Gelcoat cracks on boats

And while an aircraft isnt subjected to the same type of forces as a boat hull, the fuselage is the hull and must be strong in different ways. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gel coat of a boat. Its very, very fine lightweight powder and its ideal for this, but make sure you do wear a respirator when you handle this because its not good to breathe. Given it is a single crack i would discount it as a stress crack caused by movement in the transom and proffer that it is a result of age and an over application of gelcoat in that seam at the factory. I flew up to tokyo yesterday and back on the 15th, so will take some pics for ya then. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas.

The gelcoat was applied too thick at an area that does flex. Gelcoat cracks supras unique signature supra boats. Restoring your gelcoat can help restore the shine of your boat and protect its surface. Painting over cracked and chipped gel coat moderated. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. Gelcoat used to patch existing gelcoat, fiberglass repairs, and for new construction and projects. However, as it dried and hardened, it was a darker shade and i now have a dark spot on my boat that im going to have to recover to match. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. Aug 05, 2008 he said that these same types of cracks are quite common on the j boats. Gel coat hardened too quickly or with improper curing temperatures and conditions can also promote stress cracks in the gel coat itself. How to repair gelcoat, chips, scrapes and gouges yourself. Slow impact, like getting pushed against a piling during a storm, or hitting a dock at slow speeds while docking. Solving it might be as simple as shifting a load from undersized equipment, or installing a larger backing plate to spread the load over a wider area. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs.

How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail magazine. If the cracks radiate from the base of loadbearing equipment like a cleat or stanchion, there is probably a problem with the installation that deserves attention before repairing the gelcoat. But, with proper care, the outer skin on one of todays fiberglass boats should last a decade or longer and still look good. A chip or scratch does not require total gelcoat removal. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. The hulls are stiff and theres something about tpis layup process that has plagued a good many j boats and freedoms with this problem. Fish mille lacs from opener to ice up and get caught out in some rough stuff often. To achieve virtually invisible repairs, gelcoat nicks, scratches, dents, gouges and stress cracks takes more time and involves a number of steps. Aug 02, 2017 how to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat if the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat. You dont always have to have a 10 year old boat to be experiencing this problem.

For more details on some of the things that can go wrong in the fiberglass during the manufacturing process please refer to the blistering article. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. That could very easily be pushed to the abuse category given it was caused by the trailer, whether that is the reason or not. I have painted numerous old boats including two whalers with very bad gelcoat before the paint job, including the 1971 outrage i own now. Magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application. Gelcoat repairs refinishing for boat gelcoat scratches, cracks and chips. A boat hitting a pilling very hard may have a chip. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find. White gel coat, precolored gel coat, clear gel coat, neutral tintable gelcoats. Since we got our so 35 i was troubled by the many hairline cracks in the gelcoat in visible and less visible areas.

But if you look closely there maybe fine cracks going out in all directions. If you run on super calm water and dont subject the boat to any flex or stress, you might not get cracks. We have members with boats from all the major manufacturers including yamaha, seadoo, scarab and chaparral. In this report, they offer the magic fix for hairline gelcoat cracks. I had a mishap towing last fall im not used to swinging this large a trailer yet and flexed the fiberglass above the rubrail causing some stress cracks in the gelcoat. The cracks are purely cosemetic, and not structural to the boat. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. But as the coating gets thicker, the less it will tolerate flex. We had similar gelcoat cracking issues on one of boats built to our designs. The gel coat is cosmetic, however the only way to crack the gelcoat would be a significant amount of movement of the structure below. Gelcoat is the coating sprayed up against a highly polished mold at the beginning of the fiberglass layup process. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat. Gelcoat continues to cure and shrink through out its life span.

Boat gelcoat stress cracks are a common problem within the marine world when it comes to fiberglass gelcoat boats, a. Any crack that goes deeper than the gelcoat definitely needs attention. It starts hardening really fast, so be quick about it. If the condition has existed for a long time and theres no evidence that it is highly progressive, i feel safe with that judgment. If cracks show up in the paint on an older boat, but dont appear visible in the gelcoat, or are only faintly visible, i usually dismiss them. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Read these tips for maintenance and repair advice on everything from cleaning to repairing cracks. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Now, i have had a couple glass boats in the past that got gel coat stress cracks pretty much right out of the box. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gel coat layers than newer boats.

