What type of repair? Hull gelcoat

[Wxguru]

Good evening everyone. New poster here. Just picked up a 1992 Crownline 196BR. Kept dry docked at a marina for most of its life when not in use. Overall immaculate and well cared for.

I did crawl underneath boat and discovered a chunk of gelcoat missing. Doesnt look like it bugged the fiberglass. Still feels solid. Size is about a quarter.
This is back left of boat...about 3 feet from the back edge. And nearly evenly centered between center of hull and left edge.

Should I clean this up good and just re-gelcoat or use Marine Tex, or what.
First time boat owner but mechanically inclined. Dont want to mess it up...and this time of year hard to find someone who isnt backlogged with work.

Thanks!

 

[AShipShow]

Looks like you broke into the glass a bit... also appears to be on the chine or a strake... I would grind it out a bit down to clean fiberglass and build up with glass before gelcoating the repair

 

[Wxguru]

I do have a fiberglass kit on hand, so will have to get some gelcoat for it.
by chance, is the gelcoat kit for tubs/showers tou can find at Lowes/Home Depot the same gelcoat?
Probably a dumb question but gotta ask. I can get that tomorrow if it is....if not, will need to order some.

Sand out 1/2" or so around and bevel correct?

 

[harringtondav]

This is a fairly simple repair that you should do. Problem is "the right" way is simple but requires larger quantities of materials than you need for this patch repair.

Angle grind to level and bevel out. Fairing filler powder added to epoxy/resin and swiped over just beneath the hole's surface. Wipe off the excess fairing compound with acetone or lacquer thinner to your gel coat bevel. Use a kinda close matched gel coat patch to fill flush. Sand until the contour matches. This is an non-visual so you don't have to be too fussy.

 

[tpenfield]

Match 'n Patch . . .

http://www.iboats.com/shop/evercoat-match-n-patch-gelcoat-repair-kit.html

Should be no problem.

 

[Wxguru]

Appreciate the replies so far.


Trying to work smarter not harder here. I can source a tub/bath gelcoat repair kit locally at home depot. Does gelcoat vary that much?
Get today vs. Waiting into next week for the material.

Is all gelcoat created equal?

 

[AShipShow]

No reason to not wait a couple days for a product to ship to you... I know, I'm impatient too and always will go pick something up if I can, but this is a case you want to buy materials that are designed to do what you want...
do it right the first time, not the second or third..

 

[JASinIL2006]

I'm facing a gelcoat repair, too, and I looked at those tub repair kits. I never could figure out if they were the same as the marine kits, so I decided to bit the bullet and wait for the proper stuff to be shipped to me. I hate waiting for stuff, but I hate re-doing work even more!

 

[Wxguru]

Picked up some Evercoat Gel-Kote today. So going to grind, bevel, clean, fiberglass, sand, clean, Gel-Kote this weekend.

I have another spot on a corner that I need to look at as well. Looks to be covered in some sort of caulk...Marine 5200 maybe?

This is on the port side....just under the back edge of boat. Wonder if previous owner backed it into a post. I cant tell if that is all the way thru or if it is just a darker fiberglass on that corner underneath or what is going on there. No clue if they took it out on the water like that.

 

[Wxguru]

Got this last corner done. I didnt have any tint for the gelcoat but I am not worried about it. Now wont have any issues or worry about water intrusion.
No glass was cracked. Just sanded back the corner a smidge, cleaned it up real good, then glecoat... finished with 220, 400, then 1000 grit wetsand.
not terrible for someone that hasnt done this before.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Looks good!