Boat gel coat cracking

I had this issue on the chine corners on my 226ssi exposed by the lift bull at the dry stack marina, but due to mold deficiency at the factory. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. I also have a mid 80s boat and have the same problem. Youll want to take care of any damage on the fiberglass first. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. Most people that use there boat eventually will develop some type of stress cracks in there gel coat. Slow impact, like getting pushed against a piling during a storm, or hitting a dock at slow speeds while docking. What nonskid did i use for this boat project and how did i apply it. Jun 12, 2016 tips for drilling through fiberglass and gelcoat. Aug 08, 2015 i will ask him what brand paint he used, i know it was different for the method he applied it. How to repair a flaking clear coat on a fiberglass boat. Thus, painted hulls are more vulnerable to chipping due to chemical reactions. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks.

Gel coat cracks 1996 javelin 400 te bass boat page. Only use gel to repair, trying to re gel an entire boat is not the way to do a color change like that, paint is your friend in this arena and if done properly you will have many years of service out of it. Tough to say if these cracks are limited to just the gel coat, or if they involve the laminate under. Where the gel coat layer is too thick, as we often see in areas of a molded boat where it can easily accumulate such as corners or radii, the shrinking gel coat may. 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. Its a hellava lot of work, and after about three years, it started getting dull, turning loose and flaking off. Some dealers have told me that its gel coat shrinkage that causes the cracking. Yes, keep tape the clear packing tape works good over the cracks as moisture soaking in can result in further gel. 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. Painted hulls are especially resistant to cracking and peeling, but marine paint has less chemical stability, which makes it less durable than gelcoat finish.

Im a bit handy but kind of terrified of cracking a big piece and messing my. But gelcoat is very brittle and has no strength to it. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks. The question i have is about the 07 wakesetter i have just purchased. Most of the roughstuff is removed, along with the shoddy repairs to the bow. Gelcoat crack and crazing repair moderated discussion areas.

Any tips on how to drill through the fiberglass and gelcoat. For certain, they reflect the parts flexing to a greater degree than the material can take without cracking. 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 polyurethane. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. It is nevertheless important to establish the origins of any crazing in the gel coat to try to prevent it happening. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. It has gel coat cracking all the way along the side of the boat underneath the. The good news is that, unlike crazing which happens randomly all over the boat, stress cracking can be fixed by. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat.

Discussion in general discussion started by unclebob, jan 26, 2009. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. This allows the newly laid molded boat part to pop out once cured. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. My issues were much more severe, but flawless after repair. Polyester gelcotes will not chemically bond to epoxy. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boat life. We can add to this another factor, and that is the intended cured hardness. Gel coat cracking is the result of some kind of induced stress. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat.

Most of the time they are just cracks in the finish and do not bother the structural integrity. 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. A prior owner had fixed a few with evercoat gel coat scratch patch gel. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Structural damage, caused by manufactures build process is different than the gel coat cracking. I had a white fg boat a few years back, cant remember the name of it but it looked like a hard boiled egg with a broken shell. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised. Jul 27, 2015 i sprayed and new clear gel coat on a stratos 285 pro and i will never gel coat another.

The gel coat is cosmetic, however the only way to crack the gelcoat would be a significant amount of movement of the structure below. I had this issue on the chine corners on my 226ssi exposed by the. This is caused by impact to the hull, manufacturer error in too thick gelcoat and bending around forward bulkheads. Sometimes, they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate, which in many cases is cored. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gel coat of a boat. Boat polishing guide restoring gelcoat to a perfect finish. The tape will help to ensure that your fresh layer of resin doesnt go too far across the surface. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat.

New to boating and going to fix up some cracks and holes on it for the first time. First of all gel coat is a polyester resin, and therefore is capable of absorbing moisture. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners club. Yes, keep tape the clear packing tape works good over the cracks as moisture soaking in can result in further gel coat cracking, or even chipping away from the laminate. Thus, painted hulls are more vulnerable to chipping. A twopart system consisting of polyester resin and catalyst, gelcoats the first thing into the mold during manufacture. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. 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. Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gel coat of boats. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. How much does it cost to regelcoat the entire exterior. Only use gel to repair, trying to regel an entire boat is not the way to do a color change like that.

It has alot of small cracks through out the gel coat on the top cap of the boat. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it, either by thickening with more fiberglass, replacing coring materials, or adding structure. Oct 11, 2017 repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. I was shown where the last bottom paint job was applied over the previous bottom coat by the prior owner.

Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks and. 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. Jan 21, 2020 epoxy filler, although a great product is not suitable for a gelcote top coat. It hid the fact that the gel coat below the water line is blistering, cracking and flaking off. It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. I sprayed and new clear gel coat on a stratos 285 pro and i will never gel coat another. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. Dec 02, 2014 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.

Hull gel coat cracks if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. Vertical fissures sounds like stress cracking rather than simple crazing. Gel coat is a wonderful durable substance for protection and appearance on a boat but it is not particularly flexible, and it can shrink. He uses a rotary tool to grind the crack down to the fiberglass, then he fills it. Sep, 2011 one of the things i had thought about was to have her professionally painted. The good news is that, unlike crazing which happens randomly all over the boat, stress cracking can be fixed by indentifying and fixing the source of the stress,a nd then repairing the gel coat. Gel coat cracking malibu boats general discussion area. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which plague countless boaters. Aside from the durable shiny luster gelcoat adds to any fiberglass boat, most.

