Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. If the damage is this small, you can proceed with a simple repair with epoxy and no additional fiberglass sheeting. Once a stress crack begins, it can travel for great lengths. For newer models, we offer a gel coat craze crack repair kit. To maintain your gel coat and your hulls integrity, follow this simple gel coat repair guide. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs.
How to fix cracks in fiberglass gel coat using fiberglass resin. Boatbuilding with thixo flex epoxy in a tube by totalboat. Think of a fiberglass composite pole vaulting pole. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a. Also used to provide a glossy top coat for 9 second chip fix repairs. Hairline cracks can be repaired using hairline fix. Sometimes a short one or two inch stress crack can travel the length of the boat over time. Navy blue a onepart, precolored sealant that repairs gelcoat stress cracks, scrapes and scratches.
From the pic its hard to tell where in the hulll the cracks are. I would take a careful look at where the bunks are supporting the hull. The spraying part of this video will be out next week. After sanding, thoroughly clean the area with acetone to remove the sanding residue and any waxes or other contaminants that might interfere with the. 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. Before you tackle repairing hairline cracks in gelcoat, youll need to prepare. Previous episodes go over other types of fiberglass. Look for stress cracks around stanchions or other areas that might be an indication of an underlying structural problem. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat if the gelcoat is in good condition with no major cracking or crazing, the job is relatively straightforwardclean and prepare the surface, apply an epoxy primer, sand the primer, remove the sanding residue and then apply the topcoat. You can also browse through our range of gelcoat repair projects that will guide you in completing the.
Express composites this is who i generally use as they are close to. Your browser does not currently recognize any of the video formats. Before you add the gelcoat to the cracks, you will need to protect the area around them using painters tape. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. It also repairs cracks in ceramic tiles and scratches on household appliances. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for.
Jun 06, 2018 learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. A miniature grinding tool like a dremel is ideal, but the sharp point of a can opener will work, too. Gelcoat repairs which includes an instructive video that covers gelcoat restoration, scratch repair, and polishing and. Gelcoat crack and crazing repair moderated discussion areas. A dremel with a grinding bit would work just as well, i think. Express composites this is who i generally use as they are close to me cass polymer direct from the manufacturer. Repair involves either widening each crack line in preparation for a new top layer or wet sanding down past the crevice to unweathered gelcoat. This is part 4 of the fiberglass and gelcoat series, theres a hole in my boat. In this case, it was caused by a 27 boat having only one structural bulkhead, located in the wrong place and no transverse framing. Push around the damaged area to feel for weakness in.
This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Making a repair that will match, and will not crack again, will probably look worse than the original stress crack. 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. He has talked to 2 repair places in ca and one said that the fiberglass was not fully cured whaen the paint was applied and out gassing occured as it cured and this caused the paint to crack which caused the gelcoat to crack. Also, in the video he mentions there are other alternatives for stress crack repair that sometimes involve more structural work. Over time, the gelcoat can fade, oxidize and become pitted and dented. Oct 11, 2017 repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint.
Gelcoat is hard and brittle whereas fiberglass composite is somewhat plyable. How to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks youtube. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Fixing fiberglass stress cracks on a bertram moppie powerboat. Then you can apply new gelcoat and be done with it. How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration. Magicezy products are perfect for all manner of fibreglass boat repairs. 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. For plastic or aluminum surfaces, prime the surface with mega fusion. 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. Stress cracks can be identified as longer parallel surface cracks on the hull or deck. 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. If your gel coat already shows signs of aging, its time to repair it or to reapply a fresh layer to revitalize your boats look.
This video is part 3 of a series on fiberglass that focuses on how to repair a very common type of damage in preparation of applying a new nonskid surface using awlgrip paint. Magicezy hairline fix navy blue boat gelcoat crack repair. Tint the batch of gelcoat to match the color of the boat. The next thing to so is to carefully sand the surface of the repair using a rag and some acetone solvent. You dont always have to have a 10 year old boat to be experiencing this problem. They then direct you to carefully fill, level, and wipe around the crack. Any crack that goes deeper than the gelcoat definitely needs attention. Simply grinding a gelcoat stress crack using a dremel grinder then a fill even with epoxy will crack sooner than later. The gelcoat seals the fiberglass and can be left alone or painted over.
Well, i agree that gelcoat cannot be used to repair a composite failure. Tips with fiberglass and gelcoat repair methods by john gabriel. Your gel coat may be tough, but it will succumb to the constant battering of the marine environment over time. Do your homework and make sure you dont have it or your gelcoat repair is a waste of time itll crack the first time you take it out.
This sets up capillary action, wherein the thin gelcoat is sucked into the crack. Feb 17, 2020 assess whether your hole or crack is 1. Fixing fiberglass stress cracks with andy from boatworks today boat maintenance and repair expert and master youtuber, andy miller, is busy in his wisconsin shop this winter. Magicezy hairline fix demonstration how to repair stress. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can lead to bigger problems down the road. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats.
