Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

I am new to this forum. I have a 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat. It has alot of small cracks through out the gel coat on the top cap of the boat. I have clear coated it a couple of times but the clear keeps sinking down into the cracks giving me a textured surface. I have tried sanding the clear back till i could not feel the texture then respraying and got the same result. I am fed up with these cracks and the only way I know of getting rid of them is to re-gel the boat. I have no experience with gel coat and any information on how to, products, etc.. would be awesome. The boat also has metal flake on it. Can I redo the top cap and not the whole boat or would it be better to do the whole thing since matching colors would be hard. Attached are a few pictures of it after I clear coated it. It looks good from a distance but up close cracks look bad! I have just repowered and want the boat to look as good as it runs. Thanks in advance for any information.

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

I am by no means an expert but I think pics of the actual cracks would be helpful. Have you owned the boat since new?

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Hi and welcome hmckinley87,
This may help, but matching the finish on a metallic gel finish is darn near impossible...
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...tress-cracks-diy-step-step-w-pics-320724.html
You may have to consider re-gelling or possibly re-painting...
Some clear close up pictures of the trouble areas may help some of the pros around here to give you better advice...
Nice rig and good luck!
GT1M

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

If they are stress cracks then they have to be repaired.

You would be better off Painting the boat rather than gell flaking it at that point.

There is no real inexpensive way to deal with this properly .. sorry mate ..

YD.

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Here are a few pics. how do i go about repairing the cracks. Arent they just in the gel coat or do they look deeper to yall?

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

And a few more pics

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Some of the pics look like the cracks are coming from your rub-rail install ..

Others look like its coming from stress points..

You should grind and fill the cracks with a glass filler.

Prime and paint if you have the resources ..

YD.

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Yacht Dr. said:

If they are stress cracks then they have to be repaired.

You would be better off Painting the boat rather than gell flaking it at that point.

There is no real inexpensive way to deal with this properly .. sorry mate ..

YD.

Click to expand...

+1..I hate to say it but it appears....if I am looking at the pics correctly and them being in the location that they are they appear to be stress cracks. Definition of stress cracks = fiberglass that is not rigid. If the cap is not attached to the hull correctly for what ever reason and it actually moves...and you may never see it actually move....just from running across a rough lake it can move enough to cause stress cracks. Stress cracks are the hardest ones to repair correctly. The root problem has to be identified then you have to repair the problem. Stress cracks are also deeper than just the gel alone...they are cracking threw the glass itself. I am sure you have seen the transoms of some boats that are cracked...that is one of the most prevelant stress cracks in boats that you see regualarly.

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Gelcoat is made from nearly the same resin as the laminating resin. Then other stuff is added like pigments, UV stabilizers and thixotropic agents. The thix agents are added to allow the gelcoat to hang on a vertical surface without sagging at thickness's up to 18 mils or so. Because of these additives gelcoat is never as flexible as the laminating resin. Technically its called elongation. Thats why epoxy seems stronger than polyester. Epoxy will bend a lot before it breaks where polyester has a lower longation and will break at the same bend radii. Sooooooooo if a part of the boat flexes a little bit the gelcoat will crack while the laminating resin can just bend and have no damage. As you have already read in the above posts to get rid of the stress cracks you have they have to be ground down to the laminate and filled and sanded to make level then your choice of the new topcoat. Paint is by far the easiest and trying to redo the metal flake is by far the hardest. Its hard to tell from pictures but my guess is that you have cracks in the gelcoat only and your laminate is OK, but it surely is possible there is some cracking in the laminate too. You really need to see the back side to be sure.

Re: Gel Coat Cracks 1996 Javelin 400 TE bass boat

Georgesalmon said:

You really need to see the back side to be sure.

Click to expand...

Thats not totally accurate .. sorry Georges ..

It depends on What caused the Crack in the first place..

Few inside inspections will reveal a total delam in the fiberglass unless its been impacted. Skin coat to gel will not transfer to the inside of the lams normally.

There are many reasons for stress cracking and/or crazing ... could have been when they pulled the part out of the mold when it was on its last Season .. there could have been a 'marry point(s)'

I agree with your whole post mate .. aside from extenuating circumstances. Anything could be a problem here.

I still think the rub rail fasteners are a problem in some of the cracking .. just me ..

YD.