Help with a Gel Coat Repair Kit

[MuskyHuntr]

I bought my boat a year ago and joined this site and since then refer to it all the time for information.. Thanks to everyone for the info.. Now I would like to place my first post..

I have a 1983 V20 Step Lift and I am looking at taking care of a bunch of small nicks, scratches drill holes and am looking to patch these up.. I hear that there is a company named Spectrum which carries Gel Coat Repair kits however 1.) they don't have anything for a Wellcraft boat earlier than 1985. 2.) they just have Quarts instead of the 2 oz kits... And I did find a place that I can get one for their cost @ $115.00 but that may or may not match my '83.
I think it is a white...maybe off-white....

Does anyone know of a place to get a 2 oz kit for my '83 boat? Would the 1985 WellCraft color work on my 1983? Is there another boat manaufacturer color that would match just as well?

Mini-Craft is also another place and suposedly they can match the color off my Hull ID??? but there Pints are $126.00

Was trying to stay away from the ones where you mix and match just because I may never get the mixture right to match it...but I might have to go that route anyway since I'm not sure I want to pay those high prices just for doing a alot of small repairs????

Any input would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks
Mark

[tsubaki]

What color are you trying to mimic?
My standard answer for minor hole patches and scratches up to almost a 1/4" deep is Marine Tex.
Available in white or gray.
Can't remember if it can be blended toward colors or not.

[Road King Cole]

I did the mix your own color kit and got it pretty close. You wouldn't be able to notice the nicks I fixed unless you knew where to look. I couldn't find anything else that "should" match and be reasonable. Even if you get the original mixture, it may not exactly match the fading that has taken place.

Word of advise:

If you do try the mix and match, just add a very very very small speck of brown to start with. Once you add too much brown, you will be having to get another kit...(this happened to a "friend of mine:)...

rkc

[step up here]

thats true the trick is to start with a very small amount of gel and tint with just a ever small pin head amount of tint then apply to boat when you think you are close [ you dont add hardner untill you are satisfied with match ]. just wipe off gel since it wont kick on the boat.do not try to retint if you are too far in the wrong direction always start with fresh gel that is why you are doing such a small amount . use black ,brown or yellow one of them will work .:nice:

[MuskyHuntr]

Trying to come close to the White??? Or Off-White.... I''m not too sure what color the boat really is...
I have cleaned with light rubbing compound and have also used Aqua Buff 1000 & 2000 and it sure looks nice and clean and the fiberglasss looks pretty close to brand new.... It just still looks a little off from white and definately not bright white...
I have heard about the Marine Tex but thought that it might be too white, although now that I have looked into it further it does look like you can tint it...I'll have to see if I can find epoxy tint to put into it..
Just heard back from Mini-Craft and they say they have no records past 1985 so they may not be able to help me either...

I've just about exhausted the research and will proably go with one of the mix and match kits or the Marine tex if I can find the tint...

[MuskyHuntr]

Just one more question.....These repars are in places that are visable and I was wondering....Does the Marine Tex have a high gloss finish? or do you need to finish over the top with some gel coat? Or would it bebetter to just use the mix n match gel coat repair for these small visable fill-ins?

Thanks

[tsubaki]

Get the White, don't worry about tinting, the boat is probably stained.
After the final finish and cure of the repair, lightly water sand the general location then feathering (yet even lighter water sanding) beyond and then buff and wax. I'm sure you will end up with clean/bright patches where the repair is compared to the rest of the boat.
Or do like I normally do, fix the blemish, leave it alone till the urge arises to buff the whole boat (this ain't happened yet).

[MuskyHuntr]

tsubaki... Thanks for the input on this... I hear good things on the Marine Tex stuff... However I heard that it turns a tan color after a while???? Have you experienced that?
I am going through the tediuos process of buffing the entire boat out anyway..I'm sold on the Aqua-Buff.. iTs restoring the gel coat to "like new" figure I'll do it now the right way and then hopefully just have to do a quick clean/wax once a year.

[tsubaki]

The times I've seen it turn colors was due to lack of proper follow up. In area's that have been neglected it will absorb whatever the contaminate is, say rust, oil, etc.
A good buffing and wax seems to make a protective coating over it, slowing or even stopping infiltration.
As with any repairs, the trick is to catch the damage as early as possible.

[cfelton]

Ive made quite a few repairs to my V and recently a major repair to a crushed bow on my buddys 86 V. I got a quart of white gelcoat from Carolina Classic Boatbuilders in Edenton, N.C. I bought a small tube of brown tint from West Marine and matched it perfectly. Different spots on your boat will require different tones or shades of light tan. Sand (feather out the holes or nicks) and clean well with acetone before appling gelcoat. Just pour a tablespoon or two in a shallow cup and add a speck of tint at a time and mix well. Paint it on with a very small brush and when the color matches add your MEK hardener. You can thicken it up with cabosil. Get yourself a quart of acetone before you start, it'll wipe the unhardened gelcoat right off and it cleans your utensils good. It takes a few trys but be patient, its worth it when you get it right. Build it up with a few layers and sand out with 400 grit, then 800 grit then wet sand with 1000 grit, then buff with rubbing compound, polish and wax. Good results takes time. Good Luck!

[reelapeelin]

Determine if your damage is gel coat or fiberglass...if it's gel coat only, repair it w/gel coat...tinting it shouldn't be too difficult...if the damage is deep into the fiberglass, then you'll need to look at Marine Tex...JMHO...

[buckleyjr]

Thanks for the helpful guidance! I too have some screw holes and minor nicks to fill. Quick question: CFelton - when you say "build it up" does that mean put on multiple layers that dry/cure/harden between each application or do you build it up once and then sand down to match the level of the surrounding area? Thanks again!

[cfelton]

Ive done it both ways. If you know your gonna need a couple of layers, I'd do a couple and sand completely down smooth and see if you need any more. I'd always scuff (sand lightly) and wipe with acetone every layer that cured before adding another, if not it'll pop right off. You can tint maybe a 1/4 cup of gelcoat (enough to do all spots needed) and pour off a little and mix with hardener. This way all layers will color match through the repair. I usually wind up with 6-8 coats. You'll notice you'll sand right through the first couple of coats. I try and fix half a dozen spots at the same time so as not to waste the gelcoat I have mixed! Its kinda hard to mix a little tiny bit. I use cheap 1/2 inch brushes from any hardware store to apply the gelcoat. Usually wash them in a cup of acetone and reuse a couple of times before tossing them. Get a box of latex gloves, its hard ta get off your hands. Hope this helps. Good luck!!

[cfelton]

Oh! Sorry I dont have any pics, wife wouldnt let me touch the camera with that chit on my hands! HaHa!
If you have a screw hole to repair, feather (sand) the area, cut a small piece of dowel rod or whittle down a piece of wood, (have used a sanded golf tee)add glue to peg and hole, and drive it in the hole till its at least 1/16 below the surface. When its cured fill with gelcoat and sand out. Also sand out any cracks before starting. Be sure to wipe clean with acetone before appling gelcoat!

[buckleyjr]

Thank you! I'll document the process with photos and post - though not sure when. The weather hasn't been cooperating. It friggin snowed yesterday!

[Road King Cole]

When I used the west marine gelcoat repair, the stuff was thick and only one coat was required... I also used the "saran wrap" method. Glob in on, and then put the plastic wrap over it until it cured. The kit came with some plastic wrap if I remember correctly. There's great videos on how to do this out there if needed.