Sep 15, 2018 elsewhere here, gelcoat repair is difficult. Evercoat gelkote one step finish gel coat repair white. Though smooth and relatively durable, gelcoat, like any finish, is prone to dings and scratches. Ralph, since you got me interested in gelcoat repair one or two per year, i believe you would have some answers for me. The first step needs to be ensuring that your spider cracks are just that, and not a sign of a soggy core, or a broken support. Repair involves either widening each crack line in preparation for a new top layer or wet sanding down past the crevice to unweathered gelcoat. Spider cracks in liner gelcoatgctid439297 bayliner. Provides a longlasting repair guaranteed to seal and protect for years. It appears that the gelcoat was probably not waxed for many years and is beat by the sun and has some crazing and spider cracks. Ive been letting the spider cracks go until a split in the gelcoat appears where it counts. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it.
Diy gel coat spider cracks microskiff dedicated to the. Gelcoat crack and crazing repair moderated discussion areas. Clean the area with acetone and a rag to remove any dirt or other impurities. Spider cracks can indicate impact damage or serious structural. Sand the damaged area with 100grit sandpaper to roughen the surface. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. If the gel coat is not chipped but only spider webbed, wash the bad areas with acetone, scuff with 320 grit, blow clean and use a small finish roller to apply several coats of gelcoat thinned with about 20% styrene. May 27, 2009 repair involves either widening each crack line in preparation for a new top layer or wet sanding down past the crevice to unweathered gelcoat. Brush it on, or dribble it into the crack with the same popsickle stick you used to mix in the catalyst.
The number of boats that develop serious blister problems is extremely small. It is the right proportion of resin an fiberglass that gives the greatest strength. I didnt see any gelcoat damage, but after my progressive agent carefully inspected the boat very impressed with progressive. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she. 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. They seem to appear out of nowhere, and for no reason. Magicezy hairline fix navy blue boat gelcoat crack repair. 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 structural integrity. Its an expensive, messy operation and one requiring a little skill and some equipment.
Something like a thickened paintthinned out gel coat so that it will fill the voids after scrapped out and then blend in with the surrounding areas and not be able to see the lines from the od spider cracks. Magicezy hairline fix is a colored sealant used to quickly and easily repair fine stress cracks spider cracks and hairline fractures. These are cosmetic repairs, but they can add significant value and enjoyment to your boat. The highest quality iso npg marine finish gel coat to permanently repair or replace original, highglass finish. Sometimes it takes a season of use with the stress and flexing of the hull and deck for spider crack to show up. Tech tips fiberglass coatings, gelcoat, gelcoat repair, spider crack, stress crack 5 tips for using brushable gelcoat in the summer. The term spider crack comes from its similarity with a spiders web. Inspite of this hairline cracks are not unusual on boats. Start by wiping down the area with acetone and sanding the damaged gelcoat down to the fiberglass. It can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them. There are a bunch of little cracks and actually i will have to do some gelcoat repair where some gelcoat splintered off. Try not to remove any of the fiberglass resin or cloth.
Fixing them can involve more than just slapping on some gelcoat, however, and that is where we come in. Stresses like a rock dings, dropped tool, excessive flexing from standing in the wrong spot, or overtighted fastener can cause a spider crack in gelcoat. That is, the cracks emanate from a center point and radiates outward. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. Heres a typical spider crack, which i sandedused automotive body filler onand sprayed it with paint. Even though we made the repair, there is no guarantee that it wont happen again. With a fairly large spider crack on the topside about six feet aft from the bow. Hi guys, i just looked at a fully restored 20 bertram yesterday and the boat was having the bottom redone. Imagine sitting on a secluded beach with an ice cold beverage, listening to the waves crash on shore, and the birds chirping in the palm trees. They blasted off the bottom paint to gelcoat and i noticed that the gel coat had spider cracks throughout the bottom. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. 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.
May 11, 2016 let me introduce our spidercrack repair kit, including everything you need to fix those pesky cracks. 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. In this tech article vette provides corvette fiberglass repair guide which demonstrates that giving your. Sometimes a hard knock can cause delamination within the hull, in which case a more serious repair will need to be carried out first. Quite often however, its near impossible to prevent these unsightly cracks due to the fact gelcoat is so brittle and rigid. Yea thats why im leaning towards a more covered up application. Dec 29, 2017 these cracks are usually the result of.
The resin does not bear strutural loads well either. Sometimes, they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate. If it is applied too thickly, expansion and contraction of the hull due to temp will cause gel coat cracking. With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear.
The panel isnt sufficiently supported, allowing it to wobble causing the paint or gelcoat to crack. A fiberglass layup that is too wet, or has too much resin will crack also. Spider cracks looks pretty much like hairline cracks and happen in the surface layer or gelcoat of a fiberglass surface. Aug 15, 2018 shallow gelcoat cracks with undamaged laminate underneath can be filled with gelcoat alone.
Spider cracks tend to occur in gelcoat where there is a concentration of stress. If your boat is more than a few years old, youll probably be surprised at the number you find. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Cosmetic repairs fiberglass boat repair for the diyer. Eventually they went to fixing the cracks the correct way of grinding out the gelcoat and lamination layers that were damaged. Fortunately, spider cracks are not difficult to repair. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. 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. 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. Fiberglass repair microskiff dedicated to the smallest.
The first job in any gelcoat repair is to check the damage closely, both inside and out. There are spider vein cracks everywhere and there are scratches and on the bottom some chips but not deep enough that you can see the hull. Hi i just bought a 1978 thompson 18 boat and i want to restore it but i dont know if i need to re gel coat it or just paint it. Cracks right through the gelcoat, especially if they originate at slide corners, are. One manufacturer use to just sand and polish spider cracks especially on runabouts with metal flake gelcoat.
