Gel coat fix advice
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34801
Printed Date: November-17-2024 at 9:29am
Topic: Gel coat fix advice
Posted By: rebel skier
Subject: Gel coat fix advice
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 2:23pm
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I have been reading and lurking. What a great site! I recently adopted a 1985 Ski Nautique. As I plan my winter lay up I have a couple of questions I could use help with. The first is with the crack at the port side bottom of the side of the hull. Here is a pic:  and  Question 1: How urgent is it to fix this? Am I causing damage by using the boat like this. I hope to use the boat until mid-November, when they lower the local lake and the slalom course comes out. Question 2: I have found the spectrum color warm grey in a quart size but it says it is for an 87-98 correct craft. Will this color be close enough, even though mine is an 1985? Question 3: Am I assuming correct that the right fix is just to layer in the spectrum color gel coat? Question 4: Is there any advantage to putting the gel coat repair on this section prior to the 5 month winter lay up? Will that help the repair be stronger? If so, do I wait and wet sand after winter layup? Thanks a ton. Here is another pic.  I assume this occurred because of hitting that pole when retrieving. The original owner I know repaired this section one other time. I plan to get some pads on those poles after re-doing the duck tape section so I do not tear up the pads from the inside out. Thanks in advance, Richard |
Replies:
Posted By: NAUTIQUEjunky
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 2:46pm
Spectrum is usually a perfect match..The right way to fix that would be to sand around all the missing Gel and feather it out 3-4in past where the damage is.. From the looks of it you will need to apply some resin over those bare strands showing because the gel isnt gonna lay down over that rough area. its needs to be as smooth as possible before you get to the gelcoat process..go get a cheap hvlp gun and make sure the tip is at least a 1.8 or bigger..Spray 3 coats building to 2-3mils adding wax additive to the last coat. Wetsand and buff and admire your work  ------------- 1977 MasterCraft Stars&Stripes 1994 Ski Nautique 2000 Super Air Nautique 1986 Ski Nautique 2001 1999 Sport Nautique gt40 current |
Posted By: rebel skier
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 5:11pm
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Thanks for the response. So first I build it up with the fiberglass resin. With you advice on getting a hvlp gun, that is for the gel coat? I would hope I can rent one. Is this a critical repair. Are those fibers that are showing porous and am I hurting the boat? |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 6:40pm
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The chances of matching a prepackaged gel are slim to none. I just bought some for my 95 and while others have had luck mine was darker than the original gel. I personally would just add the gel to where you need it rather than try to build it up with resin. Can't use epoxy,polyester which is what gel is made from does not like adhering to epoxy. No need to spray either , I use the screwdriver I mixed it with. Spread it on like using a putty knife use tape to hold it in place,remove when dry and use a sanding block. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 6:42pm
Here are the pic's from this spring-    ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: Morfoot
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 6:56pm
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If it were me, I'd mix up a little bit of resin and use an cheap paint/acid brush and soak those exposed fibers. Once it cures then lightly hit it with some sandpaper to smooth it out a bit then use it till you're ready to tackle the whole job. Doing so will prevent it from getting worse an sanding the edges of the gel will help prevent water pressure from using the boat from flaking off any more damaged areas. Nice Boat! 
You should have been saving all those popsicle sticks after the ice cream man pays your neighborhood and visit and use those. You'd have a stock pile by now! ------------- "Morfoot; He can ski. He can wakeboard.He can cook chicken.He can create his own self-named beverage, & can also apparently fly. A man of many talents."72 Mustang "Kermit",88 SN Miss Scarlett, 99 SN "Sherman" |
Gary S wrote:Posted By: rebel skier
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 7:18pm
| Any particular resin you all favor? I see 3M bondo come in a fairly small amount. |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 7:44pm
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Not to hijack this thread, but I just filled in 2 small nicks that happened after my disastrous re-gel and it seems to be taking a long time to cure. I applied the gel yesterday around 1 in the afternoon and it's still tacky this evening when I just checked it. I even hit it lightly with the heat gun yesterday evening since that side of the boat was in the shade and the gel still wet. The repair was about half the size of a dime and the other was just a small nick. Is this taking too long to cure or is this normal? ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 7:49pm
Did you add wax to the gel? ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 7:51pm
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No wax added. I just used what the gelcoat guy left me in the gallon can. I scuffed and feathered the area, degreased it, then dabbed in some gel. ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 7:52pm
For big structural jobs like a stringer replacement, epoxy is best. For your repair, use polyester since you are going over it with gel. Gel doesn't stick to epoxy unless a conversion coat of polyvinyl is used first. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: Gary S
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 9:44pm
I did but trouble is Tim being on fixed income I have to reuse them. Then my Popsicles taste funny. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=1711&sort=&pagenum=1&yrstart=1966&yrend=1970" rel="nofollow - 69 Mustang HM SS 95 Nautique Super Sport |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 10:09pm
JP, It will never cure. You need to use a catalyst and wax. ------------- /diaries/details.asp?ID=1622" rel="nofollow - 54 Atom /diaries/details.asp?ID=2179" rel="nofollow - 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete < |
Posted By: JPASS
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 10:16pm
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OK. Makes sense. Is this something I can get at my local West Marine? I can easily wipe out the gel that's in there now and redo it. Thanks for the heads up. ------------- '92 Correctcraft Ski Nautique |
Posted By: Hollywood
Date Posted: October-20-2014 at 11:28pm
87-89 "warm gray" is much darker than what you have which is simply called "gray". Use the '84 brochure. This gray looks darker than it really is. ------------- |