Gelcoat is a hard polyester resin coating that is applied over structural fiberglass to provide a smooth, glossy protective surface that improves appearance. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Malibu had used two different colors of white in 2002. Nov 29, 2018 i ground out the cracks using a dremmel tool, then filled the cracks with color matched gelcoat material from spectrum color. The west solution to hydrolysis is to hog out all the blisters and starcracked areas, fill in with resin, and then coat the entire hull with epoxy resin. Solid surface repair kits are also available, but some deep cracks require a.
For more detailed information please visit my website for a full writeup. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find. Unless you can stop the flexing, youre wasting your time fixing the cracks. Brush the gelcoat onto the fiberglass using short vertical strokes. As the cometic component of the laminate gelcoat provides little structural value. When gelcoat is dry, sand the surface flush with the surrounding surface. Scratches are by far the most common damage to fiberglass boats. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the.
This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. You may be able to use a twopart epoxy to fix some cracks. Mar 09, 2015 we, as the rv body shop, did a great job getting out the spider cracks in the paint jobgel coating in the rear. The problem with opening up stress cracks and repairing them is that it will more than likely be a cosmetic problem due to excessive gelcoat. If your gelcoat is heavily oxidized, you might need to start out with rubbing compound and then follow up with successively finer grades of polish. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the existing damage. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth. I did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. Yea thats why im leaning towards a more covered up application. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Jul 24, 2006 i did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. Check out our new website its pretty flippin awesome. Next, gouge out small, narrow cracks and scratches that are too deep to remove with rubbing compound until they are wide enough to fill with. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for.
How to buff gelcoat how to restore gelcoat new rvbasics. If you really want to make quicker work of restoring badly oxidized gelcoat, dont mess with a buffer. This was going to be just a post on how to bring the gelcoat back, but having sat down and thinking about it. Diy gel coat spider cracks microskiff dedicated to the. 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. Also pigments dont buff out to a high gloss, resin does, so as you reduce the amount of pigment the gloss can be higher. Jun 25, 2018 there are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Wetsand the cured gelcoat with 320grit wetdry paper on a soft sanding block. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. Jul 17, 2017 cracked resin solid surface sinks should be repaired right away to prevent leaks. They do however have some hairline spider cracks that i dont want coming back. The fiberglass under the gelcoat has been compromised, too much flex will cause the gelcoat to crack, these will typically be spider cracks.
Solid surface repair kits are also available, but some deep cracks require a professional to fix the damage. Im considering it might be worth just rolling and tipping the exterior of the boat from the rub rail up. Spider cracks impact from laminate side of part check handling and demolding process. I found a bunch of spider cracks on the bottom of the boat. Gelcoat sprays pretty rough, which means you will need to wet sand it smooth and then buff with compound. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats.
Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean. You spray blue gelcoat in the mold, and glass to it. In the case of very fresh, shallow crazing, sanding alone may remove some or all of the cracks. Evercoat gelkote one step finish gel coat repair white. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it. Parts pulled too soon ensure a proper cure before pulling part. Also, gelcoat shrinks over time and exposure to the sun makes the effects worse. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy.
Bear in mind that each time these products are used, some of the gelcoat is removed. Grind the cracks out and pay attention to gelcoat thickness and the general binding of the gelcoat to the fiberglass layup. Boat polishing guide restoring gelcoat to a perfect finish. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass. The individual areas to be repaired spider cracks, chips, gouges, chunks, etc. The outer surface of a fiberglass panel is normally a special resin called gelcoat.
Expensive and not necessary, if you dry the boat out. Buffing, rubbingout, or fine wet sanding 600 grit can polish out some levels of surface crazing. In my opinion, the correct repair would be to regelcoat. Maybe the gelcoat has been damaged from being stored in the sun over the years by the previous owner. Apr 10, 2007 you can sand down the area a little bit, then place a little gelcoat in its place, wetsand it down and buff it out, it might come out ok, but if you want to get rid of the cracks completely, youll have to sand the entire area down and take some time, spread gelcoat, wetsand, spread, wetsand, and buff a ton. I ground out the cracks using a dremmel tool, then filled the cracks with color matched gelcoat material from spectrum color. Whaler central boston whaler boat information and photos. Widening is done because most topcoats new gelcoat, primer for paint, epoxy overlay, fairing compound wont wick into the extremely thin cracks, they only bridge them.
There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Cracked resin solid surface sinks should be repaired right away to prevent leaks. For dependable results from wax or polish, the gelcoat surface must be free of oil and grease. Most of these little headaches do not penetrate through the gelcoat. Discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by midcap, nov 11, 2014. Then fill the cracks with a polyester filler and let it cure for about 10 minutes before sanding again. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Clear coat applicationspider crack questions dont see why you couldnt clear coat gel coat many fiberglass hulls get coated with two part lpu coatings.
Every spring we get tons of calls about buffing and the boat polishwax process, and everyone wants to know what we recommend. The solution to spider cracking is to buff out the cracks and sand the gelcoat smooth again, and reapply new gelcoat. I have worked on many boats with spider cracks, the best method i have used is a dremel tool to gouge the cracks and fill them with a gelcoat paste made with gelcoat and glass bubbles works wonders, as for sand paper you will have to change grits as you sand and fill. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee. Does anyone know a way these can be filled and look close to new again without much expense. Surface scratches can be buffed out of gelcoat with polishing compound, but deep scratches must be filled. The panel isnt sufficiently supported, allowing it to wobble causing the paint or gelcoat to crack. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. In such cases, grinding off the gelcoat for wholesale refinishing is the best approach. When the gelcoat surrounding a scratch is in good condition, the filler of choice is gelcoat paste, which provides both filler and finish in a single application but not a single step. I just did some more sanding and a new bunch of spider cracks almost overlapping about 4 inches in length and one wide just started up and yet another one about 6 inches from that. The gelcoat seals the fiberglass and can be left alone or painted over. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. Cracks can also spread out and further damage the sink.