At key west boats we take it on a case by case basis considering the age of the boat as well as the area and extent of the cracks. Though smooth and relatively durable, gelcoat, like any finish, is prone to dings and scratches. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. Please consider signing up so that you can enjoy all the features and offers on the forum. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boat s structural integrity.

Anyone who has ever seen airframe construction, particularly jet aircraft, understands why aircraft can be built with skins that are extremely thin. I striped my boat a few weeks ago with scrapers it took 5 hours with lots of beer and. Spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural problems that will need to be addressed to prevent spreading, but most often they result from relatively inflexible gelcoat that is too thick. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boat s. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. They are hard to see, but with the flash i think i got a good picture. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. Gelcoat is referred to as a onestop solution for almost all kinds of damages on surfaces such as boats, swimming pools and hot tubs. May 27, 2009 in this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0.

Once your boat is clean, walk along it, looking for cracks. Because of this all builders of fiberglass boats using gel coat will have disclaimers in the written warranty to limit the coverage of the gel coat. If its reads the same all over then it not a problem. You can also use car wax, as long as its hard shell wax.

Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a. I would be more concerned with the structural integrity of the boat. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. Medium oxidation will require a more rigorous process. So with the thickened gelcoat i can now start pushing it into the cracks.

Other times, maybe a small hairline crack formed in the fiberglass, but this is more rare. All gelcoat is, is nonreinforced tinted fiberglass. Jun 26, 2012 camper nicholson 31 owner repairs cracks and crazing in the gelcoat on the hull. Gelcoat is extremely durable, and is in high demand due to the strength it provides to any area where it is applied. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boats ability to stay afloat. Application is easy and in a few seconds, even a novice handyman can. Shatter cracks usually go out much further than you originally suspect. This process results in the smooth, mirrorlike finish typical of new boats. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. Feb 24, 2014 from what i know from reading posts here, i would need a dremel tool to create a gorge on the gelcoat crack before applying the gelcoat putty. This thicker gel coat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Until i owned a ranger i would probably have agreed with the comment.

Because there is no fiber in it, over time it will crack because the hull naturally flexes a bit. Jan 21, 2020 before you gelcoat fiberglass, fill in any cracks or gouges with a polyester filler and then sand the damaged areas down with 80grit sandpaper. A gelcoat is applied to the boat mould in its liquid state and creates the gelcoated finish which protects and give a. Bottom cracks hi markus most boats have some cracks in the bottom.

After the cracks were prepared, i mixed the gelcoat with the catalyst and dye and applied it to the crack with a brush. Stress by thermal expansion or when bulkheads and liners were installed can cause minor flexing. Sand the areas you want to fill in to allow the fibreglass filler to bond better. These premium quality isophthalic npg gel coats are. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which plague countless boaters.

Cracks from larger issuesa winch, for example, that was inadequately mountedwill need to be. This premium marine grade gel coat may be as gecloat for boats, gelcoat for pools or many other applications. Its specifically designed for use on boats and its waterproof. I matched my teal striping on my boat to a tee when it was wet and mixing. We are delighted you have found your way to the best jet boaters forum on the internet. The next time you are cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gelcoat. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. The cracks are called spider cracks, and they are normal for a gel coat finished boat. Not even the best gelcoat will last the whole lifetime of a boat which may be double your lifetime. I would check with mm and see if anty place is more wet then others if so i would grind the cracks let dry with some heat and epoxy coat. The underlying fiberglass structure is not adequate, and the gelcoat cracks due to insufficient laminant layup or structural support during the molding process to support the gelcoat. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat.

