Gelcoat chips

Ride & Dive · 05-14-2013, 05:03 PM

Curious what the thought processes are on fixing chips in the gelcoat. Immediate issue? End of season? Above/below the waterline.....

Thanks

NoBozo · 05-14-2013, 06:19 PM

Depends on what color the gelcoat is. I have a 20' RED 1986 runabout. I noticed a chip in the vertical "transition"... (on the edge) from the transom to the side of the boat. Outside Corners are particularly sensitive to chipping.

I found a small bottle of paint at a local Hobby Shop that matched the hull color and "filled it in" ..in layers...drying in between layers... with the paint using an artists brush. The colors available at the Hobby Shop are almost infinite. It's a "mask" on the edge and not so noticeable. . Amateurs will NOT get it right trying to match gelcoat colors with a gelcoat repair kit....Just the way it is..

NB

EDIT: The paint I used was Badger Precice Design Model Flex...Water Based Acrylic

LIforrelaxin · 05-15-2013, 07:14 AM

Above the water line, there really isn't a concern... Fix it when you can unless there is an issue, like it is getting bigger....

Below the water line well, there are variables here..

is the boat kept in the water is the biggest one....

If it is well, the problem might get worse, and you could end up with blistering, which can lead to even more problems as I found out, and becomes a expensive fix...

If the boat is kept in the water, for how long is it in the water, a few weeks, no big deal... 6 months well then that is another story....

ITD · 05-15-2013, 07:30 AM

If it's down to the glass matting, fix it.

NHBUOY · 05-16-2013, 11:34 AM

What LI said. A quick & EZ cosmetic fix, above the waterline, is woman's nail polish & clearcoat, from the same manufacturer, works nicely.

Chaos · 05-16-2013, 12:33 PM

Spectrum Color http://www.spectrumcolor.com, has color matched gel coat repair kits for many manufacturers. Depending on the amount of repair work necessary, they have a small 2oz gel coat paste repair kit for about $27. I did this on my SeaRay 280 Sundancer a few years ago and the color match was terrific. Relatively easy to do (once you get past taking sand paper to your gel coat )

.

I have no connection to Spectrum, just have used the product and it performed great and still looks great.

Ride & Dive · 05-17-2013, 06:02 PM

Slightly below the waterline ;-)

pcmc · 05-17-2013, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaos

Spectrum Color http://www.spectrumcolor.com, has color matched gel coat repair kits for many manufacturers. Depending on the amount of repair work necessary, they have a small 2oz gel coat paste repair kit for about $27. I did this on my SeaRay 280 Sundancer a few years ago and the color match was terrific. Relatively easy to do (once you get past taking sand paper to your gel coat )

.

I have no connection to Spectrum, just have used the product and it performed great and still looks great.

I'm curious how far 2oz will go? It doesn't sound like much to be filling in cracks. Are we talking spider webbing type imperfections or someone dropped a ski and put a small chip/crack in the edge?

Thanks

Peter

05-14-2013, 05:03 PM	#1
Ride & Dive Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 56 Thanks: 41 Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Gelcoat chips Curious what the thought processes are on fixing chips in the gelcoat. Immediate issue? End of season? Above/below the waterline..... Thanks

05-14-2013, 06:19 PM	#2
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	Depends on what color the gelcoat is. I have a 20' RED 1986 runabout. I noticed a chip in the vertical "transition"... (on the edge) from the transom to the side of the boat. Outside Corners are particularly sensitive to chipping. I found a small bottle of paint at a local Hobby Shop that matched the hull color and "filled it in" ..in layers...drying in between layers... with the paint using an artists brush. The colors available at the Hobby Shop are almost infinite. It's a "mask" on the edge and not so noticeable. . Amateurs will NOT get it right trying to match gelcoat colors with a gelcoat repair kit....Just the way it is.. NB EDIT: The paint I used was Badger Precice Design Model Flex...Water Based Acrylic Last edited by NoBozo; 05-14-2013 at 06:55 PM.

05-15-2013, 07:14 AM	#3
LIforrelaxin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Island, not that one, the one on Winnipesaukee Posts: 2,827 Thanks: 1,017 Thanked 881 Times in 515 Posts	Above the water line, there really isn't a concern... Fix it when you can unless there is an issue, like it is getting bigger.... Below the water line well, there are variables here.. is the boat kept in the water is the biggest one.... If it is well, the problem might get worse, and you could end up with blistering, which can lead to even more problems as I found out, and becomes a expensive fix... If the boat is kept in the water, for how long is it in the water, a few weeks, no big deal... 6 months well then that is another story.... __________________ Life is about how much time you can spend relaxing... I do it on an island that isn't really an island.....

05-16-2013, 12:33 PM	#6
Chaos Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Danville, NH and West Alton Marina Posts: 134 Thanks: 111 Thanked 32 Times in 20 Posts	A company called Spectrum Color http://www.spectrumcolor.com, has color matched gel coat repair kits for many manufacturers. Depending on the amount of repair work necessary, they have a small 2oz gel coat paste repair kit for about $27. I did this on my SeaRay 280 Sundancer a few years ago and the color match was terrific. Relatively easy to do (once you get past taking sand paper to your gel coat ) . I have no connection to Spectrum, just have used the product and it performed great and still looks great.

05-17-2013, 06:02 PM	#7
Ride & Dive Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 56 Thanks: 41 Thanked 9 Times in 6 Posts	Slightly below the waterline ;-) Attached Images

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Ride & Dive (05-14-2013)

05-15-2013, 07:30 AM	#4
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,860 Thanks: 461 Thanked 666 Times in 366 Posts	If it's down to the glass matting, fix it.

05-16-2013, 11:34 AM	#5
NHBUOY Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Loon Mtn. winters...Meredith Neck summers Posts: 398 Thanks: 288 Thanked 94 Times in 60 Posts	What LI said. A quick & EZ cosmetic fix, above the waterline, is woman's nail polish & clearcoat, from the same manufacturer, works nicely.

The Following User Says Thank You to Ride & Dive For This Useful Post:
CTYankee (05-18-2013)