stuff is unbelievable! It's looks like it did when it was brand new. The water coming out of the scuppers after rinsing looked like milk from all of the oxidation coming off. I'm going to seal it with a couple of coats of a liquid wax and work it in with a fine bristle scrub brush. This should seal it good. I'll post some before and after pics tomorrow.

I highly recommend this product. $1.50 a can at the grocery store. http://www.barkeepersfriend.com

Congrats, glad it worked out for you. I have been using Bar keepers friend for a couple of years. Great stuff and available at Wally World for about $1.28 for the powder. Also comes in a squeeze type liquid.

Might be easier, cheaper and faster to just use rubbing compound.