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View Full Version : Gelcoat Repair...?



HammerDown
06-25-2006, 08:48 AM
Will something like Marine-Tex or Poxy-Putty be ok for use in gouges/hair line cracks in Gelcoat?
Or...should I use some fine cut-up glass w/resin?
I'm not worried about matching the existing black Gel as I'll be spraying/blending in color with black base-coat paint then I'm going to clear the entire deck, sides and transom.
Also, I have a small impact area about the size of a hand print (front center above rubrail in black gel) where the Gelcoat spider webbed (fiberglass under is solid)...if I grind down that area of Gelcoat to fiberglass...what should I build the area back up with prior to paint.
Thanks for any suggestions.
http://www.***boat.com/image_center/data/500/1064Daytona.jpg

HammerDown
06-26-2006, 06:01 AM
Era...anybody :confused:

Jbb
06-26-2006, 06:33 AM
What I use is a small pencil point type carbide grinding bit in an air grinder....you must chase the entire length of the crack thru the gelcoat....if the underlying glass has a white line in it that indicates the crack has gone deeper....If you dont grind until the white line is gone ...Its gonna return...wipe with acetone after grinding....the white line will reveal itself if the crack remains....after you have chased all the cracks out take 36 grit paper, fold an vee the areas you just ground...taper them 1/4 in or so.....what I use to fill...and has never let me down yet.....is this (http://us.binnacle.com/product_info.php?cPath=50_56&products_id=250) ....use this to fill JUST BELOW flush with the surface.....the stuff is great ...but very difficult to sand and can not be refinished over.....you could use resin and chopped up mat here also ...but this stuff works great....after this dries....I follow up over the top with..this (http://us.binnacle.com/product_info.php?cPath=50_56&products_id=253) ...this is easy to sand ...fills nicely and can be refinished...after that I like to use a polyester primer ..this one (http://www.autotoolmart.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_prod.html?p_prodid=11668&p_catid=330) or feather fill....then seal and paint..
Impact area I would grind down till the damage was gone ,build back up with resin and mat...and refinish as above

HammerDown
06-26-2006, 07:31 AM
Great info ^...thanks! :cool: