Author Topic: Recommended repair method of gelcoat nicks and gouges? (Read 34869 times)

Neutron68 · « **on:** March 26, 2017, 03:22:12 PM »

See photos for damage details.

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fireman24mn · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2017, 11:14:08 AM »

You are going to need to get some gel mixed to match. Tape off the area and sand the spot to repair. then apply the new gel then sand and buff entire area to blend in the repair.

There are a lot of youtube videos about it.

Jason · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2017, 12:51:05 PM »

Quote from: fireman24mn on March 27, 2017, 11:14:08 AM

You are going to need to get some gel mixed to match. Tape off the area and sand the spot to repair. then apply the new gel then sand and buff entire area to blend in the repair.

There are a lot of youtube videos about it.

That's exactly how I did it on my V172. I went to express composites with my boat and they did a good job of matching the color for me as well as give me some tips.

Hyperacme · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2017, 01:36:56 PM »

I used this one ...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fibreglass-Evercoat-108000-Seacare-Gelcoat-Repair-Kit/34053637

You can find it cheaper online.
I had a hard time matching the blue color of my chip, took hours and never came close to right color ... LOL
But was easy to apply.

Neutron68 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 05, 2017, 03:43:22 PM »

I'm going to likely watch some Youtube videos to see if there are any specific ways to do this.

Any videos anyone would specifically recommend?

I should get this done before putting the boat in the water again!

Eric

dorelse · « **Reply #5 on:** April 05, 2017, 04:08:28 PM »

Quote from: Neutron68 on April 05, 2017, 03:43:22 PM

I'm going to likely watch some Youtube videos to see if there are any specific ways to do this.

Any videos anyone would specifically recommend?

I should get this done before putting the boat in the water again!

Eric

Friscoboater did a couple...always good info from him on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRIA6yWx0g

Neutron68 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 05, 2017, 04:18:37 PM »

Quote from: dorelse on April 05, 2017, 04:08:28 PM

Friscoboater did a couple...always good info from him on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRIA6yWx0g

Thanks.
He thinned it and put it in a sprayer. Is that how everyone does it?
Can it be spread on with a putty knife or popsicle stick, for example?

dorelse · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2017, 04:21:39 PM »

That's what I've done for small nicks, etc.

Neutron68 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 05, 2017, 04:23:37 PM »

Quote from: dorelse on April 05, 2017, 04:21:39 PM

That's what I've done for small nicks, etc.

To clarify, you used a putty knife or popsicle stick, not a sprayer?

Neutron68 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2017, 04:32:02 PM »

Quote from: Hyperacme on March 27, 2017, 01:36:56 PM

I used this one ...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fibreglass-Evercoat-108000-Seacare-Gelcoat-Repair-Kit/34053637

You can find it cheaper online.
I had a hard time matching the blue color of my chip, took hours and never came close to right color ... LOL
But was easy to apply.

Here's a kit made by the same company. I'm trying to figure out how they are different, other than the part number??
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Evercoat-100668-Marine-Match-N-Patch-Gelcoat-Repair-Kit/21784220

dorelse · « **Reply #10 on:** April 05, 2017, 10:42:57 PM »

Quote from: Neutron68 on April 05, 2017, 04:23:37 PM

To clarify, you used a putty knife or popsicle stick, not a sprayer?

Yep, putty knife.

Hyperacme · « **Reply #11 on:** April 06, 2017, 09:09:31 AM »

Think it's the same "Kit" ... Just the one I posted show what is in the kit ...

From memory ...
Blend color stuff to get your desired color.
Apply with stick provided in kit.
Apply provided plastic sheet, stuff need to be covered to cure.
Let dry/harden.
Cuss and swear because you didn't get the color perfect ..

If chips are on bottom of hull and white or off white, should be pretty easy to match color.

Dave had White bear boat works do some on his CVX.
Very nice work, can't tell where he did repair work.

Neutron68 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 06, 2017, 10:44:19 AM »

The hull is a cream color - likely a standard Glastron hull color?

From the mix chart on this page it looks like I would add a little yellow, and maybe some brown.

http://www.bottompaintstore.com/blog/tag/evercoat-gelcoat-repair-kit-instructions/

Hyperacme · « **Reply #13 on:** April 06, 2017, 11:46:15 AM »

Pretty sure that is the instructions that came with the "Kit".

Neutron68 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 06, 2017, 01:41:14 PM »

In order to have the materials in-hand to use this weekend, the only option I saw was to go over to West Marine and get robbed.

I got this kit:
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--gelcoat-repair-kit--14153282?recordNum=2

And had to buy the additional yellow pigment because that kit didn't have yellow (only black and brown):
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/evercoat--resin-coloring-agent--P004_120_004_002?recordNum=11

I also saw this epoxy putty kit which looks perfect to build up the fin/ridge on the hull of the boat that got flattened off by something.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-marine--marine-rx-epoxy-repair-kit-2-oz--13967443

Now, I've opened up the directions for the West Marine gel coat repair kit and it says:
NOTE: Polyester gelcoat or resin will not adhere well to an epoxy. DO NOT apply over epoxy.

HUH? So, you can't use a Polyester gelcoat repair over an epoxy marine putty, designed to repair boats?? (the exact thing you'd want to do!)

dorelse · « **Reply #15 on:** April 06, 2017, 03:21:28 PM »

Your boat is Polyester resin.

Neutron68 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 06, 2017, 03:33:40 PM »

Quote from: dorelse on April 06, 2017, 03:21:28 PM

Your boat is Polyester resin.

From the context in the gelcoat repair kit instructions, Epoxy Resin is different from Polyester resin.

And if I were to use this Epoxy putty, then I could not put the Polyester gelcoat over the top of it, because the manufacturer says it will not adhere well to an epoxy. That's a problem.

I think I need to return the Epoxy putty and get a standard Fiberglass repair kit (containing Polyester resin, which is compatible with polyester gelcoat) to rebuild that shaved-off ridge on the hull.

dorelse · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2017, 03:40:44 PM »

Correct, once you put down epoxy filler, you cannot go back to polyester...

Neutron68 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2017, 04:01:14 PM »

There seems to be a debate about gelcoat over epoxy in the industry.

West System is arguing that gelcoat manufacturers' claims of poor adhesion to epoxy are overly conservative and if you prep the surface correctly and mix the chemicals evenly, you can cover epoxy with polyester gelcoat.
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/polyester-over-epoxy/

An experiment to test polyesther gelcoat over epoxy:
http://epoxyworks.com/index.php/applying-polyester-gelcoat-over-epoxy/

As a beginner, I'm not confident I'd get everything just right in the process and I'd probably be safer to stay with a standard fiberglass repair, using polyester resin, for my hull ridge.

Neutron68 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 09, 2017, 10:01:47 AM »

For the gel coat repair, I've seen some videos where they put a layer of clear plastic or waxed paper over the curing gel coat, and at least 1 where they didn't put anything over the curing gel coat.

Is the clear plastic or waxed paper there for curing or for keeping it from dripping or running?

Eric