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View Full Version : Gelcoat Cracks - How bad are they?



FrequentFlyer
08-27-2000, 01:08 PM
The idiots at my marina put my boat (83 18 2+3) in the rack and set it down so the bunk was just on the edge of one of the chines. Needless to say the gelcoat couldn't hold up under the stress. So now on the vertical rise of the chine I have a few small chips (pencil eraser size) and a few gelcoat cracks (about 1/4" long ea). The total length of the damaged area is maybe 6-8 inches. Other than this the boat is absoletely perfect.

How serious is this? I have heard that if water gets under the gelcoat it will blister. Is there something I should do immediately to provide a temporary seal? Should I have it fixed permanently immediately, before I even go out again?

I'm totally bummed. Any good news or advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Alex

Blewbyu
08-27-2000, 07:51 PM
FF-If you don't leave the boat in the water for extended periods of time it won,t blister.I leave the rest for othrs to address......
Pisser they were careless-I,m sure their insurance Co. will remind them to be more caring....
Regards-Jeff

Gearhead99
08-27-2000, 09:45 PM
I would patch it up with Marine-tex or another underwater epoxy. Keep the water from getting under and making it worse or starting a delaminate.

You ought to be able to trowel it in with plastic "bondo" style applicater. DON'T USE BONDO. Light sanding, don't put to much epoxy on, just seal it.

Should be OK. Of course I haven't seen it, but from your description doesn't sound bad. Or is it??

AGUESS
08-28-2000, 02:15 PM
I would say fix it. My 1966 had a lot of very small cracks in the Gel from the sun.

Just found out this weekend, that I now have a lot of ROT in the balsa core. Now I get to dig out the rot and spend hours cutting little squares of new wood to epoxy back.

Let the marina fix it at their expense.

Forrest
08-28-2000, 02:44 PM
Don't cut out those little squares! Make life easy. Do what the factory does, purchase balsa core squares in sheets from BalTek Corporation (http://www.baltek.com/)!

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Forrest

Kenn
08-28-2000, 03:09 PM
Frequentflyer
Your 83 Donzi may present a color match problem.
Even if they match the color, remember that the gelcoat will fade at a different rate and after a while you will see the color difference and the area repaired will stand out.

The marina should pay for the repairs but YOU should determine who will do the work.

Good luck.

http://www.donzi.net/ubb/smile.gif

FrequentFlyer
08-29-2000, 04:33 AM
Thanks Folks. I appreciate the advice.

Alex