How To Repair Gouged Boat Hull
I wrote recently about how to about set calorie-free scratches in gelcoat, and also outlined how to find gelcoat suppliers. But what if you lot're looking at a used boat with deeper scratches? What'southward involved in fixing them? Well, first, the process involves bargaining for a lower toll than is advertised. Once y'all get it home, hither'due south what's involved in bringing information technology back.
If your scratches are big enough to crave spraying on gelcoat, simply you don't take a compressor with a water separator and a pigment gun, you tin can withal make the repairs in your driveway. Most automotive paint stores sell the Preval sprayer, a paint gun that uses a disposable tin can of propellant and a reusable glass jar for the gelcoat. It allows novices to use professional materials and go skillful results—and information technology'due south a snap to utilise.
If yous oasis't spray-painted anything, Preval has a YouTube channel with gobs of instructional videos.
You will accept to add the proper ratio of peroxide hardener when using gelcoat, and there are dire consequences if you add too much: Information technology catches fire. Chlorinated products, such as bleach or pool chemicals that come up in contact with gelcoat have the same outcome.
The rule of thumb is 4 cc of hardner for 1 pint of gelcoat, or 30 cc per gallon. Yet, mix only what you plan to utilise and read the label before mixing. If you add together hardener to the whole quart, the gelcoat will "boot off" right in the can and harden.
Information technology'due south also important to use the right thinner if your repairs call for spraying on gelcoat. Never sparse it with acetone. Gelcoat is but resin with pigment added for color, then if you thin it with acetone you will go a colour modify. Thin it with styrene. The gelcoat supplier can assist y'all get the correct chemicals.
Scratches that extend downwardly into the fiberglass involve more piece of work, but it isn't impossible for the novice. Begin by sanding around the surface area and the scratch with 320-grit newspaper. Over again, be cautious not to remove too much material. Later on sanding, utilise a Dremel tool to clean out the gouge a flake, and then feather the edges of the scratch with 180-grit. This helps the gelcoat blend in and helps hibernate the edges of the filled scratch.
If the scratch is on a vertical surface, you'll find it easier if you "loving cup" the gelcoat against the hullside with ordinary masking tape. Unnecessary on horizontal surfaces, the tape keeps the gelcoat from dribbling downward the hull until it has had ample fourth dimension to cure. Use a fine paint brush, the torn end of a paper match, or even a nothing tie to dab on the gelcoat.
In one case the gelcoat is cured, remove the tape and brainstorm sanding away excess with 320-grit—again, using the Ten pattern—until the new gelcoat is almost flush with the hullside. And then switch to 400 and 600 grits and keep equally you would in the steps outlined hither.
Behave in mind that all the materials you'll be working with are chancy. You lot should apply latex gloves and respirators the whole time. The repairs are messy and fourth dimension-consuming, but information technology is possible to reach decent results in your driveway. Or you could simply write someone a check.
RESOURCES
- Preval Sprayers, 300 E. North Street, Coal City, IL 60416, 877-753-0021, www.preval.com.
- 3M, 3M Center, St. Paul, MN 55144-g, 888-3M-HELPS, www.3m.com.
- Spectrum Color, 1410 37th Street Northwest, Suite F, Auburn, WA 98001, 800-253-1366, www.spectrumcolor.com.
- Mini-Craft, 900 Industrial Drive, Wildwood, FL 34785, 800-282-8244, www.minicraft.com.
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