If they really bother you, they can be repaired or minimized with ease. Gel coat is easy to use and looks great when finished. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can. In other words flex agent additives can be a tad tougher to work with and dont necessarily buff out quite as easily as just straight urethane and may just be. To apply the gelcoat with a brush, dip the brush in the gelcoat so theres a liberal amount of gelcoat on it. This short and sweet video will show you in detail, how to remove scratches from your boats gelcoat.
Rubbing compound contains small particles in it that help buff out a surface and make it smoother and shinier. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. I have an area where i have spider cracks in the fiberglass near the engine cover door. It appears that the gelcoat was probably not waxed for many years and is beat by the sun and has some crazing and spider cracks. Fixing them can involve more than just slapping on some gelcoat, however, and that is where we come in. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. This will allow for a 5 10 mil thickness reduction, leaving around 20 25 mils after polish. Hairline fix is the easiest, most durable way to repair scratches, scrapes, stress cracks, spider fractures, and crazing in fiberglass and gelcoat surfaces. When only bridged the cracks reappear in a short period of time. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. Feb 08, 2016 in this video i cover the materials and techniques i use for restoring and maintaining the gelcoat finish on a boat.
Fixing gel coat spider cracks 2002 malibu vlx fiberglass. We, as the rv body shop, did a great job getting out the spider cracks in the paint jobgel coating in the rear. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. Especially with the production polyester fiberglass, the gelcoat protects against weakening of the fiberglass laminate from water intrusion. The procedure is quick, as in minutes, and when complete you will never know there were cracks. I have restored a few fiberglass motor boats and this is what you need to do, no good way around it.
Learn how to remove gelcoat by following a few simple steps. Boat polishing guide restoring gelcoat to a perfect finish time to polish and wax your boat. They almost look like they originate from the center of a spider web. Before we get started, well assume your boat is out of the water or on a trailer, because its virtually impossible to restore a faded gelcoat hull while a boat is in the water. Oct 30, 2014 this short and sweet video will show you in detail, how to remove scratches from your boats gelcoat. Any heavier than 25 mils and youll run the risk of spider cracks in a few years. Ive personally tried two of the most popular of the lotmagicezy hairline fix and captain tolleys creeping crack cureand, although.
Fiberglass comes out of the mold painted the color its going to remain. That how they keep the gelcoat from sticking to the mold. Something like a thickened paintthinned out gel coat so that it will fill the voids after scrapped out and then blend in with the surrounding areas and not be able to see the lines from the od spider cracks. Gel coat over cured laminate gel coat the same day. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. I flew up to tokyo yesterday and back on the 15th, so will take some pics for ya then. The issue with the spider webbing or cracks stems from a manufacturer defect. Sand the fiberglass down until theres no shine left, so you know the gelcoats surface has been removed.
Apr 26, 2017 yea thats why im leaning towards a more covered up application. Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. They can be caused by almost anything branches on the riverbank to grocery carts in parking lots. Sorry to say, the only real way to get rid of these spider cracks, is to grind them off and spray on new gelcoat. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. To fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat gelcoat. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. Daniel wet sands his own chaparral and removes a cluster of scratches.
Aug 27, 2012 i have lots of hair line cracks in the gelcoat. 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 enough to fill the small void and then buff out easy. They seem to appear out of nowhere, and for no reason. Therefore, care should be taken to use the least aggressive product that will get the job done. After washing, wipe the surface with a rag soaked in mek preferred or acetone, turning the rag often and replace it when you run out of clean areas. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gelcoat down to the fiberglass. Jan 21, 2020 apply the gelcoat using a brush if youre covering a small area. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Magicezy hairline fix quickly and easily repairs gelcoat cracks on your boatwithout having to grind them out. As far as how they did in detail, not 100% sure, just know they laid down a sheet on another area that can take the pattern, then pull off in a couple days, then spray the gel and then apply a sheet of fibre. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. Confining work to the immediate repair area, continue wetsanding with 600grit paper until nearly even with surrounding gelcoat. The highest quality iso npg marine finish gel coat to permanently repair or replace original, highglass finish.
Also there is a hole in front where it looks like it hit or rubbed something for a long time. Thick gelcoat cracks under minor flex where thinner will not. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. Buff the compound into the fiberglass surface in a circular motion until the. Theyre not affecting the integrity of the boat, so dont stress out pun intended if you have a few.
In this video i cover the materials and techniques i use for restoring and maintaining the gelcoat finish on a boat. Apply gelcoat with a putty knife or plastic spreader. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. Avoid spreading the gelcoat too thin or youll get stroke marks. These cracks do not affect the structural integrity of the. Fiberglass fenders, need advicehairline crack repair. Fit your dremel with a silicon carbide or tungsten carbide bit, in a bullet or cone shape. It also repairs cracks in ceramic tiles and scratches on household appliances. Nov 15, 2018 spider cracks are a thorn in many boaters side. Are spider cracks not usually just cracks in the gelcoat. Structural cracks in fiberglass happen because something damaged the pool, and they can always be repaired. 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.