This includes damage like punctures or screw holes. Push around the damaged area to feel for weakness in the fiberglass. Determine the gelcoat batch size for the size of the repair approximately 80 square feet per gallon of gelcoat 20 sq. Easily repair stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass with. The remaining video s will be coming out over the next week sources for the adtech p14 filler used in this video. Jun 10, 2017 autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Jan 18, 2019 in some cases it can be related to thickness, age, and quality of application of the gel coat, too. Hes taken an old bertram moppie powerboat epic yacht, if you ask me and many others and is redoing someone elses restoration. Stress these must be stress cracks, sharp corners in a design concentrate the stress so this is a logical place. Boat gelcoat stress cracks are a common problem within the marine world when it comes to fiberglass gelcoat boats, a. Color matched gelcoat of a specially thin variety is applied with a camels hair brush after the area has been cleansed with acetone.
Wipe away any other dirt and debris that is laying close to the crack. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the. Jun 05, 2016 available in 11 colours, nontoxic, nonhazardous, uv and water resistant, the hairline fix provides a strong, longlasting repair, guaranteed for up to three years. This is because once that fiberglass underneath has flexed, and once the gelcoat has given way, the bond has been broken. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boats ability to stay afloat. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy.
Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee 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. Repairing a crack thru fiberglass make sure to dish grind 5 to 6 inches each side of the crack. You may just grind the gelcoat off then a fill and fare but most likely the cracks will return quickly. Make sure that the transom is supported by the bunks. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can lead. He has talked to 2 repair places in ca and one said that the fiberglass was not fully cured whaen the paint was applied and out gassing occured as it cured and this caused the paint to. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Easy ways to repair cracked fiberglass with pictures wikihow. If the boat is fairly new and the manufacturer is still in business, you may be able to get gelcoat that will be. A builtin applicator and readytouse formulation makes it easy to use with no mixing needed. Nov 14, 2017 from in this video we show how to make a flawless repair to a damaged fibreglass part using the east coast gelcoat repair kit.
Magicezy hairline fix quickly and easily repairs gelcoat cracks on your boatwithout having to grind them out. Available in 11 colours, nontoxic, nonhazardous, uv and water resistant, the hairline fix provides a strong, longlasting repair, guaranteed for up to three years. If filling gelcoat chips or voids deeper than 18 inch, finely chop fiberglass cloth and add it to activated fiberglass laminating resin for base filler saturating until white air bubbles are gone and then continue with your gelcoat repair. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. Improperly installed stringers often cause hard spots.
Are they gelcoat or stress cracks most likely it is crazing or gelcoat cracks. Creating sharp corners when shaping the area to be repaired. But, stress cracks in gelcoat can and do occur without cracking of the fiberglass composite. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Apr 02, 2019 look for stress cracks around stanchions or other areas that might be an indication of an underlying structural problem. Gel coat chip spider crack repair rot can be sneaky and you sound like youre making assumptions and want a quick fix. This colored filler comes in 11 popular boat colors and is readytouse straight from the tube. I ground down through the gelcoat into the fiberglass and ground past the end of the crack as well.
Multiple applications fill the crack and build the surface proud. If you dont open the crack, you wont be able to force the gelcoat into the repair area or expose enough surface area for the repair to adhere. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to major damage that affects the overall shape of the surface. Torsional twisting of the hull caused the cracking which is on the verge catestrophic failure. This show covers how to repair fiberglass stress cracks on your boat using polyester resin.
Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Hairline fix is the easiest, most durable way to repair scratches, scrapes, stress cracks, spider fractures, and crazing in fiberglass and gelcoat surfaces. Stress cracking appearing transversely across a bottom strake. How to repair gelcoat, chips, scrapes and gouges yourself. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. In some cases it can be related to thickness, age, and quality of application of the gel coat, too. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee 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. A professional should check stress cracks below a waterline. If they are stress cracks then the fb is flexing for some reason i. Learn how to remove gelcoat by following a few simple steps. Jun 23, 2006 stress these must be stress cracks, sharp corners in a design concentrate the stress so this is a logical place. Going past the edge makes sure the crack cant continue to crawl. How to prepare your boat for painting a gelcoat sail magazine. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine.
Heres a helpful list of the tools and products i used in the video. Application is easy and in a few seconds, even a novice handyman can. To repair it you would need to grind down to the fiberglass, feathering outward. Also, in the video he mentions there are other alternatives for stress crack repair that sometimes involve more structural work it just depends on the situation. You can also see hairline cracks radiating from the main crack, a sure sign of stress a crack. Heres one way to fix and repair fiberglass stress cracks we use dynaglass body. Do not attempt to widen the crackthe fix will seep into very thin cracks. To ensure good adhesion it is critical that the repair patch is adhered to undamaged laminate. This requires identifying and removing all damaged material.
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