Boat gel coat cracks

I really dont recommend this except the smallest of hairline cracks on the older, thick gelcoat boats. Faded, chalky, oxidized gel coat can be brought back to its original luster and shine, with these simple steps. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. If the foam in the hull starts to deteriorate it can allow more flexing to take place, this can put more stress on overly thick gel coat and cause cracks. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. If your gel coat already shows signs of aging, its time to repair it or to reapply a fresh layer to revitalize your boats look. May 27, 2009 in this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Take care that they are completely mixed together, otherwise the hardener and gel coat will not set properly, and you will be left with a sticky mess for weeks. Does the gelcoat on your boat look chalky and old and need to be restored to shine once again.

Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gelcoat of boats. Dec 06, 2017 our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. Gel coat is a wonderful durable substance for protection and appearance on a boat but it is not particularly flexible, and it can shrink and crack from exposure to sun. Thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or contracts. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. Boatus magazines mark corke shows you how to easily repair those pesky spider cracks that show up in your boats fiberglass gelcoat. Obviously these areas take a lot of weight and pulling which is no surprise why there would be stress cracks in the gel coat. The application of gelcoat and by pretty straight forward when you follow this guide determine the existing surface.

No problema little elbow grease, a buffer, some basic cleaning supplies, and a few hours of your time is all it takes. If that is too painful, take a dremel tool or similar and open the cracks up so you can get a thickened epoxy resin filler into the cracks. Over time, the gelcoat can fade, oxidize and become pitted and dented. The boat is in pretty good condition for its age in my opinion, but the hull does have some minor hairline stress cracks. I would be more concerned with the structural integrity of the boat. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. The gel coat is in pretty rough shape cracked, chipped and pitted. These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. Repairing gelcoat on fiberglass boat the topic of gelcoat is often a mystifying subject for boat owners.

Bottom cracks hi markus most boats have some cracks in the bottom. If the cracks on your boat were caused by impacts, such as around rub rails or where a heavy object was dropped, move on to step 1. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. The primary reason why stress cracks appear in gel coat is because gel coat is brittle and the laminate to which it is bonded is less so. To maintain your gel coat and your hulls integrity, follow this simple gel coat repair guide. Aside from the durable shiny luster gelcoat adds to any fiberglass boat, most. Your gel coat may be tough, but it will succumb to the constant battering of the marine environment over time. This thicker gel coat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. For easy, yet permanent repairs on hairline cracks, small scratches, and chips in fiberglass try evercoats marine gelcoat repair kit. Gelcoat oxidation can sometimes be repaired, but if the damage is extensive the gelcoat must be removed. Gel coat is easy to use and looks great when finished. Below you will find a detailed gel coat preparation guide on how to apply gelcoat to your boat, rv or other surface.

Jun 06, 2018 addressing spider cracks part 2 duration. If the gel coat is too thick, the permanent fix is to grind the gel coat down to the frp lay up. Being the boat is brand new i really want to take care of it. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are. Jan 21, 2020 epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. Although not boat related, i had a grp bodied specialist car many years ago that had identical looking gel coat cracks to yours. For resurfacing, reduce gelkote with evercoat acetone and hibond styrene 10% to a thinner consistency to use for sprayer applications. I didnt see any gelcoat damage, but after my progressive agent carefully inspected the boat very impressed with progressive. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. The gelcoat can then be sanded smooth, finer and finer to 1500 grit and then polished out.

If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised. I have read some older threads about gel coat bubbles or voids which crack or break off when touched or banged lightly. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks and. May 23, 20 if your gel coat already shows signs of aging, its time to repair it or to reapply a fresh layer to revitalize your boats look.

Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gel coat layers than newer boats. First thing you want to do is look at the surface on which you want gelcoat applied. If you own a boat, you may know that it is important to give your boat a gelcoat cover to help protect it from leaks and cracks. Sometimes, they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate, which in many cases is cored. I striped my boat a few weeks ago with scrapers it took 5. Youll need an under 3,000rpm disk grinderpolisher with a foam pad to grind the epoxy smooth after it sets. The secret to a good finish is to apply gel coat properly. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. We tried west marine gel coat scratch patch, and although very careful, the results werent really an improvement. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy.

One step finish gel coat white discount boat parts and. Youll want to take care of any damage on the fiberglass first so you have a smooth surface to apply the gelcoat to. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. A prior owner had fixed a few with evercoat gel coat scratch patch gel. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application. As for painting above the waterline, the light blue interior and white exterior gel coat need refinishing. If the gelcoat has broken through, the damaged area needs to be sanded down and a new gelcoat layer applied. Use to fill gouges, chips, scrapes and deep scratches in the fiberglass gel coat. If its reads the same all over then it not a problem. White gel coat, precolored gel coat, clear gel coat, neutral tintable gelcoats. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity.

