Cracks in dash gelcoat
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=46848
Printed Date: November-15-2024 at 2:50pm
Topic: Cracks in dash gelcoat
Posted By: mattradintz
Subject: Cracks in dash gelcoat
Date Posted: September-27-2018 at 12:21pm
Does any one know how to repair these minute cracks in my dash gel? Can I just sand them down and paint over the? 
|
Replies:
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: September-27-2018 at 12:54pm
| Wet sand and buff, they’ll become 70% less noticeable. Paint is almost always discouraged, the cracks are likely to telegraph through eventually if not individually repaired and fully prepped. |
Posted By: mattradintz
Date Posted: September-27-2018 at 2:13pm
| The cracks almost seem superficial,they aren't everywhere on the dash. Almost looks like from sun exposure. |
Posted By: mattradintz
Date Posted: September-27-2018 at 2:58pm
|
I just found this.... Gelcoat Crazing By Don Casey Revised by BoatUS editors in April 2012 Star-crazing-fiberglass If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing (sometimes called alligatoring). The easiest repair method is to sand the surface heavily and roll on two coats of epoxy primer followed by two coats of two-part linear polyurethane. The epoxy fills and seals the cracks, and the polyurethane restores the color and gloss. If you don't want to use paint, you can grind away most of the crazed gelcoat and replace it with a fresh application of color-matching gelcoat paste. What won't work is to "paint" over the crazing with new gelcoat. The gelcoat will bridge the cracks rather than filling them, and the crazing will soon return. By the way, localized crazing (as opposed to all over the boat) is almost always due to flexing of the underlying laminate. In this case, you must stiffen the affected area before you can successfully repair the crazing. Don Casey has been one of the most consulted experts on boat care and upgrades for 30 years, and is one of the BoatUS Magazine's panel of experts. He and his wife cruise aboard their 30-footer part of the year in the eastern Caribbean. His books include Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual, and the recently updated This Old Boat, the bible for do-it-yourself boaters. |
Posted By: 8122pbrainard
Date Posted: September-27-2018 at 3:49pm
|
Matt, I disagree with Don regarding your dash problem being caused by flexing of the laminate. Go for Tim's repair method of a wet sand and buff. ------------- /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 < |