Boat Depot

Boat Depot

Gel Coat Repairs – Simple, Do It Yourself

Got a scrape, crack, or soft deck on your power boat or sailboat? Here’s a quick, easy fix that will save you money. There are many different ways to go about the repair, but my method works and is not too difficult to master.

Let’s get started fixing that crack.

Did your jib pole come loose? Did the anchor swing too wildly or did your landlubber friend forget to tell you he had on his golf shoes? Don’t laugh…it happens. I used to get all upset when I saw the slightest damage to my gel coat and thought it would never be the same. You will always see it even after a mint fix. But no one else will, even if the fix is not perfect. Power boats get cracks here and there from the pounding as they cut through waves. Sailboats get it the same way, plus all the heeling over they do.

I have read all the books and articles and found they all do a great repair. Some more complicated than others. I took the best from each and now do this procedure for a great fix.

What you’ll need:

1. Get a Bondo can (auto/marine body filler), that is short and wide, with a plastic top. This comes with the catalyst you will need.

2. Sandpaper/wet & dry (emery cloth), 1 sheet of each: #220, #320, #400, #600

3. Gel Coat color from the manufacturer – it’s worth the wait to get it. If not, you can use white gel coat with the tints you need to get it right. Most stores have a chart.

You can mix the gel coat over the winter. Get the right color card from Home Depot, and you can play with the color over the winter, until you get a match, and save it in a jar for the spring.

4. Acetone

5. Masking Tape

6. Spray bottle, sold in marine supply or hardware stores.

7. Screwdriver or metal pick

8. Newspaper

As you can see from the materials list, there need not be a great expense in performing your own repair. These materials can last through 10 repairs. Each time you take care of the crack yourself, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars.

1. In order to repair a crack, clear the area. Take a good look at it and then take some acetone on a rag and clean in and around the crack. A little goes a long way. Too much is no good. This cleans the wax, dirt, and stains off so you now can see clearly how far the crack really goes and what color you should mix, too. The factory gel coat that was sent is the original color of the boat’s gel coat. By sanding lightly with 300 grit wet you will bring this color out, but it will not match the rest of the boat. You may have to add a touch of yellow or gray/black to get that faded color. Look from the sun. If you plan to compound to the original color, then go with the factory color, otherwise, tint it down.

2. Now that the gel coat is ready, let’s get back to the crack. After using some acetone and sanding right around and in the crack, use a flat hand screwdriver or metal pick to loosen any material in the crack. Make good, fat edges at either side of the crack. Chip away at it until you get to good, uncracked gel coat. Sand the area, blow out and acetone again.

3. Tape around the area you are working on, close to the crack. Then tape newspaper around it to catch any overspray.

4. If the crack is deep, you need to add some plastic filler (bondo). You can use the type that has fiberglass strands. A white colored filler is preferable. Mix the proper amount of catalyst into the filler and squeeze it into the crack. If the crack is small, use a flathead screwdriver. Keep it just in the crack. Use masking tape along the edges, if you need. You can keep it level with the surrounding gel coat, because when it dries, you will sand it lightly with the 220 or 300 grit and make a slight depression in the plastic. Drying time will vary according to the temperature and amount of catalyst used. Pull the excess masking tape away. Use acetone to wash away the masking tape glue and any impurities.

5. Get the sprayer, read the instructions. Pour the gel coat (factory or mixed) into the jar. Add some acetone to cut the thickness of the gel coat so it can spray out. Add the proper amount of catalyst, stir and screw the jar back on and you’re ready to go.

6. Find a piece of cardboard to spray on. Feel the force and the amount that comes out of the sprayer. Press the nozzle to move it to the right. Release nozzle. Press the nozzle again, move to the left and so on to get a smooth coat. Now, spray the repair area with the same motion. See how it looks before you repeat the process. Don’t try to complete it in one or two shots. Slow and easy. It will cover. You can put extra coats on because you will do sanding next. Don’t put too much on. Let it dry. It’s good to do this in 70 – 80 degree weather. If it is cooler out, point a utility light at it. It should harden it in anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, varying according to the outside temperature. If you want, you can leave it overnight. If it still doesn’t set, use the acetone to get it off and try again with a better combo of catalyst. You will get good at this one you do it several times, just like riding a bike.

