How To Repair Gelcoat On Bottom Of Boat

As every boat owner knows, even sturdy fiberglass boats are prone to damage from a poor landing, dropped fishing equipment, or a misplaced drill hole. Luckily, scratches and holes in the gelcoat that gives your boat its glossy appearance tin exist repaired with a lilliputian patience and the right technique.

What Is Gelcoat?

Gelcoat is an epoxy or polyester resin-based thermoset polymer that is usually applied to the boat exterior during the fiberglass molding process to give a smooth, shiny advent.

Gelcoat provides more than but a glossy stop on the boat hull; it besides acts as a waterproof barrier to protect the fiberglass underneath from hydrolysis and UV damage. If fiberglass is exposed to water for a prolonged period, it can weaken the structural integrity of the boat.

Despite the immovability of gelcoat, the tough film can deteriorate over fourth dimension. High-performance speed craft, such as bass boats, flex as they move through the water, causing the rigid boat gel coat to fissure. Spider and hairline cracks can as well occur from environmental stress or impact. The keel is peculiarly decumbent to impairment from accidental impact from underwater hazards.

For more than durable protection in the water, restore your boat surface with an overcoat of Durabak afterward repairing cracks in your gelcoat. Durabak is a more heavy-duty and flexible alternative to gel coat that won't crevice or peel over fourth dimension or become scratched from impact.

How to Restore Gelcoat on a Gunkhole

At that place are diverse techniques for gelcoat repair, depending on the severity of the harm. If your gelcoat has oxidized, giving it a dull, chalky appearance, y'all can just use a gelcoat oxidation remover to sand and polish the surface to a low sheen without the need for total repairs.

For minor cracks, scratches, and gouges, you can buy a DIY gelcoat repair kit to set the lesser of your gunkhole chop-chop and easily. Here is our simple step-past-footstep guide to gel glaze restoration.

Pace 1: Identify the Gunkhole Finish

Gelcoat cannot bond to a painted surface, and then it is vital to place the gunkhole finish earlier beginning repairs. Boats that already have gelcoat , fiberglass, or polyester resin surface practice not demand whatever additional steps earlier repairing. Painted boats will need to have the pigment removed before applying the gelcoat .

Step ii: Surface Preparation

The final layer of gelcoat has a waxy component, and then you need to remove the wax from an surface area at least twice the diameter around the impairment with a thinner.

For deeper gouge and scratch repair, you need to use a power drill with a conical grinding chip to create a V-shaped notch to improve the bonding surface. Use 80-grit sandpaper to remove loose chips and create a shallow bevel. Clean up the unabridged area with acetone.

Stride three: Tape Off the Area

Use ii-inch 3M Scotchbrite Painter'southward Tape to create a 1/16th-inch perimeter around the damaged area. Tape off any sensitive items or side by side areas that may be damaged from gelcoat spatter or accidental sanding. Y'all can also apply masking paper to prevent overspray if you are using a spray gelcoat restorer. Sand the entire taped-off surface area with 360-grit paper and clean up with acetone.

Stride 4: Use Filler

Deep scratches and gouges need to be filled with resin and an epoxy-based filler before continuing. Although more expensive than polyester filler, epoxy adheres better and lasts longer. Nonetheless, there are additional steps yous need to have before applying the final coat of gelcoat and/or boat paint. Once filled and dried, sand the area and clean with acetone.

Step 5: Color Friction match the Gelcoat

You lot need to tint the batch of gel coat to match the color of your boat exterior before adding the catalyst. For newer model boats, ask your dealer if they can supply gelcoat to lucifer your boat. Alternatively, look for a gel coat repair kit that comes with pigments that you can add to the resin. Utilize vivid natural daylight to discover the all-time matching shade.

If you plan to overcoat your boat surface with Durabak for longer-lasting protection, tinting the gelcoat is non necessary. Durabak comes in a broad range of colors then you tin choose the ideal shade for your boat.

Step 6: Mix in the Catalyst

Subsequently you take matched the colour of the gelcoat to your boat, add the catalyst. You must mix the base and goad in the correct ratio. Too much or too little catalyst prevents the gelcoat from curing fairly. A two-part ratio is considered the proper combination, but always bank check the manufacturer's instructions before mixing.

Consider the viscosity and the method of application. Spray application is considered the best way to achieve a consequent and accurate glaze, especially for a vertical surface prone to dripping. To thin your base for spraying, use a styrene thinner.

