Correct craft restoration

[Mik5150]

Hello all.
I have a new project. It's a 1962 correct craft craft classic. Was a wonderful barn find for 300 bucks. All the parts bells and whistle's are there. The gelcoat on the other hand is completely cracked out like automotive safety glass. I want to bring this thing back to its former glory but I have no idea where to start on the gelcoat. Do I Strippit? Do I send it and cover over it? Do I spend 200 hours grinding out each crack just fill it up with filler?
Looking at the damage which I believe is caused from heating and cooling in a barn. Commonsense would tell me to just strip it and start over. But I'm new to working on boats. So any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ondarvr]

A pic will help, but you need to post a few more times before it will let you.

Crazing is normally caused by the gel coat being applied incorrectly and too thick, the only good way to fix it to remove it down the glass and rebuild the surface. Which is not an easy or fun job.

 

[Mik5150]

That's what I thought. Any methods on how to remove it? Other than a belt sander and 36 grit belt. I have no problem with it but was just curious if there was a faster way. That anyone knows of. As it is now the plan would be
1. Strip and clean with acetone.
2. Lay a reinforcement layer of CSM.
3.add a layer of epoxy over that.
4 then spray on the gel coat.
And letting the different steps cure before proceeding. I've been watching a lot of videos. All advice is wanted and appreciated. I'll post pics as soon as I can. As in I figure out how and it lets me lol.

 

[ondarvr]

1. Sanding it down is tough anytime there's a radius or contour lines, you'll typically need to use a couple different types of sanders as needed.

2. The amount of material needed to build the surface back up to where it was will vary from nothing to several layers of CSM.

3.The epoxy is of no value.

4. Gel coating the surface isn't hard, but does have pitfalls that many people have problems with.

 

[Mik5150]

Oh I see. I was thinking the epoxy would be the foundation for the gel coat. Like body filler before paint.

 

[zool]

Have you considered sanding it all just a bit to level, skimming and fairing it with a creamy epoxy mix...then hit it with a high build primer, fair again and paint?

 

[Mik5150]

No I haven't. However that does not mean I won't. Lol that sounds like a great idea. But I'm not sure about paint over gel coat.
See, I love boats especially the deep V fiberglass boats. I'm 46 and just bought my first three this year. Lol.
An 84 seasprite continental mark 1. As a project boat. But as parts are expensive. I bought #2 as a parts boat. That one is a seasprite continental mark 2. Both with 3.0 stringers in them. But me being me I decided to rebuild them both. I only have 900 bucks into both. Plus some parts.
Then I saw the correct craft. That was 300. And I think I got lucky, it's been sitting in a barn sense 98. A few min ago I was looking in the cylinders with a bore scope and no rust. With some new points and condenser she may just fire right up. That's the one I love from my child hood. And the one I will keep. The seasprites will be rebuilt and put up for sale in the spring. Hopefully to buy another piece of And rebuild that.

 

[zool]

Correct Crafts are special boats, and well worth the effort...Seasprite? well, not so much.....dont get me wrong, im wasting money on an Imperial lol..

anyways, gelcoat is a very good substrate for paint...some of your higher end boats came from the factory painted, the likes of Hatteras and Hinkley to name a few...
Paint it will be alot easier than regelling a whole boat...and will look better too.....A good quality LP or AU will do that boat justice..JMO