Are gel coat cracks bad boy

But cosmetic cracks are no big deal except the looks. Gelcoat oxidation can sometimes be repaired, but if the damage is extensive the gelcoat must be removed. If its a fiberglass gel coat a better solution would be evercoats gel coat scratch patch. Gel coat repair kit fills in scratches and surface cracks on composite canoes or kayaks. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem. You have been a big help i wish you could make more. 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.

Before you begin your gel coat repair you will need to purchase catalyst methyl ethyl ketone peroxide from an auto parts store, marina, or hardware store. Its smooth shiny finish is an indicator of the mold finish. You remember that scene from the old jungle movies, where the guy is treading carefully. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques. The evercoat marine gelcoat repair kit permanently repair nicks, gouges and scratches in fiberglass hulls and decks. Nothing to bad didnt crack the bottom just right above the corner where the hull flexed i guess. Ive scrubbed the freeboard and gunwale my 1998 cruiser yachts 3850 with a scotch scrubber sponge like for pots and pans and 409 with bleach each spring, followed by applying a 3m rubbing compound with a buffer. It is caused by an impact or stress with enough force to crack the surface, but not the glass beneath. If the gel coat cracks are on a bass boat, that is a common occurrence. Dec 02, 2014 why do i get stress cracks or crazing in my gelcoat. Either deepen the scratch using a small blade or grinder, or leave it. Gel coat repairs and star cracks skuk sea kayaking uk. Evercoat gel kote one step finish gel coat repair white. My question is this before i washed and waxed it the finish was nice and shiny but after wash and wax it became chalky white after setting about a day.

The gelcoat seals the fiberglass and can be left alone or painted over. All of our gel coats offer incredible durability, and resist uv degradation and water absorption. It happens because the gelcoat does not have any give to it where the fiberglass underneath does. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. The most common gelcoats are thermosetting polymers based on epoxy or unsaturated polyester resin chemistry.

Also there is a hole in front where it looks like it hit or rubbed something for a long time. Can i combine gel polishes with regular nail polishes. We have some good and bad news about gel coat spider cracks. Hairline cracks in a gelcoat surface hereafter crazing are often mistakenly. If the gel coat is thick in this corner as is often the case, the gel coat is more prone to cracking. I have a 1999 model nitro nx882 with green metal flake paint on upper part of hull. Check catalyst bad or old batch and catalyst level. All cracks must be completely sanded or ground out til the exterior is smooth. This instructable comes from a recent project i have been working on that. Gel coat cracks 1996 javelin 400 te bass boat some of the pics look like the cracks are coming from your rubrail install others look like its coming from stress points you should grind and fill the cracks with a glass filler. One boat in particular has such a thick coat, mastercraft co. For smaller repairs you should consider a gelcoat repair kit available in 1oz and 4 oz kits that include a gelcoat paste and the tints for custom matching. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find.

Sagging is a horizontal buildup of gel coat, and a run is a vertical buildup of gel coat. Using the correct design, equipment, technique and materials, it is not difficult to obtain perfect results using contact moulding, particularly after some experience has. Choose from traditional gel coats including white, clear, and neutral, as well as tooling gel coats in orange and black. A special release film and norun polyester gel makes a slick, nosand finish quick and easy. How to repairing fiberglass gel coat cracks in bathtubs.

The color of the epoxy ages and yellows, but i only see this when the boat is on the trailer. The cracks your seeing most likely are gel coat cracks. The color match is not perfect, but it is not horribly bad, either. My plan is to remove the many coats of antifouling paint below the waterline, then apply three coats of the west system epoxy and repaint it. How to repairing fiberglass gel coat cracks in bathtubs, boats, cars automotive, bathrooms, paint whether you are getting ready to fix your bathtub, boat, truck cap or other fiberglass item that has seen some abuse you are probably going to need to replace its outer gel coat in the process. Evercoat gelkote one step finish gel coat repair white. You can only treat the yellowing when it is vissible at the surface. Painting over cracked and chipped gel coat moderated.

