Gelcoat cracking

[texasvet54]

Hello All,

I have a 1987 Three Buoys houseboat that has all kinds of cracks in the gelcoat. Some are hairline and others are cracked open where you could fit a dime in, exposing the wood underneath.

i’ve started making some small repairs by mixing Aerosil & Josco Polyester Gelcoat.
I’ve never done this before, so I’m learning.

Can anyone tell me if this is a good method to seal the cracks?

Also, I’ve owned the boat for 11 years and I’ve always thought that it was Fiberglass with the gelcoat on top. I’m now suspecting that the 52 foot boat is one big sprayed gelcoat. Does that sound reasonable?

If so, should the next step be to learn how to spray gel coat because the project is massive?

Thanks,
Texasvet

 

[Scott Danforth]

You need to grind down to good glass, then build back up.

Suggest you flag your thread and have moved to the restoration forum

Also suggest you go to the 4th sticky in the restoration forum and read links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b in their entir2

 

[Grub54891]

if there is wood directly under the gelcoat, it will never hold up. Wood expands/contracts with the damp enviroment. Gelcoat don't, thus the many crack's. I'd suspect the wood is compramised also from the crack's.

 

[texasvet54]

if there is wood directly under the gelcoat, it will never hold up. Wood expands/contracts with the damp enviroment. Gelcoat don't, thus the many crack's. I'd suspect the wood is compramised also from the crack's.

Uh Oh!!!! I would hate to think what it would cost to strip it all off & put more gel coat on. There isn’t anyone in my area that could do it anyway, so I guess I’m just gonna have to try and get by.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Read the links I directed you to.

Once done, we can direct you to threads on gel spraying and rolling

 

[texasvet54]

Read the links I directed you to.

Once done, we can direct you to threads on gel spraying and rolling

Thanks!!!

 

[texasvet54]

You need to grind down to good glass, then build back up.

Suggest you flag your thread and have moved to the restoration forum

Also suggest you go to the 4th sticky in the restoration forum and read links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b in their entir2

How do I "flag" my thread and move it?

Thanks,
texasvet

 

[texasvet54]

More pics on my gel-coat project & questions.

I’ve cut out the gel-coat where it was soft & had cracks to find that, as I suspected, I had some wood rot.

I’ve dug out most of the wood rot and I’m wondering if I should use an “Epoxy Wood Filler” and then gel coat on top.

Any recommendations?

Also, i’m beginning to suspect that there isn’t any fiberglass on my boat because I don’t see any strands of fiber anywhere.

So, if I did have Fiberglass, would it be easy to tell or is my inexperience showing here?

Thanks

 

[Lectro88]

You should recognize fiberglass pretty easily.
If you are sanding or grinding, and you go from gel right to wood,
It should take a little bit to get through glass and expose rotten wood.
Also wood doesn't just "pop up" like in that last pic... if fiberglas is used.(most times anyway)

 

[Grub54891]

There is fiberglass in your first pic. It's a very thin layer but I can see the strands.

 

[texasvet54]

There is fiberglass in your first pic. It's a very thin layer but I can see the strands.

Thanks Grub and Lectro.

How about the epoxy wood filler. Is that a good idea?

texasvet

 

[Scott Danforth]

You have to remove all the rot before you consider refilling areas

 

[texasvet54]

You have to remove all the rot before you consider refilling areas

I’m working on it.


Does anyone have experience with using epoxy wood filler after removing the rot or is there a better way to replace the wood that is now missing?

Tearing it completely apart and putting all new wood in is not an option. It’s just too much area.



Tearing it completely apart and putting all new wood in is not an option. It’s just too much area.

Thanks
TV

 

[Scott Danforth]

the best route and often the shortest route is the one that seams the most daunting. wood is structural, epoxy wood filler is just filler

think of removing a bone from your body and replacing it with a chunk of styrofoam.

 

[texasvet54]

the best route and often the shortest route is the one that seams the most daunting. wood is structural, epoxy wood filler is just filler

think of removing a bone from your body and replacing it with a chunk of styrofoam.

Ahhh, Styrofoam!!! I hadn't thought of that one.