Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Are these caused by stress, or by applying too thick a gelcoat during the boats hull layup. Having tried it on a few test pieces prior to experimenting on the boat, i can offer that it works, but its probably the finickiest thing ever. Aug 05, 2008 a recent survey indicated that my boat s hull has numerous cracks in the gelcoat. Talk about slick, and it works 100% of the time there will be one more video on this topic, then onto something new.
Discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by canoe42, jun. How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she. Aside from the durable shiny luster gelcoat adds to any fiberglass boat, most owners know little more than wash and wax it frequently. Do your own fiberglass and gelcoat repair with epoxy resins, filler, sealants, and fiberglass repair kits from west systems, 3m, and hibond. 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 existing damage. Oct, 2014 with a bit of gelcoat pressed into the slightly enlarged channel, the stamp is pressed into the curing gelcoat revealing the pattern. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. If so, considering your gelcoat cracked and collapsed 18, that suggests there is a pocket of wood rot just beneath the gelcoat. Step 5 finishing is the last aspect of a proper fix. Gelcoat and paints are the two most commonly used materials for this purpose. Below is the recommended repair process for cracks that go deeper than the gelcoat, but dont cause a large, gaping hole or change the overall shape of the surface. Fiberglass epoxy is available at most boat supply stores. 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.
How to repair a gelcoat scratch bottom paint store. If the gelcoat cracks for any reason, pieces of the gelcoat fully circumscribed by cracks come loose and flake off. I dont know for sure but im assuming the construction beneath the mast step is fiberglass over wood, as opposed to fiberglass over steel. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. A recent survey indicated that my boats hull has numerous cracks in the gelcoat. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boats ability to stay afloat. Mix gelcoat according to manufacturer directions and add any coloring to match your boats gelcoat. How to repair cracked gel coat on boat recendeftdul.
Repairing a crack thru fiberglass make sure to dish grind 5 to 6 inches each side of the crack, fiberglass laminate and repeat on backside for maximum strength. May 23, 20 this will take more time, but you will have to perform the job as early as possible or risk incurring higher repair costs for other parts of the boat that may be affected by a water breach. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. Your gel coat will be the first part of the vessel to show visible signs of your neglect. Sep 05, 2012 learn how to repair a gelcoat scratch. Check out the video by clicking on the photo, or read below, to see how you can get moms mink back to her original shimmering. 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.
Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. If filling gelcoat chips or voids deeper than 18 inch, finely chop fiberglass cloth and add it to activated fiberglass laminating resin for base filler saturating until white air bubbles are gone and then continue with your gelcoat repair. Confining work to the immediate repair area, continue wetsanding with 600grit paper until nearly even with surrounding gelcoat. You will basically be refilling the gouged out area with new fiberglass. No problema little elbow grease, a buffer, some basic cleaning supplies, and a few hours of your time is all it takes. By jeff wright while most of our customers are successful when using west system epoxy to repair damaged fiberglass, we have become familiar with some common mistakes that are easily preventable. Tips with fiberglass and gelcoat repair methods by john gabriel.
When dealing with gelcoat, dry sanding followed by wet sanding, with ever more refined, smoother grades of paper starting with 220grit and working your way down to superfine 600grit is advisable, followed by a good wax or polish. Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean. Using paint, or gelcoat, are two different methods of approaching basic, boatrelated repairs. Quite often however, its near impossible to prevent these unsightly cracks due to the fact gelcoat is so brittle and rigid. During boat building gelcoat with wax additive is mostly used for bilges. Gelcoat nonskid spot repair how to boatworks today. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. Repairing hairline fiberglass deck cracks sailboat owners. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying. How to repair scratches on a fiberglass boat gone outdoors. Repairing the boats exterior or interior surface includes finishing the repaired spot with a durable and aesthetic material.
If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. And, they must be able to let water out of the hull, without letting it back in. Osmosis allows a chemical reaction between water and unreacted substances remaining in the manufactured hull. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out. If your damage is more serious than this, you will need to take steps to temporarily restore the correct while you make the fiberglass repairs. Its awesome very informative,any way im a 60 year plumber who has never had a boat but not i do and the transon is cracked it has a 85 hp motor on it any ideas how to fix that act8ualy this boat is really rough but thanks to your. How to repair gelcoat, chips, scrapes and gouges yourself. Once the surface is clean and dry, mark off the repair area with masking tape. Sailnet community view single post repairing gelcoat. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat.
If you are looking to do some diy gelcoat repairs, this brief primer will. Does the gelcoat on your boat look chalky and old and need to be restored to shine once again. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. Sailnet community repairing gelcoat cracks and chips. Determine the gelcoat batch size for the size of the repairapproximately 80 square feet per gallon of gelcoat 20 sq.
Wetsand the cured gelcoat with 320grit wetdry paper on a soft sanding block. Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. While it is a useful and lightweight material, it can be damaged. During boat building gelcoat with wax additive is mostly used for bilges and interior trim panels or spraying the entire cockpit where gloss is not an issue, becoming a very dull finish when dry but looking excellent. Gelcoat tends to be stiff and brittle and fiberglass a bit more flexible. How to repair a flaking clear coat on a fiberglass boat. Another paint place said the manufacturer of the rv used cheap fiberglass and that it has cracked and caused the paint to crack.