Because of this all builders of fiberglass boats using gel coat will have disclaimers in the written warranty to limit the coverage of the gel coat. When i was looking at boats, all of the cracks were around the tower legs and near the swim platform brackets. I striped my boat a few weeks ago with scrapers it took 5 hours with lots of beer and. Being that my boat is 10 years old she has a few fine gel coat cracks here and there. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat gelcoat. These might be in a parallel pattern or a nondirectional pattern. The highest quality iso npg marine finish gel coat to permanently repair or replace original, highglass finish. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Found some gel coat cracks when cleaning today on the underside in the general vicinity of the third picture. Polyester gelcotes will not chemically bond to epoxy. Painting over cracked and chipped gel coat moderated.

I have not had the boat for a while, i got it through a trade. I know i can buy a paste style gel coat, route out the cracks and then fill and sand down as i have done it before, but i feel like there has to be a way to maybe scape out the crack real fine and just apply a self leveling thinned out paste or thickened white matching paint that is flexible. Radial cracks spider cracks, star cracks caused by impact or by a fixture bolt that puts strain on a certain area of a boat and cracks occur around the hole. They appeared around 18 months after manufacture and were mainly on flat panel areas and sharp corners.

Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. Used this product to make a repair to boat gel coat after fixing some minor fiber glass damage. May 17, 2015 the boat is in pretty good condition for its age in my opinion, but the hull does have some minor hairline stress cracks. Add a cap full of sanding aid wax to the gel coat to seal the surface. What does really concern me is that hitting the dock from the wind blowing and not at speed causing this to happen has me wondering if the gel coat is ok. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Gelcoat is a resin that will protect any fiberglass structure with a strong shield. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. Fortunately, with the right tools most anyone can conduct this process, allowing you to save money from hiring a professional to do it. Gel coat is basically a resin to which a large amount of coloring pigment has been added, pigments that are oxides of metals like aluminum. Gelcoat is the protective coating that covers most fiberglass boats.

Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Aside from the durable shiny luster gelcoat adds to any fiberglass boat, most owners know little more than wash and wax it frequently. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which plague countless boaters. On both sides of the hull in the same general area. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gel coat of a boat.

It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the re. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. We were surfing at the time we hit the submerged oject, so speeds were very low and visually, i hadnt even noticed the gel cracks. If the gel coat is not chipped but only spider webbed, wash the bad areas with acetone, scuff with 320 grit, blow clean and use a small finish roller to apply several coats of gelcoat thinned with about 20% styrene. Aug 05, 2008 if the gel coat is too thick, the permanent fix is to grind the gel coat down to the frp lay up.

If, however, the spider cracks appeared at an attachment point or in a highstress area, theres. Upon inspecting the underside, i noticed a crack in the gelcoat about 2 feet long on the bottom side of the hull under where a passenger seat would normally be located. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Cracks like that are typicaly from thick gel coat and some flexing. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas.

I would check with mm and see if anty place is more wet then others if so i would grind the cracks let dry with some heat and epoxy coat. If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring. That could very easily be pushed to the abuse category given it was caused by the trailer, whether that is the reason or not. Gel coat is easy to use from application to sanding. Anyone else having this problem i have a 2000 triton 186 that the gel coat has been getting hundreds of tiny white cracks on the right gunwale since 2008, when i first noticed it. In larger cracks the bonding problem of gelcoat to cured epoxy becomes an issue. This premium marine grade gel coat may be as gecloat for boats, gelcoat for pools or many other applications. The gelcoat seals the fiberglass and can be left alone or painted over. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Gel coat chip or crack sea hunt boats owners group.

We also carry products that make short work of minor surface damage. If, however, the spider cracks appeared at an attachment point or in a highstress area, theres a good chance theyll simply return after you fix them. To fill in damaged areas, start by sanding them with coarse 36 grit sandpaper to remove any. Gel coat hardened too quickly or with improper curing temperatures and conditions can also promote stress cracks in the gel coat itself. Epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. These premium quality isophthalic npg gel coats are formulated to meet rigid requirements in the boating, transportation, and sanitary applications and. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. These are cosmetic repairs, but they can add significant value and enjoyment to your boat. The easiest repair method is to sand the surface heavily and roll on two coats of epoxy primer followed by two coats of twopart linear. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. For more details on some of the things that can go wrong in the fiberglass during the manufacturing process please refer to the blistering article. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after.

Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with. A prior owner had fixed a few with evercoat gel coat scratch patch gel coat repair, with ugly results. Most people that use there boat eventually will develop some type of stress cracks in there gel coat. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find.