I have clear coated it a couple of times but the clear keeps sinking down into the cracks giving me a textured surface. I was shown where the last bottom paint job was applied. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after. Gel coats that are harder than others are more durable, but they also have the down side of being more brittle and prone to cracking. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. After allowing the gel coat to cure overnight, you can smooth the area out with sandpaper, clean out the sanded area, and then both prime and paint the fiberglass if the colors off. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. When i was looking at boats, all of the cracks were around the tower legs and near the swim platform. So far neither the factory nor my dealer have been able to tell me what the problem.

If the gel coat is allowed to degrade the process seems to hasten. To fix, you can reapply gelcoat or prep the surface and preferably paint. I bought a stellar s18 advantage last fall and have paddled it about a dozen times. These are cosmetic repairs, but they can add significant value and enjoyment to your boat. Youll want to take care of any damage on the fiberglass first so you have a smooth surface to apply the gelcoat to. Using the correct design, equipment, technique and materials, it is not difficult to obtain perfect results using contact moulding, particularly after some experience has. Think againnow its time to start over and give the boat a second coating of wax or polish, because one coat is never enough to bring out that awesome shine were looking for. Gel coat hardened too quickly or with improper curing temperatures and conditions can also promote.

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to register for an account. Crownline utilizes armourcoat gel coats for many years with success from the standpoint of little to no gel coat cracking, good colour retention and few to no hull blistering or osmosis. It seems like the boat was more gel coat than glass. Have you fallen behind on your boat maintenance schedule. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques, follow a few simple rules to help you complete this job. After waxing the mold thoroughly, a polyesterbased material called gelcoat is sprayed on every square inch of the mold. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners. If the gel coat cracks are on a bass boat, that is a common occurrence. 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 next step is to follow the compounding with a finishing material boat polish in order to get a glossy, bright finish. We are working hard to ship as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety of our associates. Your gel coat will be the first part of the vessel to show visible signs of your. The pop out is a more common issue and easily fixed, normally the result of an air void between the fiberglass and gel coat. Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. May 17, 2015 hey guys, i have a 96 champion 191 boat. In this report, they offer the magic fix for hairline gelcoat cracks. The fiberglass can take a lot of that flexing and twisting, but the. When the boat flexes and twists, the fiberglass flexes and twists and so does the gel coat. For certain, they reflect the parts flexing to a greater degree than the. Gel cracking isnt always a sign of structural failure though. Note that most boat builders will not tell you or do not have in their literature what gelcoat they have chosen. Your gel coat may be tough, but it will succumb to the constant battering of the marine environment over time. The weakest link is the gel coat exagerated by the structural issues that rtk mentioned and the result is cracking in varied forms.

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. Gel coat repair bass boats, canoes, kayaks and more bass. Boat builders start with a permanent fiberglass mold that is supported by metal on the outside to make it. Why do i get stress cracks or crazing in my gelcoat. My 40 year old boat has multiple gel coat faults on the deck moulding including one small non stress area where there is alligator flaking like yours. First you have to understand gel coat is intended to be applied first to a well prepped, polished surface, like inside a mold. Aug 05, 2008 vertical fissures sounds like stress cracking rather than simple crazing. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. Jun 25, 2018 step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean with a solvent like acetone and, using a plastic putty knife, flushfill it with gelcoat matched to the color of the surrounding area if the channel isnt too deep. This page will outline the multiple types of cosmetic repairs that you can make on your boat. May 05, 2015 the pop out is a more common issue and easily fixed, normally the result of an air void between the fiberglass and gel coat. If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gel coat layers than newer boats. To fill in damaged areas, start by sanding them with coarse 36 grit sandpaper to remove any.

There is some small cracks in the gel coat eminating from the screws used to secure the deck rigging. Dec 16, 2015 crownline utilizes armourcoat gel coats for many years with success from the standpoint of little to no gel coat cracking, good colour retention and few to no hull blistering or osmosis. If the gel coat is thick in this corner as is often the case, the gel coat is more prone to cracking. To maintain your gel coat and your hulls integrity, follow this simple gel coat repair guide. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the re. Keeping the boat covered eliminates it almost entirely.

We wont go into great detail here, but suffice it to say that stress cracks occur because of voids under the surface of the gelcoat, and or a lack of strength in the underlying fiberglass or compounds used in the sub structure of the boat. Dont really know for sure, but most all boats seem to get some gel coat cracking. 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. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this.

Gel coat repair bass boats, canoes, kayaks and more. As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact. One of the things i had thought about was to have her professionally painted. Skeeters warranty is for the fiberglass, not for the gel coat. Jan 26, 2009 i switched to a 36 flapper disk and that took it off faster, but i had to be real careful and could only remove about 2 strips at one time. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. The boat is in pretty good condition for its age in my opinion, but the hull does have some minor hairline stress cracks. I will ask him what brand paint he used, i know it was different for the method he applied it. 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. Want more ways to clean, maintain, and repair your boat. The clear exterior coat on fiberglass boats is formed by a substance known as gelcoat. Gelcoat repair west marine boat parts, sailing, kayaks. Thus, when popped from the female mold, the gelcoat becomes the exterior finish.

Unlike gel coat, marine paint requires additional preparation before application. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. When i was looking at boats, all of the cracks were around the tower legs and near the swim platform brackets. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often. Its a hellava lot of work, and after about three years, it started getting dull, turning loose and flaking off when bumped.