I repaire a chip in my gelcoat and the following cracks using this kit. If youre pretty conscientious about your boats gel coat, you might not need to go to the extreme action of reapplying new gel coat. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application it penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest. This boat will be used in fresh water lakes inland and be trailered after e im thinking of. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. If its a fairly new boat with a three or more parallel cracks, odds are that this is a. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. Gelcoat repair kit repair scratches gouges cracks in gelcoat. I wold like to change the color to today new cranberry metallic and off white or light gray. This thicker gel coat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Because unlike other owners, all you need to do is wash your boat and apply a quality wax. If you find small, hairline cracks in your boat, you can repair it yourself by using epoxy. However, as it dried and hardened, it was a darker shade and i now have a dark spot on my boat that im going to have to recover to match.
A badly maintained gelcoat can knock thousands of dollars in value off an otherwise seaworthy boat. You can get gelcoat with wax or without in certain cases. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. Any heavier than 25 mils and youll run the risk of spider cracks in a few years. The extra layer of gelcoat will also increase the weight of your boat a bit. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. You want the gelcoat your mixing to become a little darker than the boat, this will give you a better visual on where you are with your color match. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gel coat layers than newer boats. This premium marine grade gel coat may be as gecloat for boats, gelcoat for pools or many other applications. Learn how to fix stress cracks, dock dings and other fiberglass injuries. Gelcoat cracks supras unique signature my 05 launch has been a disaster in my mind but to quote supra and my dealer it is only cosmetic.
If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring. Seeing yourself in the gelcoat is a nice reflection upon you. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. Apply gelcoat use a small wood or plastic putty knife to spread the gelcoat smoothly over the gelcoat repair. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. Finally, apply a coat of highquality marine polish and your repair is complete. A boat in the tropics with little or no protection from the direct sun will require a more frequent maintenance schedule than one in a more moderate climate kept in a covered boat shed. If the boat is fairly new and the manufacturer is still in business, you may be able to get gelcoat that will be a very close color match. As far as how they did in detail, not 100% sure, just know they laid down a sheet on another area that can take the pattern, then pull off in a couple days, then spray the gel and then apply a sheet of fibre.
As an example, for a couple gs more than the 10k quote to redo a 21rc realistic quote for a properly done quality job you could be. A boat hitting a pilling very hard may have a chip. If this is not an option, you will need to purchase the gelcoat resin. Apply the gelcoat using a brush if youre covering a small area. If you have removed the paint and gelcoat on the boats underwater surfaces which is what it looks like youve done you will need to replace the gelcoat layer with some sort of epoxy barrier coat as ted has suggested.
How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail magazine. You can start with 220grit sandpaper and, for a really slick surface, finish with at least 400 or 600grit. It is brittle reason for all those spider web cracks and it is the cause of most osmosis. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. This boat will be used in fresh water lakes inland and be trailered after e im thinking of the vivid. Magicezy hairline fix oyster white boat gelcoat crack repair fills and colors fast.
I wouldnt worry about cracks in a conventional glass boat where the gel coat is sprayed into a form as a nonreinforced top coat followed by chopper glass or woven roving of some consistency backed up with stringers and all to provide the necessary hull strength. How to gelcoat a boat floor gone outdoors your adventure. New life for old gelcoat an inexpensive solution that. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. Eventually they went to fixing the cracks the correct way of grinding out the gelcoat and lamination layers that were damaged. On horizontal surfaces, liquid gelcoat works, but for vertical surfaces, a paste is easier to apply. Brush the gelcoat onto the fiberglass using short vertical strokes. Stress cracks should always be dish ground and fiberglass laminated using 2 or 3 strips of biaxial cloth with matt sewed on the back. When cracking is indicative of a larger issue, the shape, size and direction of cracks can.