7. After the gel coat hardens, take that plastic cup top and put some water in it. Rip a 1″ x 4″ piece of emery cloth off the 220 or 300 grit. Soak it a bit and also put some water over the repairs. Wipe it around. Now, with the emery cloth pliable, lightly sand over the repair. Feel the coarseness of the area you are sanding. Add more water if it feels pretty flush with the surrounding area. Move to 400 grit, then to 600 grit. Get it nice and wet. Watch not to take too much gel coat off. Do a little check.

8. The final step is using a little white compound. Add a touch of water. Compound out lightly. Wash off thoroughly and wax. You’re done. Is it perfect? Maybe, but if not, no will see it unless you put blue gel coat where white should belong. In the meantime, you will forget about where it actually is as it fades in. A scrape is basically the same, just a large area. Sometimes a light sanding with 300 or 400 grit, nice and wet, will remove most and sometimes, surprisingly, all of the scrape without a gel coat repair. It just depends how deep it is.

With a little practice, you can save yourself a boat-load of money otherwise spent on having the gel coat refinished professionally. If doing it yourself is not your thing, you may find understanding the process helpful when consulting with a repair center.

Douglas Malat is a licensed captain, freelance writer and co-author of YachtAuthority.com, where you will find gel coat repair services in your area.

About the Author

Powerboats For Sale – At Yachtauthority.com, you can find wide selection of new and used powerboats available for sale. Visit us today to get more details.

Oppinion on these gifts.?

Me and my best friend want to get my parents conjoined gifts from both of us because it is like her 2nd family. What is the opinion on these gifts for them?

I think the digital frame and the boating shop gift card are good Ideas, moms always like to have frames to put on display, you could even fill it with family pics so that when she turns it on it will display great memories and if your dad likes boating then that would be an awsome gift.

Good luck

Adventures of Lolo for GB – Row Boat Depot Stage (Stage

Def Leppard English Flag Coolie Cup $9.99 Keep your drink cold while rocking out with this coolie…

Alex Super Baking set – 18 Piece Metal and Plastic Set $12.49 Measure, mix, prep, and bake some imaginary treats| This 18-piece set features a loaf pan, bear pan, heart pan, mixing bowl, rolling pin, whisk, measuring spoons and cup, pastry wheel, 2 star cookie cutters, 2 heart cookie cutter, and an oven mitt. Bon Appetit|…

Set of 2 Heated Stainless Steel Travel Mugs Product Description Keep your favorite beverages hot at all times with this set of 2 stainless heated travel mugs. Plug the detachable cords into any standard 12v car adapter of your car truck or R/V. Durable stainless-steel construction and locking lids ensure a safe trip anywhere. Product Details 12V Heated Travel Mugs – Set of 2 • Capacity: 16 ozs. • Airtight l…

Comforter – Crumble Bear $17.99 This is a soft plush comforter from the Once Upon a Time collection, featuring Crumble Bear. This super soft comforter is perfect to hold on to. Crumble is the feature of this comforter, his head and arms are built into the design. It doubles as a…

Passion of the Christ: Songs (Original Songs Inspired by the Film) $16.44 …

Egyptian Hieroglyphs Made Easy $19.99 Learning and understanding of the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic language. The hieroglyphic script was the longest lived and earliest form of the Egyptian language. Its use was limited primarily to religious and monumental inscriptions, whereas a more cursive script called hieratic was preferred for administrative and epistolary purposes. Hieroglyphic Egyptian employs pictures of objects, each with…

GE 37771 R40 Heat Lamp, Red, 250-Watt $3.39 250 watt 120 volt R40 Medium Screw (E26) Base Red Heat Lamp Red Incandescent GE Light Bulb…

Botanical Interest – Squash Winter Tble King Acorn (Certified Organic) $2.99 Isn’t acorn squash the epitome of a fall vegetable? These glossy ribbed beauties are so attractive, you may want to display them in a basket on your table for awhile before cutting them open for dinner! An All America Winner in 1974, ‘Table King’ is still very popular decades later for its fabulous traits. The orange flesh has marvelous, rich flavor, and the fruit grows on very compact 4′ vines. (…

Scarface – Vinyl Wall Decals Murals Stickers Art Graphic – 44H x29W – by üBer Decals $44.99 Better than wallpaper, wall stickers are a perfect way to decorate your room and express yourself. They are a fun, easy and removable decor solution. These stickers are pre-cut and will only take you several minutes to apply on any surface – walls, doors, windows, and more. Each of our designs come with easy instructions to follow. This is an original design from uBer Decals. All other sellers are…

Last Night Gus $1.99 …