R 22

Rhodes 22

 

Gelcoat Repair

I have a number of scratches and a couple of gouges on the hull. One is pretty deep...not into the fiberglass, but deep into the gelcoat. I'd like to patch them right away. Do any of you have favorite materials and techniques? Ideally, I'd like to color-match as much as possible to avoid painting the boat. Does that gel-coat repair kit work, and how difficult is it to match the standard "GB Blue"?

Doug


Matching the blue will be tough. The gelcoat repair kit should do the trick. The key is in testing a few times to get the right color. You’re dealing with epoxy resin, so be careful not to get any drips on the boat. Also, factor in the time limit due to the hardening agent. When you’re testing for color match also keep track of elapsed time for hardening based on the number of drops of the hardening agent you put in the resin.

If your scratches and especially the gouges are not even cuts, you may want to even up your gouges. One trick is to use an old soda/can opener. Run the can side (the end shaped like a V for like a Hi-C Fruit Punch Can) though the gouges to even them out. Remember to remove the boat wax from that area and sand a little around the edge of the gouges.

Depending on how well you match the color will determine how good it looks. However, you will still have good, permanent repairs, even if the color is off a tad.

Steve

PS - If you don't mind the color gray, I have seen people use JB Weld for the fix and then apply some touch up paint to match the required color. This method is extremely easy but is usually noticeable.

web page developed by Logic Unlimited, Inc.

1