We wont go into great detail here, but suffice it to say that stress cracks occur because of voids under the surface of the gelcoat, and or a lack of strength in the underlying fiberglass or compounds used in the sub structure of the boat. Also, deep gouges may need structural fiberglass work or filler before you repair the gelcoat. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are. They do not, and cannot compare to the new boat epoxies and paint available today. How to apply gelcoat the endall guide fiberglass coatings. To apply the gelcoat with a brush, dip the brush in the gelcoat so theres a liberal amount of gelcoat on it. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat. If you look at a pool, or even a boat, the gelcoat is the color you see. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Sep 05, 2017 if you look at a pool, or even a boat, the gelcoat is the color you see. One manufacturer use to just sand and polish spider cracks especially on runabouts with metal flake gelcoat. When making a new fiberglass piece from the permanent mold, the mold is covered thoroughly with a release wax.
Fiberglass epoxy is available at most boat supply stores. If you own a boat, you may know that it is important to give your boat a gelcoat cover to help protect it from leaks and cracks. Waxing your boat now will protect that likenew look and head off a timeconsuming restoration project down the line. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. The easiest repair method is to sand the surface heavily and roll on two coats of epoxy primer followed by two coats of twopart linear polyurethane. I am completely restoring a 1987 fourwinn 200 candia. Jan 21, 2020 apply the gelcoat using a brush if youre covering a small area.
Gelcoat is a resin that will protect any fiberglass structure with a strong shield. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. And with some annual spring commissioning cleaning, polishing, and tending to minor scrapes and gouges your boats gelcoat life span can be significantly extended. Numerous problems are starting to appear more and more frequent on the gel coat photos attached. Quantum leap is a bit over 30 years old now and in our case the prior owners had.
Gel coat is easy to use from application to sanding. Fortunately, with the right tools most anyone can conduct this process, allowing you to save money from hiring a professional to do it. Gelcoat is the coating sprayed up against a highly polished mold at the beginning of the fiberglass layup process. If you really want to make quicker work of restoring badly oxidized gelcoat, dont mess with a buffer. I matched my teal striping on my boat to a tee when it was wet and mixing. You should have about 10 to 15 minutes of working time after adding the catalyst before it starts to harden and is no longer fluid. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail. About gelcoat gelcoat is the coating sprayed up against a highly polished mold at the beginning of the fiberglass layup process. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it, either by thickening with more fiberglass, replacing coring materials, or adding structure. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the. Tips with fiberglass and gelcoat repair methods by john gabriel. Also this process will not repair crazing, cracks or other physical damage, but it will make a dull, chalky gelcoat finish shine beautifully and it will make any underlying repairs less obvious.
Here are the symptoms that led me to this restoration approach. It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over. This wont repair major dents and chips or add much strength to the floor. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass. When youre satisfied with the color match, mix a final batch and use it to fill the cracks and cover all sanded areas. Also remember that the new gelcoat will fade at a different rate than the rest of the boat, and a few years down the line, the difference may become visible. Mar 26, 2019 once the gelcoat has fully cured, sand the repair smooth wet sanding works particularly well with gelcoat. Gel coat hardened too quickly or with improper curing temperatures and conditions can also promote stress cracks in the gel coat itself. Remember, gelcoat can change color slightly as it hardens, so to match it exactly youll need to mix a test batch or two, allow it to harden on a piece of cardboard, and then compare the final color against your existing gelcoat. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into. It can be helpful to run your hand over the surface of your boat as you walk, since you might feei a crack before you see it. Boat builders start with a permanent fiberglass mold that is supported by metal on the outside to make it structurally sound and on the inside, a gelcoat over top of the fiberglass to make it smooth.
Tint the batch of gelcoat to match the color of the boat. So, the gelcoat on your boat is looking chalky and. Thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or. We had similar gelcoat cracking issues on one of boats built to our designs. Waxing your boat now will protect that like new look and head off a timeconsuming restoration project down the line. Tips with fiberglass and gelcoat repair methods by john. Gelcoat or paint which one should i use boatworks today.
Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. If you dont do this, new cracks will most likely appear, probably not. Aug 02, 2017 how to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat if the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boat s structural integrity. If the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat.
Gelcoat is a major ally in the quest to maintain a sailboats likenew look. If the gelcoat has broken through, the damaged area needs to be sanded down and a new gelcoat layer applied. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia that. We tried west marine gel coat scratch patch, and although very careful, the results werent really an improvement. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. We offer white and neutral colored gelcoats and colored gelcoats. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. New listing larson, 2014, red color boat gel coat patch. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. It was a quick way to make it look better for a while anyway, but the cracks always reappeared later.
