The number of boats that develop serious blister problems is extremely small. Sep, 2011 one of the things i had thought about was to have her professionally painted. Most stress cracks occur in the gelcoat layer of fiberglass surfaces and can be repaired by yourself. If it is gel coat crack only common in older boats with thick gel coat, i sand the crack out, making sure the surrounding gel coat has a good bond, fill with thickened epoxy, fair, prime and paint.
If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques, follow a few simple rules to help you complete this job. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats. The fiberglass underneath was not cut of gouged just the gel coat. If the underside is accessible, laying up heavy glass to a well ground surface is the surest path to a repair which will not recrack. If the gelcoat has been damaged to the point where you can see the cloth pattern underneath or it has become delaminated, it will need to be repaired prior to. Gel coat repairs and star cracks skuk sea kayaking uk. Wet sand the repair to seamlessly blend the new gelcoat into the original. Then other stuff is added like pigments, uv stabilizers and thixotropic agents. Mar 26, 2019 once the gelcoat has fully cured, sand the repair smooth wet sanding works particularly well with gelcoat. This makes fiberglass and gelcoat repair one of best ways to restore a boat or vehicle to its former glory. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gelcoat down to the fiberglass. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat. I would definately try doing it yourself first expecially on the bottom where noone will see what you doen but you. Join us on the sv hideaway as we explore floridas west coast seeking enlightenment on the course towards wisdom aboard a 23 com pac sail boat.
Extend each coat farther than the previous one, with the last coat out to the tape line. Confining work to the immediate repair area, continue wetsanding with 600grit paper until nearly even with surrounding gelcoat. 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. If structural damage is suspected, you should get your boat. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gel coat down to the fiberglass. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. Improper spray techniques create excessive overspray, droplets and flooding. A miniature grinding tool like a dremel is ideal, but the sharp point of a can opener will work, too. Wax in the gel coat rises to the surface when it is sprayed, rolled, or brushed, creating a film and barrier that enables the curing to. My concern is that this is a symptom of a bigger underlying problem, like more cracks forming a year from now. Once it is, make sure that the brush doesnt have any loose bristles, and apply the gel coat carefully after following the directions on the gel coat package.
Two additives will help with a desired final finish. As in the prep stage, check the repair with your fingertips to feel for any imperfections. 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. While docking the other day, a gust of wind shoved the boat against the finger dock which left a 1 long by probably 14 chip out of the gel coat. Cracks from larger issuesa winch, for example, that was inadequately mountedwill need to be fixed before cosmetic repairs begin. Repairing gelcoat cracks and chips sailnet community. Small cracks forming, especially at the surface of the fiberglass.
Wetsand the cured gelcoat with 320grit wetdry paper on a soft sanding block. Delamination would mean sanding out the bad fiberglass and replacing that and repainting. To maintain your gel coat and your hulls integrity, follow this simple gel. Aquatic gelcoat repair kit in white35rkwh the home depot. If your gel coat already shows signs of aging, its time to repair it or to reapply a fresh layer to revitalize your boats look. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors. Jun 15, 2015 the gelcoat also spelled gel coat protects your boats hull from many elements such as the sun, wind, salt water, dirt, dust and grime. Ral 9001 and ral 9010 are available in gallon and fivegallon sizes only. Finally, apply a coat of highquality marine polish and your repair is complete.
Unlike gel coat, marine paint requires additional preparation before application. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which plague countless boaters. Sometimes, they go deeper and threaten an underlying. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a.
How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home. Ensure you follow all the instructions, including the area prep for the kind youre working on. You can start with 220grit sandpaper and, for a really slick surface, finish with at least 400 or 600grit. The only effective repair for flaking is to peel or grind off the loose gelcoat and replace it. Try to keep your work area at or above 70f and free from moisture when working with gel coats. I wonder if this may be part of the problem with gel coat cracking on your boat, that it may be thin and prone to cracking due to its thinness. The repair shop told me my boat had some of the thinnest gel coat theyd ever seen on a production boat this is a 2000 model. Use 240grit followed by 400grit abrasive before finishing off with 600grit.
Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. If you intend to paint the repair, using thickened epoxy rather than gelcoat paste is recommended because the epoxy will have far superior adhesion. Gel coat cracks 1996 javelin 400 te bass boat gelcoat is made from nearly the same resin as the laminating resin. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. Surface gelcoat scratches can be buffed with polishing compound, and deeper scratches can be filled. That being said, for the home repair job of a gel coat only crack, using the stock color gel coat would be easier, filling the sanded out area. Thin hairline cracks star cracks present a bigger problem. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. Gel coat cracks 1996 javelin 400 te bass boat page. Your gel coat may be tough, but it will succumb to the constant battering of the marine environment over time. Just grinding out the surface and laying up light cloth may do the trick.
Jan 21, 2020 gel coat must cure without presence of air. If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring. Achieve professionallooking results with the aquatic gelcoat repair kit. Repair a scratch first before deciding toor not totake on anything more. The explanation that im hearing from a lot of people is that since the government prohibited the use of lead in gel coat, gel tends to crack like crazy on boats these days. In the process, even with proper maintenance, the gelcoat becomes susceptible to cracks, chips and scratches. If i have spider cracks that are just linear running bowstern direction, then that would be a gel coat repair. Gelcoat can also be rolled or applied by foam brush in patch areas, but spraying tends to yield best results with the least amount of followup sanding. A fiberglass and gelcoat repair is mostly needed for mending the surfaces of boats. Sep 15, 2018 it is my understanding that if i have circular patterns of spider cracking, then that means the hull took some blunt force and was delaminated. Gel coat chip or crack sea hunt boats owners group. Please note, one gallon of gel coat will cover approximately 4080 sq feet. It can also be used for patching up chips, scratches, cracks and even holes in different kinds of vehicles. Improper temperature and humidity can also cause problems in your gel coat.
Jun 06, 2016 as you can imagine, there are going to be additional steps you need to take to repair a deep structural crack as opposed to a gel coat crack. 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. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. A thin layer of gel coat isnt structurally strong enough to prevent itself cracking off. May 23, 20 if your gel coat already shows signs of aging, its time to repair it or to reapply a fresh layer to revitalize your boats look. Jun 23, 2006 if the gel coat is thick in this corner as is often the case, the gel coat is more prone to cracking. Boatus magazines mark corke shows you how to easily repair those pesky spider cracks that show up in your boats fiberglass gelcoat. Take care that they are completely mixed together, otherwise the hardener and gel coat will not set properly, and you will be left with a sticky mess for weeks.
I repaired a chip on the bottom of my boat last winter that took me about 20 minutes. If you dont open the crack, you wont be able to force the gelcoat into the repair area or expose enough surface area for the repair to adhere. Once the gel coat has reached a full cure, progressively sand the area to a polish. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. I was shown where the last bottom paint job was applied over the previous bottom coat by the prior owner. To maintain your gel coat and your hulls integrity, follow this simple gel coat repair guide. A prior owner had fixed a few with evercoat gel coat scratch patch gel coat repair, with ugly results. Color gel coat ships same day 100s of colors fibre glast. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. Cold temperatures can lead to slow gel coat cure times, while moisture can cause pinholes, blisters and other imperfections in the gel coat. This kits contents allow you to make repairs to your white. It hid the fact that the gel coat below the water line is blistering, cracking and flaking off.
Thus, painted hulls are more vulnerable to chipping due to chemical reactions. This kits contents allow you to make repairs to your white, fiberglass bathtub, shower or shower pan. Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail magazine. Painted hulls are especially resistant to cracking and peeling, but marine paint has less chemical stability, which makes it less durable than gelcoat finish. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor.
Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. After allowing the gel coat to cure overnight, you can smooth the area out with sandpaper, clean out the sanded area, and then both prime and paint the. Oct 12, 2011 i should get into the gel coat repair business. Gelcoat blisters wouldnt be more than a cosmetic concern, if theyre treated and not ignored. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over. Mekp hardener is required for each color and is sold separately. Unless the scratch goes through to the glass matting it wont harm the boat. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Being the boat is dark blue the white sticking through stands out wonderfully. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters.
Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. The thix agents are added to allow the gelcoat to hang on a vertical surface without sagging at thicknesss up to 18 mils or so. The tape will help to ensure that your fresh layer of resin doesnt go too far across the surface. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Aug 02, 2017 for areas with deep cracking or crazing, start with 36 to 60grit sandpaper and apply a highsolids epoxy, such as awlgrip hullgard.
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