The texturing of the deck is dimpled, for lack of a better term. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. The gelcoat was applied too thick at an area that does flex. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. There are recessed spots over the entire nonskid surface. Mar 21, 2019 spider cracks looks pretty much like hairline cracks and happen in the surface layer or gelcoat of a fiberglass surface.
I did some more research and it looks like the cracks arent in the fiberglass but in the gelcoat. The good news is that spider cracks can be far easier to handle once you know what to do. Gel coat repair i would seriously consider painting over the cracks with a polyurethane 2 pack paint. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. The good news about these cracks is that theyre largely cosmetic problems. The dealer wants me to send some pictures, which i will, but he may tell me that little spider cracks like this are normal.
Gelcoat doesnt have the same strength of the underlying mat and roving plus resin. Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. 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. The stress cracks are not much larger then the thickness of a hair. Spider cracks can be avoided by countersinking holes just through the gelcoat, so the load is placed on the structural fiberglass rather than the brittle gelcoat. Cosmetic gelcoat surface damage 1 small scratches 2 hairlinespider cracks 3 gelcoat chips.
These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. How to repair spiderweb cracks in fiberglass with gelcoat. May 10, 2011 i did such a repair to a well worn colvic victor about a month ago. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee. If you notice a distortion in the shape of the area with the stress cracks, it is a sign that this will be an involved repair to fix. Youtube gelcoat repair and youll get an idea of what work is involved.
If the underside looks solid, and the surface is steady, then a spider crack is just a spider crack. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Oct 11, 2017 repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. 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. Buy magicezy hairline fix cream boat gelcoat crack repair fills and colors fast. These might be in a parallel pattern or a nondirectional pattern. Add a cap full of sanding aid wax to the gel coat to seal the surface. Measure a small amount of gelcoat, which is a thick form of fiberglass resin, into a paper bucket. So, if there is spider cracks, there are typically two reasons. We were surfing at the time we hit the submerged oject, so speeds were very low and visually, i hadnt even noticed the gel cracks. The cracks are called spider cracks, and they are normal for a gel coat finished boat. Magicezy hairline fix cream boat gelcoat crack repair. In such cases, grinding off the gelcoat for wholesale refinishing is the best approach. Cleaning out some leaves in the bow storage area in prep for a nice new cover i noticed i have some spider cracks in the gel coat covering the liner inside the bow storage areas.
Extensive spider cracking common on older boats is due to aging of the 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. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques, follow a few simple rules to help you complete this job. Im actually planning on doing some diy repair on on the bottom of my hull next year. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Find the worst spider crack, get a drill with a bit about 1 inch in diameter and drill a hole thru the hull, next. The issue with the spider webbing or cracks stems from a manufacturer defect. Surface gelcoat scratches can be buffed with polishing compound, and deeper scratches can be filled. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. Multiple applications fill the crack and build the surface proud. 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. This is a resin in itself and can be quite viscous so it will enter the cracks and has very good adhesive qualities. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas.
Jun 25, 2018 there are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Wall repair free delivery possible on eligible purchases. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured deck ive got a 79 f36 trojan. For newer models, we offer a gel coat craze crack repair kit. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured surface. Lifhtly sanded 400g the area to remove the remaining marks. The first step needs to be ensuring that your spider cracks are just that, and not. All gelcoat is, is nonreinforced tinted fiberglass. Nov 15, 2018 fixing them can involve more than just slapping on some gelcoat, however, and that is where we come in.
Heres everything youll need to know to repair these cracks. Gelcoat thickness will be greater as will layers of cloth underneath. If your spider crack is just the gell coat you can dig the cracks out, create a v and repair with gelcoat. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine.
Treated the area with oxalic acid solution to remove the staining. It was a quick way to make it look better for a while anyway, but the cracks always reappeared later. Spider cracks are almost impossible to repair without removing old gel coat and applying new. If you have an area were the stress cracks are really close and all over each other like a wild spider web, you can do the mallet test again and tap this are and see if it sounds different hollow or thin. Buy magicezy hairline fix navy blue boat gelcoat crack repair fills and colors fast. Thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or contracts.
Jun 26, 2012 he uses a rotary tool to grind the crack down to the fiberglass, then he fills it with and interlux epoxy filler called interprotect watertite, uses a longboard sander to sand and then it is ready. Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean. Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration.
The term spider crack comes from its similarity with a spider s web. But most repairs will involve resinpolyester, vinylester or epoxy. Because there is no fiber in it, over time it will crack because the hull naturally flexes a bit. This sets up capillary action, wherein the thin gelcoat is sucked into the crack. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the. Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gelcoat of boats. Color matched gelcoat of a specially thin variety is applied with a camels hair brush after the area has been cleansed with acetone. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint.
Jan 24, 2016 join us on the sv hideaway as we explore floridas west coast seeking enlightenment on the course towards wisdom aboard a 23 com pac sail boat. Widening is done because most topcoats new gelcoat, primer for paint, epoxy overlay, fairing compound wont wick into the extremely thin cracks, they only bridge them. The cracks are purely cosemetic, and not structural to the boat. If the bulkhead on the inside of the hull is actually pressing against the hull, and has no stress relief, then thats what caused the cracks.
Complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the existing damage. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks. Gelcoat surface damage 1 dings 2 dents 3 gouges 4 small holes. The other repair for spider cracks involves a little more work. 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. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. Magicezy hairline fix navy blue boat gelcoat crack. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which plague countless boaters.