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Fred Clarke
09-21-2000, 08:51 AM
Not too much has been mentioned about hull and deck spider cracking on the smaller boats ( 16's and 18's) - Does anyone have any insight as to how these can be fixed? How about prevented?

GeneD
09-21-2000, 09:14 AM
Oh Don...it's a nightmare to fix. Took me about a month to fix mine.
Forrest did a thing on this recently I think. He used a dremel tool and some expoxy stuff.
Me? I just sanded it all off. Took forever.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida

MattM
09-21-2000, 10:15 AM
I used a die grinder and ground a rounded trough down each crack and then filled and sanded with polyester glazing putty (blue poop). This was 7 years ago and no cracks have come back yet.

Incidentally I have heard alot on this site that polyester is junk and epoxy should be used instead. Why is this, the original boat is polyester resin, I would think it would be good to use the same stuff.

Scott Pearson
09-21-2000, 10:18 AM
Ok...Here is what I did and had great success with it. On my 1968 Donzi I used a small dremel tool on the end of a digrinder. I "V'ed" all the Gelcoat cracks (spider cracks) out. Then filled them with a good body filler. Evercoat etc. I then blocked them smooth with 180 grit paper so all that you see is the "V" spot filled. Then used a good 2K primer. K-36 w/K201 hardner.

This sounds like it won't work but it does. The filler allowes a bit of flex and it will not crack again. I have an account that builds 1933 and 1940-41 Willy's fiberglass cars. They are $150,000 to $250,000 turn key cars. Custom everything. This is how they do their repairs. So I figured It would work the same on any gelcoat and It does.

(NJ) Scott

GeneD
09-21-2000, 05:34 PM
My personal opinion, for what it is worth, is that all these methods are good and will work nicely - if - you use the correct primer to seal everything up real good.
Epoxy primer is the best thing that has come around in a long time.

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GeneD
007
Melbourne, Florida