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. I hate repairing large areas of crazed or cracked gel coat, its a great deal of work and if the cause of the crazing or cracking isnt. Repairing a crack thru fiberglass make sure to dish grind 5 to 6 inches each side of the crack. Gelcoat is under continual assault from impacts, structural flexing and ultraviolet damage from the sun. Restoring cracked gelcoat on canoe boat design net. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. Proper boat keeping is reflected in your boats overall. The reason being is that surface scratches can easily be buffed with a rubbing compound as opposed to deep scratches which take a couple more steps. As a boat owner, you have a few different options when it comes to repairing gelcoat. Its awesome very informative,any way im a 60 year plumber who has never had a boat but not i do and the transon is cracked it has a 85 hp motor on it any ideas how to fix that act8ualy this boat is really rough but thanks to your videos i think theres hope.
Easy ways to repair cracked fiberglass with pictures. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Any crack that goes deeper than the gelcoat definitely needs attention. Fiberglass boat repair largo fiberglass repair largo. Easy ways to repair cracked fiberglass with pictures wikihow. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it. Climb aboard sign up for emails and stay uptodate on the latest news, events, and promotions. Repairing hairline fiberglass deck cracks sailboat. Hi andy i got lucky and found your video theres a hole in my boat. Follow the instructions on the epoxy for repairing the cracks. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for. Before you repair cracked gelcoat, you need to know why it cracked. Once dry, use wet sandpaper to sand it flush with the. Fiberglass is a strong and versatile material that can be used to make a variety of things, including bumpers, showers, and boats. Consequently, the bond between the gelcoat and the laminate is weak. Use a fine grit sandpaper to smooth out the cracks and prep the surface of your boat. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. I hate repairing large areas of crazed or cracked gel coat, its a great deal of work and if the cause of the crazing or cracking isnt taken care of then its sure to return. If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring.
Have you fallen behind on your boat maintenance schedule. If the boat is fairly new and the manufacturer is still in business, you may be able to get gelcoat that will be. Repairing cracks, scratches, and dings in gelcoat is a fairly straightforward matter, and it can make your boat look years younger. If the cause is a lack of rigidity in the underlying laminate, your repair effort will be wasted unless.
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. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to major damage that affects the. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. In this video we cover one way to use the mold that was made for doing a spot repair in your gelcoat nonskid. You could contact your nearest boatyard and pay a boat repair professional to fix it for you. When spot repairing with most industrial paints using a spray gun always polish around the area where the edge of the paint. If the crack is deep or larger than a hairline crack, youll need to take your boat to a professional to have it restored. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. If the surface is oxidized, restore it with a rubbing compound so youll be able to match its color accurately. If your gelcoat has lost its luster or has a few scratches and dings, most doityourselfers can restore the gleam with the right products and elbow grease.
The repair before you begin, wash the area with soap and water and rinse it thoroughly. A prior owner had fixed a few with evercoat gel coat scratch patch gel coat repair, with ugly results. Are these caused by stress, or by applying too thick a gelcoat during the boat s hull layup. Tips and repair methods to avoid michigan fiberglass sales. In this report, they offer the magic fix for hairline gelcoat cracks. Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. These scars of a life welllived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic. My last boat was a 28 bertram, i did a lot of gel coat. The next time you are cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gelcoat.
Tint the batch of gelcoat to match the color of the boat. And almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spiderweb andor stress cracks. Repairing fiberglass powerboat transoms epoxyworks. Most gelcoat pastes are available in white or neutral colors, but straight out of the can they rarely match aged gelcoat. If you find small, hairline cracks in your boat, you can repair it yourself by using epoxy. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best.
The topic of gelcoat is often a mystifying subject for boat owners. Discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by lmb, nov 3. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. When looking at a scratch in the gelcoat, you need to determine whether it is a surface scratch or a deep scratch. May 27, 2009 in this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Aug 15, 2018 unless your boat lives her life dockside cuddled up to a couple of fenders, shes going to get a few scrapes and bruises. 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. If you insist on repairing the thing, get rid of all the gelcoat, and respray another layer over the boat, using this time an. 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. Mix several test batches of gelcoat and pigment, add hardener and allow them to cure gelcoat changes color during the curing process.
The only effective repair for flaking is to peel or grind off the loose gelcoat and replace it. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. The first job in any gelcoat repair is to check the damage closely, both inside and out. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gelcoat down to the fiberglass. Start with a white or neutral gelcoat paste not resin and begin adding tiny amounts of coloring agent. New to boating and going to fix up some cracks and holes on it for the first time. These are vertical fissures that dont appear to be any deeper than the gelcoat itself.
Sometimes a hard knock can cause delamination within the hull, in which case a more serious repair will need to be carried out first. These mistakes are made by both professionals and amateurs. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. Blend coloring agents to achieve a match to almost any color. The underlying fiberglass flexes, the gelcoat doesnt and a crack develops. Osmosis, the main cause of fiberglass boat blisters, can destroy a yachts fiberglass laminate. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. Repairing scratches on a fiberglass boat is a relatively simple process, albeit a bit on the messy side. Seems like a lot of money and it seems like the manufacturer should be paying since they screwed it up either way. The next step is to match the color of your existing gelcoat.
Its more a matter of when than if repairs will be required to cracked or flaking gelcoat on a. With deep scratches, youll have a more complicated task ahead of you. Tips with fiberglass and gelcoat repair methods by john. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. As long as the gelcoat around the deep scratch is in good condition, you will be able to use. Jun 25, 2018 step 5 finishing is the last aspect of a proper fix. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. If the gelcoat has broken through, the damaged area needs to be sanded down and a new gelcoat layer applied. If you insist on repairing the thing, get rid of all the gelcoat, and respray another layer over the boat, using this time an epoxy.
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