Step 7: Apply the Gelcoat

If using a spray applicator, fill up the container with the gelcoat and attach the hose to an air compressor. Employ a glaze of gel coat using curt strokes gradually moving outward from the damaged area. Let around 20 minutes between the application of each coat to allow the solvent to flash-off. You may need to utilize 5-6 coats to attain a movie of approximately 15- 20 mil.

For brushed applications, use a cream brush or roller to forestall drips and brushstrokes. Apply the gel coat in short, vertical strokes. Build a film slightly higher than the area surrounding the damage to allow for sanding. Later the final coat has dried, glaze the area with a PVA curing agent and allow information technology to cure fully.

Step eight: Sand, Buff, and Polish

Remove the PVA and sand with 320-grit wet/dry sandpaper using a soft cake. Switch to 600-grit paper and continue to wet sand the immediate repair site until it is flush with the surrounding area. Finish with a light sanding using 1,000-grit newspaper and vitrify the area with rubbing compound. Buffing gelcoat must be done delicately so equally non to create heat that tin stain the surface. Finally, apply a coat of wax-based gel coat polish.

Gelcoat FAQs

When to repair gelcoat cracks?

Cracks and scratches in gelcoat should be repaired immediately to prevent h2o from damaging the fiberglass structure of your boat and rusting metal components. Replacing your gelcoat with Durabak is the platonic preventative solution to avoid scratches and cracks to prolong the life of your marine craft.

What is the all-time gelcoat repair kit?

Unlike kits are better suited to dissimilar types of boat repairs. However, one brand gunkhole manufacturers recommend is Evercoat, which comes in ii sizes and includes all components y'all need, such as base, pigments, goad, and cleaning solvents.

How much does it cost to repair gelcoat?

While repairing gelcoat yourself can be a good fashion to save money, results can vary depending on the brand, extent of the damage, and your skill at boat repair. For large surface repairs, it is recommended that you take your boat to a professional, which can toll between $70 and $110 per hour.

Durabak: The Better Culling to Gelcoat

Unfortunately, even with an excellent repair job, your gelcoat will not last forever. Somewhen, your gelcoat develops spider cracks and peels as the film becomes dry out and brittle. Full gel coat restoration is besides expensive and fourth dimension-consuming to fix.

Durabak can be used as a superior alternative to gelcoat. Durabak is more than affordable, stronger, easier to apply to your fiberglass gunkhole, and the U.S. Navy trusts it for heavy-duty repairs. Durabak is used on the decks of 11 nuclear aircraft carriers and many warships and naval vessels. It is too available in more colors than gelcoat, which gives yous flexibility for repairing or replacing your boat'due south surface.

Durabak is a polyurethane protective coating designed to withstand the harsh marine elements. Unlike gelcoat, which cracks and peels over time, Durabak protective coating is flexible once applied and resists scratches and touch on damage for years. The special formula is designed to exist UV-resistant and waterproof, and the colour does non fade or dry out out, and so your boat surface remains in pristine condition.

Durabak is available in Smoothen and Textured versions that can be used together for a very rough and grippy cease, a totally smoothen end or a barefoot friendly cease with grip by coating smooth over textured Durabak which is gentle on your feet and easy to clean.

How to Apply Durabak

1. Earlier applying Durabak, y'all need to clean the entire gunkhole surface with a mild household dish detergent. Once dry, roughen the surface with twoscore-grit sandpaper and wipe make clean with Solvide or xylene solvents. Tape off whatever areas that you practice non want to paint with Durabak.
2. Just open a fresh can of smooth Durabak merely before you are prepare to paint the gunkhole surface. Stir the can well, and then utilize a foam paintbrush to edge in any catchy corners. Go along the lid on the tin, merely removing it to stir and cascade extra Durabak into the roller tray; Durabak begins to cure every bit before long every bit it comes into contact with the air.
3. Pour a modest corporeality into a roller tray and use the commencement coat to the gunkhole surface using a short nap roller. Ii coats are the recommended level of coverage. Yous tin apply the second coat later on the first is dry out to the touch, which is approximately 1-two hours.
4. After the second coat has been applied, practise not touch the surface for at least 24 hours. Remove whatever painter'due south tape as soon as you have finished the second coat. It takes betwixt v-6 days for the overcoat of Durabak to fully cure.

The Last Word:

Whether you are restoring oxidized gelcoat or fixing modest repairs, a DIY gelcoat repair kit is an affordable style to restore the advent of your boat hull or even ameliorate, accept a serious wait at Durabak.

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Source: https://www.durabakcompany.com/blogs/durabak/gelcoat-repair

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