Sand and grit and dirt in the bottom of your boat can, over time, badly scratch and discolor the floor of your boat. Both require the same amount prep and fairing, but the application and finishing is quite different. Place matching gelcoat in two categories, color value and shade value, blending the different pigments into your gelcoat to reach the same color as the boat. Also i found two other small cracks in two other places that are about 2 to 4 inches long also. The causes for stress cracks are much the same as for blistering. He uses a rotary tool to grind the crack down to the fiberglass, then he fills it with and interlux epoxy filler called interprotect watertite, uses a longboard sander to sand and then it is ready.
I flew up to tokyo yesterday and back on the 15th, so will take some pics for ya then. Instead, modern fiberglass boat hulls relay on a limited number of major. Boatus magazines mark corke shows you how to easily repair those pesky spider cracks that show up in your boats fiberglass gelcoat. Spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural problems that will need to be addressed to prevent spreading, but most often they result from relatively inflexible gelcoat that is. Often you can spruce it up quickly with just a new layer of gelcoat. The first step is identifying the finish on your boat. Follow the instructions on the epoxy for repairing the cracks. Wipe the boat down with acetone or similar periodically to remove the sanding grit from the cracks, so you know how much progress youve really made. Once your boat is clean, walk along it, looking for cracks.
Grind deeper wider and apply multiple strips if repairing corner rounds followed by specified filler, the same procedure as repairing a deep gouge as shown in the instructional using at least a 3. Avoid spreading the gelcoat too thin or youll get stroke marks. White gel coat, precolored gel coat, clear gel coat, neutral tintable gelcoats. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which. Plus, once it begins to age, you will never get rid of all that chalky residue. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat. The wax, or sanding aid is an additive that allows the gelcoat to dry tackfree. All in all, however, gelcoating the floor of your boat is a. You can fill in the cracks and microscopic pitting with carnuba wax or a sealant. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. I purchased a new boat show 34ft cabin cruiser in late 2009.
Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. These premium quality isophthalic npg gel coats are. I have painted numerous old boats including two whalers with very bad gelcoat before the paint job, including the 1971 outrage i own now. Also there is a spider crack around one of the corners of the center console at the floor where it is screwed to the floor. Gelcoat used to patch existing gelcoat, fiberglass repairs, and for new construction and projects. It makes good economic sense to the joy of owning a beautiful boat is another reason for taking care of the gelcoat. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats.
Even if youve already absorbed that information, there are a number of small yet important things you can add to your list of regular boat. From the pictures, it looks like the cracks were in the paint antifouling paint that was on the bottom. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. Radial cracks spider cracks, star cracks caused by impact or by a fixture bolt that puts strain on a certain area of a boat and cracks occur around the hole.
Before we get started, well assume your boat is out of the water or on a trailer, because its virtually impossible to restore a faded gelcoat hull while a boat is in the water. May 23, 20 if youre pretty conscientious about your boats gel coat, you might not need to go to the extreme action of reapplying new gel coat. Also remember that the new gelcoat will fade at a different rate than the rest of the boat, and a few years down the. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. Gelcoat is normally sprayed on in multiple coats to achieve the final cured thickness. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Gelcoat cracks 1976 catalina 22 sailboat owners forums. But if you look closely there maybe fine cracks going out in all directions.
If you dont do this, new cracks will most likely appear, probably not too long after youve just finished fixing the old ones. The boat rests in salt water in the med throughout the year however it has been. Add to this that the exterior gel coat is cracked where the front eye attaches to the boat. Mar 04, 2020 from the pictures, it looks like the cracks were in the paint antifouling paint that was on the bottom. Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. Sand down the entire boat to be painted with a vibrating power sander, with the idea of getting a lot of the gelcoat off so that the remaining cracks are not very deep. Painting over cracked and chipped gel coat moderated. If youre a boat nut perusing the internet for boat maintenance tipsand since youre here on, were guessing that you areyouve probably come across our videos on getting tough stains out of gel coat, and how to restore faded gel coat. For mild oxidation, you will just have to apply a fiberglass cleaner that will restore the shine and take out the dirt. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired.
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