Gelcoat Cracking

[greggd]

My vote goes to Marine Tex. You may have to cover the area with wax paper afer you apply the Marine Tex and figgure a way to hold it to the surface. Marine Tex tend to run until it sets up. After it hardens it is like steel.

Sorry if I am going about this all wrong. I am new to this site and fairly new to boating. I do have a old Whitehouse boat that was given to me that I would like to restore. One of the things that I noticed is that the gelcoat has cracks in it all over the boat. Do I need to route these cracks out and fill them with something or do I need to grind them out? Like I said, this is all new to me, so I was hoping I could get some good advice on restoring this boat and maybe there is someone out there that has a Whitehouse boat that is restored. There are no seats, stearing, gauges or windshield on this boat. Can anyone point me to the information so that I know what it is supposed to look like?

 

[QC]

Re: Gelcoat Cracking

Welcome aboard greggd!!!

To get this the most exposure and proper focus I have started your own thread and moved it to our Restoration section. There are some Gelcoat whizzes over here and I am sure they can get you headed in the right direction. Good luck!!!

 

[Beefer]

Re: Gelcoat Cracking

I think the only way to properly fix this, would be to re-gel coat it. This also depends on the extent of the cracking, but sounds like it's throughout.

I'm envisioning either you patching in the small areas that you chip away with your knife filled with Marine Tex, and then next year when the rest of the gel coat falls off, you'll be left with checkerboard MT all over your hull, and you'll be back asking the best way to get it off.

I'd sand the gel coat down, and re-apply with new. More expensive, but doing it right is less-expensive in the long run.

 

[greggd]

Re: Gelcoat Cracking

Thanks for putting me where I needed to be. Even though I work on computers, I don't do this kind of stuff on one.

I want to do it right. If I sand it down do I prime it before I apply new gelcoat? Sorry for the dumb questions, but if it was a car, I'd know a little more about what to do, but it's my first attempt at a boat. Can gelcoat be purchased at an automotive store that specializes in paints and primers?

Thanks,

Greggd

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Gelcoat Cracking

Welcome to iBoats!

www.USComposites.com is a good source for Gelcoat supplies. Prices are good. You might be able to find it locally by asking around at you local boat shops etc...

I'm just sayin...