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Kirbyvv
07-12-2005, 10:07 AM
I'm looking at a 1972 X-18. I don't mind putting some work into it, but the gel coat on the deck appears to be checking and peeling off along both sides of the stripe. Check out the photo (if I can get it to up load). Anyone have any thoughts on how feasible it is to repair. How expensive etc.

Kirbyvv
07-13-2005, 11:11 AM
With all the restoration expertise on the Registry I was really hoping someone could give me a bit of advice on this gel coat issue. I'm considering purchasing this boat, if the experts don't think this is the result of an underlying bigger problem.

gold-n-rod
07-13-2005, 11:17 AM
I don't know much about gel, but it looks to me like someone stepped there and the deck couldn't handle the stress, causing the delamination. Of course, you could have the entire deck re-gelcoated, but standing on the deck again might cause the same results. A "No one on deck" policy might be in order.

Rootsy
07-13-2005, 11:29 AM
hmmmm i guess you could either attempt to lay gel back down and sand it in and put a stripe over the blend line... o ryou could sand the deck and have it repainted... problem is, you have to cut the gel back further than where it is cracked and such or it'll just continue to crack and peel...

for a moment i thought it was paint that had peeled until i saw how thick it was at the cockpit combing....

captainsae
07-13-2005, 12:09 PM
First, you will need to determine why the gel coat peeled. If it is a poor bond to the surface beneath it, you will have to remove all the gel coat until to find where there is a strong bond. (This can happen with a poor re-gelcoating) If the deck is flexing, you will have to determine if the core of the deck is shot in which case the deck would have to come off. Then you will have to decide if you want to go with paint or gel coat. Painting would be much less work...

gold-n-rod
07-13-2005, 12:24 PM
Painting would be much less work...

Bondo to get a smooth surface and high quality paint (since it's above the waterline) would be a good option.

Still, you'd want to stay off the deck following this repair.

18FOOTER
07-14-2005, 04:16 PM
Kirbyvv, whats the vin on the boat. Not too many '72 x-18's around? Also, whats the details;motor, drive, colors, etc.:)

Kirbyvv
07-14-2005, 08:13 PM
Checked it out yesterday. DMR18481272, It is brown and white. I've never seen a brown Donzi. Bored out SBC. Volvo drive, but I'm not sure of the model. Motor ran well, but the cosmetics looked to be a bit more of a project than I'm up for. Too many projects in the garage right now.

Kirbyvv, whats the vin on the boat. Not too many '72 x-18's around? Also, whats the details;motor, drive, colors, etc.:)

Boatlubber
09-30-2005, 08:24 PM
I'm looking at a 1972 X-18. I don't mind putting some work into it, but the gel coat on the deck appears to be checking and peeling off along both sides of the stripe. Check out the photo (if I can get it to up load). Anyone have any thoughts on how feasible it is to repair. How expensive etc.


From the enlarged view of your photo, it looks more like paint; over a gelcoat situation. It looks like the paint is coming loose from the gelcoat beneath. A repair could be made to the paint, in just that area if she has a decent paint-job. But usually when paint or gelcoat flake off it's due to an improper surface preparation to the substrate, ie:Gelcoat or Primer. Which in that case it's more cost efective to repaint an enire stripe,or area, which ever the case might be. All loose paint should be completely sanded off, down to the substrate, and the substrate prepaired with the proper grit abrasive, and properly cleaned surface. For most paints, I like a 400 Grit toothing. For gelcoating a 150-200 grit. You can paint over gelcoat, but you can't gelcoat, over paint. First determine if it is gelcoat flaking, or is it PAINT. Then determine your plan of attack.

Lenny
09-30-2005, 08:41 PM
Something is NOT right about that pic. I "think" I see a white boat with brown stripe that has been RE-gelled in similar colours. I would not want to touch this, short of stripping the new layer off. (Walnut or Soda) Looks like a LOT of work. :eek:

At the dash to deck transition on the right, at the stripe, you can see the original dark red stripe accents I believe. The brown underneath that you see at that same transition I believe to be the original Gelcoat. It almost looks like they gelled the whole deck in a "new" brown, with terrible UV inhibitors, and then went back and did the white to the port and starboard of where the stripe is (was).

Somethings funny here and soft spots (bad coring) are probably the reason for redoing it...