Craters can only be seen on the back side of the gel coat. Tough to say if these cracks are limited to just the gel coat, or if they involve the laminate under. Jan 21, 2020 epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. This premium marine grade gel coat may be as gecloat for boats, gelcoat for pools or many other applications. Gel coat repair fiberglass repairs fall into two classes. This can be seen as micro air or can be seen as small pits. Most stress cracking is purely cosmetic, moisture is unlikely to penetrate to the laminate in the topsides and deck, and can easily be detected with a moisture meter. Fiberglass hulls flex and shift a bit under load one of the reasons, in addition to hull design difference, they ride better than tin hulls and if the outer gel coat is too rigid or stiff it can crack when the underlying. Gelcoat or gel coat is a material used to provide a highquality finish on the visible surface of a fibrereinforced composite. How to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks youtube. Gel coat cracks 1996 javelin 400 te bass boat page. Finally, blisters can be an indication of thin gel coat layers during the spray process. Fixing gel coat cracks in fiberglass for professionals only.

I really dont recommend this except the smallest of hairline cracks on the older, thick gelcoat boats. Once the gel coat has reached a full cure, progressively sand the area to a polish. The gel coat can then be sanded smooth, finer and finer to 1500 grit and then polished out. Magicezy hairline fix forest green boat gelcoat crack repair fills and colors. The highest quality iso npg marine finish gel coat to permanently repair or replace original, highglass finish. Mar 30, 2007 the cracks your seeing most likely are gel coat cracks. If gel coat is not applied properly it ultimately can increase the cost of the product made, as often is the case, cutting corners in this process will not prove to be worth it. He uses a rotary tool to grind the crack down to the fiberglass, then he fills it with. Heres one way to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks. These colors are matched to our composite canoe colors only.

When water enters cracks in the now poorly supported skin, mush results. It incorporates pigments for desired color and contains additives for controlling flowout, gel and cure times. My tile guy working on the bathrooms was shocked at the before and after. Extend each coat farther than the previous one, with the last coat out to the tape line. Because it has poor bonding strength, and can only accommodate a small. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. Use the color chart below to determine how to tint your gel coat. 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 gel coat to cured epoxy becomes an issue. Before you begin your gel coat repair you will need to purchase catalyst methyl ethyl ketone peroxide from an. Over time, the gelcoat can fade, oxidize and become pitted and dented. Fiberglass repairs can be a real big job unless you know all the tech tips and helpful. Any mold imperfections would be reflected in the gelcoat as well. In larger cracks the bonding problem of gelcoat to cured epoxy becomes an issue. Unless the scratch goes through to the glass matting it wont harm the boat. Gel coat yellowing hi to all, i have been reading your problem with gel coat yellowing. When you sand the repair to fair it into the hull, you can easily sand away more of the surrounding gel coat than the epoxy of the repair. I patched my kids tub and they couldnt bathe in it for a little over a week. They both require different levels of understanding, and different tools and supplies. Otherwise, this doesnt sound like that bad of an idea to get fixed. He has a 11 yer old class a, good brandi dont want to talk bad about the brand who is still in business, and he has these small cracks in the gelcoat, mostly where the darker colors are located. If you find that your gel coat seems to be sticking to your part, this could be the result of an improper release of the mold surface.

Aug 16, 20 im showing you how to figure out whats going on that caused this part of the gel coat to crack so bad. Im showing you how to figure out whats going on that caused this part of the gel coat to crack so bad. I had a long crack that needed filling so i grasped the big boy in one hand and smeared the sticky stuff all. Premium polyester gel coats deliver top cosmetics and lasting durability for parts and molds. Blend the included coloring agents to achieve a match to almost any color.

Applying gel coat correctly is of utmost importance to making aesthetically pleasing and longlasting end products. If the gel coat is applied too thick it has a tendency to crack because of the difference in thermal expansion, resin will expand much more than the fiberglass substrate. If you can see black in the cracks that is the base coat. The next time you are cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gelcoat. Triton hull crackscontinuing saga archive walleye message. Sitting in the hot sun in fla or az the dark colors can absorb a lot of heat it may get up to 140f and when the gel coat expands the fg restrains it and the thermal stress show up as a crack. For certain, they reflect the parts flexing to a greater degree than the material can take without cracking. Any company can get a bad batch of anything, and then there is that. I used a liquid marine wax in a bottle that said it was ok for gel coats. Causes can include poor structural support within the hull, poor adhesion.

