Gel coat disaster
 

Last week I patched all of the interior screw holes in the boat. Some came out good, some bad, but at least its white and watertight. The color mix of gel that i did was close enough, its my prep work that needed some help. All of the repairs were done under the cover with the portable heater on.

I was overly zealous this weekend and tried my hand at a few gel coat repairs on the exterior hull. It was about 35 degrees out, and undeterred, I decided that I could get the gel on if I heated the repair area first with a heat gun and then aimed the portable heater at the repair area as the gel cured.

I dont have a clue what happened. I mixed the gel indoors to the same color as the interior gel,(white with a touch of black to grey it up a little) and went outside and applied it to the repair area. I applied the release paper to the repair, aimed the heater at it, and let it cure for an hour or so. I come back outside and the cured gel is GREEN!! A flourescent Lime Green! ???

Needless to say I then ground out the whole repair, using some choice language. Can anyone tell me why it turned green? It was mixed in a clean cup with a clean popsicle stick. Could the cold temperature make the color change?

I just ordered Spectrum' gel patch kit in 1985 Wellcraft white so that when I try again (when it is at least 60 out) that I know it aint my color mixing.

I'll be a pro at this sooner or later.

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

Did the cover come in contact with it? Just wondering if maybe it leached from the tarp or whatever you have.

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

I have the plain old blue poly tarp. I'm not sure if that could be it or not - I'm still leaning towards the ambient temp outside?

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

Contact the gelcoat manufacturer . . . they'll know for sure. Did the gelcoat have a wax additive? when you sanded the repair out . . . . was the gelcoat green through the whole repair.

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

BS-
There was no wax additive that I know of. I us3d saran wrap to seal the repair while it cured. I was using the evercoat brand gel paste. The stuff in every boat store.

I did try to sand it first, and it was green through and through.

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

Flourescent lime green?....humm...do you live down wind of a nuclear power plant... ??? ;D

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

See this is why I never repair anything! Just let it go!! If it gets to bad I just put some Marine Tex and I am off!! ;D

Re: Gel coat disaster
 

Maco-

I am almost coming to that conclusion myself! I'm also real good with bondo!!