Aluminum Pipe/Tube on Hardtop burst ?
 

Weird. My brother just uncovered his 2005, 24' walk around Robalo with a hardtop. It was shrink-wrapped over the winter. The boat is MINT.

On a very top-ward portion of his hardtop, an angled but mostly vertical pc of approx 1.25-1.5" anodized aluminum pipe has a small 1" outward burst-looking crack ?

It seems way to high for any frozen water to make this crack ?! The path of least resistance would not really let ice/water go in this direction of pipe. But as we all know, water is funny stuff - ice probably weirder !

Any idea how a crack like this can happen ?

NOTE: When he first bought the boat, 3 years ago, there was a similar crack way down low near a mounting flange - we thought nothing of it - had it welded...

But now, our minds are churning for ... why ?

Prob water freezing. Repair it and make sure there are weep holes drilled.

Yup thats what we figured out after all.. Had to be. And there is no weep hole. Will fix and add weep hole... Thx

If you need a guy call Penweld. He helped me out big time and does nice work.

Thx - I think it was fixed today.

I got a quote on some stuff from Jim this year and he came back really expensive. I've seen his work and it's A+ stuff but his prices are a bit high. I have a new guy out in Moriches that does top notch work with realistic prices.

PM if you want his number.

I will need a guy to make me a frame once I can make a hardtop. Life in the way right now...

Send me your guys info...

Could also be the guy that did the shrink wrap shrunk it to much. Had the same thing happen to me. Now always add 2 x 4 supports under.