I used kid scissors that i didnt particularly care about to cut the patches. Just grinding out the surface and laying up light cloth may do the trick. Gelcoat repair kit fills in scratches and surface cracks on composite canoes or kayaks. Gelcoat uses mekp as a catalyst, with the latter being added at 12% of the total volume of the gelcoat. As par says, a boat of that age probably has a bad transom. Gel coat is basically a relatively thick layer of resin with colorant added. Gel coat fading and dark lines perth fibreglass pools. Using the correct design, equipment, technique and materials, it is not difficult to obtain perfect results using contact moulding, particularly after some experience has been obtained. I was wandering what might have went wrong and what i can do to get the haze off. The explanation that im hearing from a lot of people is that since the government prohibited the use of lead in gel coat, gel tends to crack like crazy on boats these days. Those are the only cracks anywhere in my boat so i know they aren caused from seperating stringers. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the re.

It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over. Buy magicezy 9 second chip fix forest green one part gelcoat repair kit fixes. Do not clean mould with used styrene or reclaimed solvent. The tape will help to ensure that your fresh layer of resin doesnt go too far across the surface. A thin layer of gel coat isnt structurally strong enough to prevent itself cracking off.

Youll want to take care of any damage on the fiberglass first so you have a smooth surface to apply the gelcoat to. Basic information gel coat is a polyester resin specially formulated with thixotropic ingredients for increased viscosity and nonsag properties. To fill in damaged areas, start by sanding them with coarse 36 grit sandpaper to remove any. Ive got a few cracks in my gelcoat i thought i took care of by careful sanding, gel coat replacement, then painting. Apr 08, 20 this video was uploaded from an android phone. My concern is that this is a symptom of a bigger underlying problem, like more cracks forming a year from now. Thin hairline cracks star cracks present a bigger problem. The fiberglass will flex and return to its original shape. The type of cracks the op is seeing are not structural and are likely due to gel coat that was applied too thick. Silverhook bigk1 big boy glass fibre resin repair kit. I used a liquid marine wax in a bottle that said it was ok for gelcoats. Gelcoat is basically a relatively thick layer of resin with colorant added.

There was also a six inch crack in the front from a rock hitting it on the road. Ask the experts solutions from the boatus tech team. The gel coat is in pretty rough shape cracked, chipped and pitted. My stringers are pretty soild but will be replaced sometime. Use the base color shown above and then add the corresponding gel coat tint gel coat coloring agent. White gel coat, precolored gel coat, clear gel coat, neutral tintable gelcoats. The gelcoat can then be sanded smooth, finer and finer to 1500 grit and then polished out. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. Epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. 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. Other products in gelcoat repair marine outfitters canada. Learn how to remove gelcoat by following a few simple steps. I really dont recommend this except the smallest of hairline cracks on the older, thick gel coat boats.

Apr 10, 2007 if the gel coat cracks are on a bass boat, that is a common occurrence. Polyester gelcotes will not chemically bond to epoxy. Any mold imperfections would be reflected in the gel coat as well. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Use a gel base coat, cure, use desired nail polish wait for it to completely dry or you just waisted your time, nail polish and gel base coat, once dry, apply top gel coat, cure, use lent free wipes and 91% alcohol to remove sticki. Most of the time they are just cracks in the finish and do not bother the structural integrity.

The cracks may also be the result of extremely thick gelcoat that has shrunk and cracked. As it is now, warranty is a way to seperate the men from the boys. Seeing the backup pattern through your gel coat layer could either be an indication of inadequate thickness in the gel coat, or improperly cured gel coat. 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. Polystyrenewax buildup on the mould which has transferred to the part during moulding. Jul 29, 20 the type of cracks the op is seeing are not structural and are likely due to gel coat that was applied too thick. As for painting above the waterline, the light blue interior and white exterior gel coat need refinishing. Gel coat yellows rapidly and unevenly when exposed to sunlight and or heat and moisture 1. These blisters might also be an indication of improper wetting of the backup fibers, a bad bond between the gel coat and backup laminate which can be an indication of contamination. Structural damage is an actual break in the fiberglass such as a crack with a visible gap or a delamination in the layers of fiberglass. In the manufacturing process it is the first layer of the hull, sprayed against the inner surface of mold. If the underside is accessible, laying up heavy glass to a well ground surface is the surest path to a repair which will not recrack. They can appear as a single line, a series of parallel lines, or a spider web originating at the center of an impact.