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We should get on with the preparation of the surface to be gel coated now. To help to restore the color shine and appearance of your boat choose a gelcoat restorer.
The solution applies easily and will seal most cracks.
How to repair gelcoat on a boat. BoatUS Magazines Mark Corke takes you through the steps for how to repair boat gelcoat. This gel coat repair DIY if you need to fix a boat ding crack or s. Over time and with use the gelcoat on your boat can become dull making your boat look old.
Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. Begin by making sure any surface dirt and stains are removed. If your gelcoat is looking really dull with no bright or shiny spots youll need to apply polish first.
Once youve applied the polish or if your boat. Also deep gouges may need structural fiberglass work or filler before you repair the gelcoat. On horizontal surfaces liquid gelcoat works but for vertical surfaces a paste is easier to apply.
The first step is identifying the finish on your boat. If playback doesnt begin shortly try restarting your device. When youre satisfied you have a good smooth surface cover it with a piece of plastic wrap to allow it to cure completely.
Some gelcoat repair kits will include plastic film for this purpose because gelcoat paste must be sealed off from the air to cure 100 percent. If you choose to do a DIY gelcoat repair you can seal hairline cracks using a DIY repair solution kit. The solution applies easily and will seal most cracks.
Sealants come in a variety of colors to match your hull. They provide a smooth streamlined look that restores your boats surface. If your gelcoat repair kit doesnt come with a mixing stick then use a clean craft stick like a wooden popsicle stick to mix the gelcoat.
Different gelcoat repair kits require you to add different amounts of hardener also known as catalyst to the gelcoat. If the gelcoat has a chalk-like powdery look its more likely to be highly oxidized. Polishes find use if the oxidization level is low whereas a rubbing compound is best if the boat surface is highly oxidized.
Now apply the gelcoat once you get a shiny surface after taking care of oxidization. 6 Applying gelcoat When you think youre there with the colour add the catalyst mix thoroughly and apply to the repair. You will need to apply a number of coats usually around 3-5 leaving 15-20mins between each application.
If you can run your finger over it without picking up any of the gelcoat the surface is ready for another application. Remove all attachments. Cleats seals and cords.
Apply duct tape instead of masking tape if necessary it bonds better and gives a better seal. Duct tape around portholes and everything in contact with the gelcoat you do not like. We should get on with the preparation of the surface to be gel coated now.
Boat Gelcoat Cracks Repair Because of The Suns Ultraviolet Rays. That said its always recommended to work on the gel coat someplace shady or during an overcast day. You dont want the sun damaging the paint-job in between gel coat applications so you better choose an appropriate place to work first.
If the gelcoat starts to look transparent stop. After the surface has been compounded polish it then coat it with wax and buff it. Providing the gelcoat has an adequate thickness your boat might have been compounded previously this process will restore the shine to fiberglass in almost any condition.
Everything you need to know to make an invisible gelcoat repair from preparation and filling to topcoat and polishing. Best of PBO Experts live gelcoat. Preparation and matching the colour.
The first job in any gelcoat repair is. 1312020 How to Gel Coat Paint a Boat Deck YouTube. Smooth the surface of the repaired area by rolling a glass bottle over the surface.
Work in overlapping squares mixing enough gelcoat for one square at a time. Make sure that you give your boat a thick layer as a thin layer may not give a complete seal. The rule of thumb is 4 cc of hardner for 1 pint of gelcoat or 30 cc per gallon.
However mix only what you plan to use and read the label before mixing. If you add hardener to the whole quart the gelcoat will kick off right in the can and harden. Its also important to use the right thinner if your repairs call for spraying on gelcoat.
If youre low on budget and cant afford to spend on the gelcoat and then on repairs then paint the boat. But remember that youll need to repeat the process in a year or two. Opt for paint if you dont want to spend the whole day repairing the boat.
Paint the bottom of the boat. How to Repair a Boats Gelcoat. If the problem is a minor scuff or scratch try wet-sanding and see if that makes it disappear.
Assuming wet-sanding doesnt cut it get a gelcoat repair kit with gelcoat paste and hardener pigments if the gelcoat is colored a plastic spreader or putty knife and release film. However restoring your gelcoat is one of the easiest boat tasks that you can undertake and is easy to do yourself. To help to restore the color shine and appearance of your boat choose a gelcoat restorer.
Gelcoat restorers are suitable for fiberglass GRP gelcoats and can help to give long lasting effects wetting the pigment to restore a. Use a nail dipped in the gelcoat to scratch around in the repair assuring good adhesion and filling all the voids. Sort of like a dentist filling a tooth.
He doesnt just drop a big glob in place. Make sure you over fill the repair and that the gelcoat goes outside the edges. Gelcoat shrinks 25 by volume.
Let the epoxy cure wash it and sand it to shape. After final fairing apply two coats of unthickened WEST SYSTEM Epoxy to seal the repair area. Wash and sand the cured seal coat of epoxy then apply a topcoat of paint or gelcoat.
See Fiberglass Boat Repair Maintenance pages 19-25 for detailed instructions. Both companies even have gelcoat colors listed by manufacturer and model year. When you order the representative will ask you whether you want wax in your gelcoat.
To make the gelcoat cure it has to have wax in it which bleeds to the surface and shuts off the air said Mike Miro owner of Dynamic Fiberglass Boat Repairs in Deltona Fla.