Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

[lmannyr]

I got hit while parked at the docks during Fathers day this year. After the damage retrieved her after a 5 mile run. I haven't launched her since and won't until this is fixed.

I picked up a quart of Spectrum Color Gel coat. I've looked at the tappplastics youtube videos which provide excellant info.

How should I go about fixing this?

thanks!!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

It looks to be on the corner of the transom and above the water line, correct?

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

Ondarvr,

Actually it's on the bow keel, above the water line by about a least a foot if not 2 feet.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

The hull is normally fairly thick right there, so structurally its not really an issue. The only issue is if it's all the way through the hull and water could get into the bilge, from the pic its hard to tell, but the small black spot in the center looks like it could go through. Does it?

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

It doesn't go through the hull. Actually, I just took a another look at today and the gel coat is chipped away and the glass behind it is intact. I could see a few fibers but can't pull or feel any fibers.

I'm not sure it that part of the bow is called the keel or bow keel. It is about 2 feet above the D-Ring.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

In that case its only a cosmetic issue, using it will create no issues other than the unsightly gouge. You can buy some color matched gel coat, and fix it yourself.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

Yea, I have a quart of spectrum color gel coat. Any tips for prepping the damaged area for the new gel coat?

Thanks

 

[BAproject]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

Fill it with the appropriate substance (epoxy or other specialty hull filling products). Sand it smooth to match the profile you are repairing, you will want to work your way down to a fine with the sandpaper, 600 grit or so and wet. Be careful not to sand too much outside of the area you are patching.

Let it dry thoroughly, and spray over small area with the matched gel coat. Once that sets up you will have to buff down that area and surrounding areas with a very fine grit sandpaper (maybe 2000 or so, it will feel almost like you are sanding with printer paper), then compound then wax the entire side and it should blend in.

I was a professional model maker for years so I've done my fair share of "patchwork" and with some patience and practice you will never know that the chip was ever there. Don't think about it to much and you will be fine

Also, if the new area looks a bit brighter, don't worry it will blend in after being exposed to the sun for a while.

Good luck!

-BAproject

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

Gel coat won't stick to epoxy all that well and that repair is small enough to do it with gel coat putty and then straight gel coat.

Sand a very small area around it with 180 or so grit paper, use a little coarser paper to sand the gouge itself. You should be able to get some fillers for the gel coat at a local Fiberglass supply store and you won't need much at all. You should use some milled fiber (very short strands of glass) and silica (has many names), the glass strands give it some strength and the silica will thicken it and keep it from sagging. You can shred up some fiberglass mat if you can't find milled fiber, this can be found at hardware and auto parts stores, even stores like Wal-Mart carry it.

If the gouge is shallow you can just build it with gel coat without fillers if you want.

Fill the gouge with putty, keep all of it in the hole, not on the surrounding area and let it get hard. Now sand off any high areas, its best to have the repair slightly lower than the surrounding surface at this point and it frequently is because the gel coat will shrink as it cures. Now you can brush some gel coat over the repair and the area you sanded around it (1/2"), you have a choice to make, you can cover it with some cellophane, this will somewhat level the surface and it will give a well cure surface. Without the cellophane it be a little rougher on the surface and possible tacky. The tacky surface can clog the sand paper, but its such a small area its not a big deal, or you can wash the surface with acetone, it will remove the sticky surface.

Sand and buff, after that you shouldn't be able to see it easily.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Gel Coat Repair Help Needed

Thanks for the info.