Gelcoat repair questions / options

Hello,

I have a 2004 Larson Cabrio that has some chips / gouges in the gelcoat. I have some experience using gelcoat pastes (like spectrum) but these chips/gouges are a little deeper than I am use to. Would you suggest first filling with an epoxy or filler (brand recommendations?) then gelcoating with a paste (don't really want to spray if I don't have to). Any help hints would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tim

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

if you fill with epoxy....using gellcoat is out, as it wont bond.......but those are just basic gellcoat repairs.....no big deal at all.....scuff the area with 80 grit.....clean with acetone....add gellcoat with brush.....let cure...fair and polish

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Thanks, glad it's just gel coat that I have to deal with.

Tim

oops! said:

if you fill with epoxy....using gellcoat is out, as it wont bond.......but those are just basic gellcoat repairs.....no big deal at all.....scuff the area with 80 grit.....clean with acetone....add gellcoat with brush.....let cure...fair and polish

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Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Welcome to Iboats Tst..

Yea.. on those bigger chunks you might want to put some GRp ( Glass Reinforced putty ).

The smaller ones you can do the gel patch paste. .. but all of them should be sprayed as they are below the waterline.

Preval sprayer is easy to use and the sanding and buffing spray is even easier then faring out the putty to a polishable grit. At least your repair is encapsulated with gel when spraying.

YD.

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Well, for what it's worth this is how I would approach this. I would use a poly based (NOT bondo) fairing compound to fill in the chips and do the fairing (of course after doing a proper prep of sanding with 60-80 grit and cleaning with acetone). A product that I like is made by Ad-Tech-#14 filler. For pic #1 having some glass re-enforcement certainly wouldn't hurt, but this filler is some pretty string stuff)

For this app I would do all the filling/fairing with this product and do my "finish skin" with a color matched gelcoat (either sprayed with a prevailer or by brush; either way, NOT thickened with anything). Wetsand and polish. This could be turned around in about 2-3 hours or so and you would never know that anything ever happened... Just my $.02 (sorry WOG, I couldn't remember your trick for getting the cool cent symbol

~BWT

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Thanks for the responses. I think I will try the adtech filler / spray gelcoat. I have a hvlp gun, but I am liking the idea of the preval sprayer.

Tim

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

One last question. Any suggestions which gelcoat manufacture I should be looking at? Is Gel-Kote any good?

Thanks

Tim

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

I have had more luck with Spectrum then anyone else .. I can get you the color name tomm. if you like..

YD.

Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Yes, please. If you could get the color that would be great. It's a 31' Larson Cabrio (white). I can provide the HID if that would be helpful.

Thanks

Tim

Yacht Dr. said:

I have had more luck with Spectrum then anyone else .. I can get you the color name tomm. if you like..

YD.

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Re: Gelcoat repair questions / options

Crap !! I forgot my book at work !

Today didnt go well .. I forgot my phone at home .. the wife forgot my bread lunch sammys.. I forgot the book. DOH.

ASAP I will get back to ya .

YD.