Gel Coat Crazing

[chicknwing]

After searching the forum I did not find any threads to help answer my questions...so...

I have had this boat for 4 years now, when I got her she was in really bad shape. I could see someone taking the old girl to the landfill and destroying her. I fell in love with this boat, and after some new stringers and a deck I have been able to use her for a couple seasons. She is in need of some more repair to get her to the condition I want to see her in. Therefore, I plan on painting my boat this fall, along with the other repairs. (I should say major restoration, transom, stringers, deck) There are many areas of the gel coat that have crazing. (thin spider web type cracks.) The hull has areas that are blistered (not sure they are actually blisters but more like the paint is flaking). Same on the transom. I've been giving a lot of thought on how to approach these repairs and prepare the hull for fresh paint. Should I sand the entire hull to the glass and start fresh? or should I pay attention to those specific areas and add a fairing compound, sand, and paint? Several areas of the gel coat are scratched to the glass (boarding ladder, docks, trailer, etc.) I have been given mixed ideas on what would produce the best results. So lets hear it from you guys. What is your opinion? My goal is to have this girl in new condition. Thanks for all the opinions I know will come.

TC

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

I am restoring a 1966 PowerCat. I have been told by these experts on this forum the best way to repair crazing is to grind them away. Most of my crazing was in the gel coat, but some went all the way through to the glass. These too must be ground away or they will come back through the paint. I ground about half way through the hull and am in the process of re-glassing these areas. I only ground the gel coat away where the crazing was found, not the entire hull.

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

I was just thinking that I may get a better final appearance by sanding away all of the old gel.

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

The gel coat is very tough. It is way thicker than paint. I used 40grit on a 6" DA the grind through it. Very time consuming. Big mess, lots of dust. It looked like it snowed on me and my garage floor.

 

[oops!]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

heh heh heh....grinding dust is fun isnt it...

grind out all the crazing......you can grind the whole boat but why? nif you grind it off you just have to put it back on.

as mentioned gell coat is a really tough stuff and its good to have it over the glass........thats why all boats are gell coated.

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

thanks for the input oops. I just got finished cleaning up the garage after completely grinding the paint and rust from my trailer. What a joy. I needed a mask just to sweep I don't feel too bad i get to admire my almost new trailer until tomorrow...still have to get the boat back on it

 

[Bondo]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

nif you grind it off you just have to put it back on.

Ayuh,..... Which is Why I would never grind All the gelcoat off Any boat......

For a bad Dig or Gouge,.... I ruff sand the area, add fairing compound,+ sand it Smooth for painting.....

For Spider cracks,+ Crazing,....I pretty much do the Same Thing,..........
But,.....
You've got to Reinforce the area from behind, or they'll come right back....

 

[chicknwing]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

You've got to Reinforce the area from behind, or they'll come right back....

Thanks for that tid bit of information. Don't want those nasty looking suckers to come back and ruin the new finish

 

[Evinrude Boater]

Re: Gel Coat Crazing

My boat was spider cracked only below the water line so I rolled on two coats of Marine Tex Gluvit and painted it with a 2-part epoxy paint. It has sat in fresh water for 2 seasons and it still looks like the day I did it.