The type of cracks the op is seeing are not structural and are likely due to gel coat that was applied too thick. Proper gelcoat repairs involve more than simply puttying the gelcoat onto the surface, sanding it down and polishing it. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. With the passage of time, unprotected gelcoat will oxidize and eventually take on a chalky appearance. Gelcoat is a material used to provide a highquality finish on your fibreglass boat. Gelcoat maintenance and repair tips proper care and maintenance of the gelcoat will keep your boats luster and underlying fiberglass in good condition. I repaire a chip in my gelcoat and the following cracks using this kit. Fiberglass hulls flex and shift a bit under load one of the reasons, in addition to hull design difference, they ride better than tin hulls and if the outer gel coat is too rigid or stiff it can crack when the underlying. I chemically striped the antifouling paint back to gelcoat to see if the previous owners has applied a barrier coat the boat was on a lake, now is on the sea and was surprised with the many hairline cracks in the gelcoat primarily in the p bracket and outside the stern tube areas.

Over time and with use, the gelcoat on your boat can become dull, making your boat look old. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. This is caused by impact to the hull, manufacturer error in too thick gelcoa. Clean the fiberglass with soap and water and wipe it down with a rag soaked in acetone, and immediately removing it with a clean dry rag. Gelcoat maintenance and repair tips crownline boats. Gelcoat hairline cracks a proper solution jeanneau. Dec 06, 2017 spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural problems that will need to be addressed to prevent spreading, but most often they result from relatively inflexible gelcoat that is too thick. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull.

Get the nonsagging gelcoat and itll stay put even on vertical surfaces. Boatus how to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and. But i have a 10 year old ranger 618 that i run hard. How much does it cost to regelcoat the entire exterior. A gelcoat is applied to the boat mould in its liquid state and creates the gelcoated finish which protects and give a smooth finish to your boat exterior. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. Several years to develop, i dont think so, my first trip to gelcoat repair was a couple of months after taking delivery.

Ive owned a lot of boats and they all had gel coat cracks. As bntii said, laying up heavy glass on the underside is the best solution. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into. Online article on hull design defects by david pascoe, marine surveyor, namscms.

If the gelcoat has broken through, the damaged area needs to be sanded down and a new gelcoat layer applied. How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. He said that these same types of cracks are quite common on the jboats. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. You will need some fibreglass filler and hardener to fill in the cracks. Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the gelcoat. In such cases, grinding off the gelcoat for wholesale refinishing is the best approach. As far as how they did in detail, not 100% sure, just know they laid down a sheet on another area that can take the pattern, then pull off in a couple days, then spray the gel and then apply a sheet of fibre.

Hence you get these little hairline cracks in the gel coat surface itself. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. This is a great help, especially using gelcoat between laminating layers. You can fill in the cracks and microscopic pitting with carnuba wax or a sealant. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to major damage that affects the overall shape of the surface. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. The next thing ive got to thicken the gelcoat and for that im going to use colloidal silica. Any heavier than 25 mils and youll run the risk of spider cracks in a few years. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Boat gelcoat repairs broom marine services broom boats.

The goal of gelcoat maintenance is to protect it against sunlight, water and abrasion. This colored filler comes in 11 popular boat colors and is readytouse straight from the tube. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. Jun 23, 2006 these must be stress cracks, sharp corners in a design concentrate the stress so this is a logical place. For mild oxidation, you will just have to apply a fiberglass cleaner that will restore the shine and take out the dirt.

Boatus magazines mark corke shows you how to easily repair those pesky spider cracks that show up in your boats fiberglass gelcoat. Ralph, since you got me interested in gelcoat repair one or two per year, i believe you would have some answers for me. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats. Here you can learn about what is needed to apply a gel coat. When that happens, the gelcoat cant flex with the fiberglass, it just cracks. From what i know from reading posts here, i would need a dremel tool to create a gorge on the gelcoat crack before applying the gelcoat putty. You can also see hairline cracks radiating from the main crack, a sure sign of stress a crack. If you see cracks take the gelcoat in that area down to the substraight. It is one of the most revolutionary materials to be discovered for repairing cracks because it is easy to apply. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Sunday after i got out of kissimmee i was wiping my boat down like i always do and i noticed a few tiny cracks in the white gelcoat on my 2018 margay. Prep the area removing all of the damaged gel coat keep the repair as small as possible.