Sanding chipped gel coat

[180Diablo]

Just wondering about some suggestions for what grades of sand paper I should be using to sand down the gel coat scratch that I have on my boat.

Whatever the previous owner hit with it, it went right through the gelcoat layers down to fibreglass, but there appears to be zero damage on the fibreglass layer. So what I'am left with is, loose chips of gelcoat being held together by the pin-striping. I also dont want any water to get in between the layers and separate the gelcoat farther.

I figured I could just use my dremel and sand it down to smooth it down, so I could fill it with after with some Evercoat gelcoat repair (the tube stuff). But I wondered if I should really be using different grades of sandpaper rather then whatever sanding bits are available for a dremel.

Attached is a pic of the area. Scratch is 4.0 in x 0.3in (or say about 100mm x 6mm). So its not a very big area.

thanks

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

That damage looks like he hit a nail on a dock rather than something he did trying to repair something.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Water will have no effect on the gel coat bond to the resin, but it is easy to fix. You can buy gel coat already color matched to your boat and the kit will come with instructions on how to do a good job. Look on line for gel coat repair kits, if you can't find it color matched already then just re-post and let me know.

 

[Coors]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Start with 400, then 600, 1200, 1600 to finish.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

That damage looks like he hit a nail on a dock rather than something he did trying to repair something.

Agreed, because of the swoop of the gash, it looks like it was a nail or something similar to a nail that would simulate the damage. It would almost have to be a large spike to do damage like that. I wonder how many 4 letter words the guy was using when he did that... lol.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Water will have no effect on the gel coat bond to the resin, but it is easy to fix. You can buy gel coat already color matched to your boat and the kit will come with instructions on how to do a good job. Look on line for gel coat repair kits, if you can't find it color matched already then just re-post and let me know.

Well this is the tube that I currently have:
http://www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=102

I was considering getting a 2nd tube in case I needed it. I had originally purchased an Expoxy Resin "kit". But once I took another look at the gouge, then I realized that the resin kit was more for severe damaged fibreglass repairs. So I will be returning the kit.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Start with 400, then 600, 1200, 1600 to finish.

Hmm, so if I start with the 400 and finish with the 1600, would I be filling in the gouge after im done using the 1600? Wouldn't it be better to have a rough surface for the gelcoat repair to adhere to? I'm not trying to wet sand the area, just looking to rough up the loose chips so that the gelcoat repair stuff I have would adhere to the boat.

 

[Windykid]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Yes you are correct, 1600 is when the repair has been made.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/02.htm

Hmmm, just came across this webpage. This looks basically what im hoping to do.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

The phone # for pre matched gel coat repair kits is.

Spectrum Colors 253 735 1830

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

The phone # for pre matched gel coat repair kits is.

Spectrum Colors 253 735 1830

Thanks for the #, however i'm not really up to paying long distance fees to call the states

Im sure my marine parts store can get getcoat complete kits as well.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

I never even looked at where you live.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

I never even looked at where you live.

heh, no worries man. Ontario, canada.

I got onto google and started searching webpages to see what I came up with, basically they all say approx the same information. But somehow I think the steps involved I might get in over my head. Unless this tube stuff just happens to work. But for some reason the "quick and easy" method I cant really see working.

Right now the boat is in storage, but scheduled to come out this weekend. So once the boat is out, it may be a little bit harder to try and work on it in full sun and while floating. I may even just find some kind of tape and use that for now.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Instead of worrying about matching the color, just use white and widen your pinstripe a bit!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Don't stress over it, it's actually very easy to do.

The first step of getting it filled shouldn't take much more than half an hour.

After it's filled and hard it may take another hour to sand and buff it.

Or like B58 said, cover that area with a sticker or new tape line.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

time to rehash an older forum post of mine ...

Basically what I did was, I brought down my cordless dremel to the dock and cleaned up that gash as best as I could, using the sanding drum that was provided with my dremel kit. I used the less coarse grit sandpaper and sanded down the edges. Had to pause every so often while it bobbed up and down from passing boaters wake (its on a river). I have completely filled it in, but im sure I will have to do a touch up next weekend to raise it up. Then either get some green paint or pinstriping and .. done! .. lol

I still have a majority of the tube still for future use.

 

[mikeyt]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

Hey Diablo

I have a '96 Shabah 180 that i use up by Pointe Au Baril. Have you had any luck in finding parts for the Mariah here in Ontario? Specifically i'm looking for some windshield rubber (holds the glass within the frame) and i'm not having much luck.

 

[180Diablo]

Re: Sanding chipped gel coat

MikeyT: have you tried calling up Pride of Muskoka? They are a Mariah dealership and I have picked up some vent louvres and some mariah emblems for my boat, but nothing else so far. Im sure the louvres I could have picked up from a local marine supply store however.

Art's Recreational Supply down near my cottage (Sparrow Lake) is where I get my parts from.