Ask For A Test Demo - Navigator Publishing

VOYAGING TIPSMinor gelcoat repairsOops! You scratched thegelcoat on your boat.It’s actually easy to repair,but if a boatyard makes therepair, it can be expensive.Doing it yourself is not difficultif you take it step-bystep.Here are the steps to aclean repair:What you’ll needTo make a repair you’ll need agelcoat repair kit available fromClear Cote, Evercoat, or any ofthe other brands.Rubber gloves to protectyour hands.A towel for wiping down. Iprefer disposable paper towels.stick.A spatula and a mixingA color kit from Evercoat, ifthe gelcoat is colored.Solvent. Many boatbuildersuse acetone, but it dries too fastand can leave residue on thejob. It is better to use a slowerdrying solvent.A mixing tray or cup.1. First remove any loosematerial. Often gelcoataround the damaged area iscracked and should beremoved. If you have a smallarea of damage, use a Dremeltool with a V-shaped grindingbit. If you have a largearea to repair use a grinder.2. When the area is freeof loose material, wipe itdown with solvent to removeany grease or oil.3. If you are not sure ofyour ability to make a mess,mask off the area withmasking tape and plastic,leaving only the damagedarea showing.4. Mix the first batch ofgelcoat. Stir it well. You don’tneed a lot of gelcoat mixture.You can always more gelcoat,but removing too much mixtureafter it has dried can bea lot of hard work. If theexisting gelcoat is coloredadd a drop of coloring agentand see how well it matches.Adjust the coloring agentuntil you have approximatelythe right color.5. Wipe the job with solventto ensure it is still cleanand oil free.6. Apply the new gelcoat.I prefer to use a disposableCraft stick as a stirrer and asa spatula for tiny jobs. If youBY ROGER MARSHALLClean thebreak byremovingloose pieces,wipe downwith solventand thenapply theliquid gelcoat.Let dry andsand withfinishingsandpaper.With somepractice, smalljobs shouldbe noproblem forthe averagevoyager.www.oceannavigator.comSEPTEMBER 2010 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 51