Small Gelcoat repair during Covid-19 distancing

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curioustraveler

New member
Good afternoon all,

I want to repair a little chip in my gelcoat but my resources are a little limited during this pandemic. The chip is on the hull so it's not a horizontal surface. I don't have a pic but I stole this one from another thread. Mine is similar depth but not as large of a chip.

20191007_234244_HDR_sized.jpg


I've read all the threads I can find and they all seem to have slightly different advice.

The boat is up at the yard waiting on a few repairs so I wanted to run up and fix this chip while she's out of the water. I'd rather not have to run to west marine and buy anything.

I have Marine Tex, Devcon tube epoxy, and a west marine fiberglass repair kit (105, filler, etc.)

What's the easiest, simplest way to repair this chip after grinding out and cleaning with acetone? Fill it with Marine Tex? Then sand it and eventually put new gelcoat over it? My first priority is just preventing water intrusion. I can work on making it look pretty later.

This BoatUS video shows just filling it with gel coat but mine is on a vertical surface so I think it'll run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJHk81_nKRI

The fiberglass guy at the yard was going to try to save me some of the gelcoat he uses for the other fiberglass repair so I may be able to use that once I fill the chip.

Looking for a simple way to take advantage of a Sunday afternoon and knock out a boat project.

Thanks
 
This is more of a gelcoat repair, than a fiberglass repair.

The easiest repair is use a filled epoxy like West 610. This will leave a obvious blemish. Depending on where the damage is, that might be acceptable though.

For a gelcoat repair, the damage does not need a lot of grinding, other than the screw in the middle. I would try to avoid grinding away the gelcoat any more than it is.

If it were my boat, I'd grind back the tip of the screw that is sticking up (the cause of the damage) with a dremel tool or a file to be below the surface level or just replace the screw with a shorter one. Then I'd put some epoxy to seal things (the gray area) and provide some fill. Once the epoxy cured thoroughly I'd finish the repair with gelcoat. Deep gouges can require multiple applications of gelcoat.

There are websites and videos how to do gelcoat repairs. You need some stuff besides just the gelcoat itself to do it right, but it is not hard. I got all the stuff and have done some repairs to my boat. The color matching in some places is better than others.

You can get an Evercoat gelcoat repair kit and mix your own colors. Sometimes you can find small bottles of Spectrum gelcoat in "C-Dory White" online. However, depending on where the repair is and the amount of fading/bleaching of your hull, the Spectrum color may not be that good of a match.

Disclaimer: This is what I would do on my boat and have down to similar damage in the past. I have also just filled dings with epoxy. Other people may have different ideas.
 
for gel coat repairs, I like...gel coat. If you want to make structural changes or repairs, then definitely epoxy. Gel coating epoxy is a controversial subject. I have had success without primers. You have to have any trace of amine blush removed from the epoxy--both washing, and sanding.

Marine tex is the bane of fiberglass repair folks--they don't like you to use it, because it is more difficult to remove when time for a proper repair. I have used it many times, in areas where it will not show, or just a "dab will do you"--for example that hole your drilled with a 1/8" bit as a pilot for the screw in the top of the cabin....which was actually not cored :oops:

I have found that Marine Tex will yellow with age and then become un-exceptable. I have not tried gel coat over Marine Tex... I bought a whole book of Mylar film for a couple of bucks a few years ago. The pages were for transparencies for overhead projection. The mylar film makes a great occlusive barrier to allow a small repair kick off properly and harden. It will keep the gel coat from sagging or running--but you will have to sand it fair (with blocks) afterward--then compound and polish to finish.
 
Thanks guys. So it sounds like I may be ok just using gelcoat. I didn't make it up there today so I'll see what the fiberglass guy gives me for gelcoat left over from his project. I'll stay away from the MarineTex.

If I don't have mylar, will plastic wrap or wax paper work?
 
Any air occlusive surface will work. Be sure it has enough "substance". For example, you can back wax paper with cardboard, which is duct taped in place. Sometimes one has to build several coats--be sure and get the wax off the surface. There is gel coat with and without wax, same as laminating resin.
 
curioustraveler":33b390ye said:
Thanks guys. So it sounds like I may be ok just using gelcoat. I didn't make it up there today so I'll see what the fiberglass guy gives me for gelcoat left over from his project. I'll stay away from the MarineTex.

If I don't have mylar, will plastic wrap or wax paper work?
Click to expand...


Don't forget to use a Shorter Screw next time. Been there & done that
:thup :thup
 
You've gotten som good advice here. You might check out Andy at Boatworks Today on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/user/boatworkstoday

He has videos that cover most all of usual (and some not so usual) fiberglass repairs. It may be helpful to see actual "hands on" work. In fact his latest video covers filling and finishing old screw and/or bolt holes. My only difference from him is I would tend to use epoxy to fill larger bolt holes along with some cloth or mat. However he does have more experience than me!
 
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