1969 13' Boston Whaler

[fallguy1000]

I got a great deal on a Whaler last fall. It has pretty severe gelcoat crazing and some hull bangs and bumps. I knew that these can be saturated, so I did a simple lift test and I've lifted enough stuff to know this one is not saturated-it was lighter than I expected it to be without saturation. So the repairs are all gelcoat and glasswork and then I get to rebuild the interior which will be fun. There is no motor or steering, but that is all a later on deal.

For right now, I just want to know how you guys would go about fixing the gelcoat crazing. I started to sand the boat, but realized that is not aggressive enough so I bought a bunch of grinder flap discs and abrasives and the weather seams to be turning here so I'm going to try and grind off the gelcoat if that is required.

But, I wondered if I could just grind away all the really bad dings and holes and just reglass the bottom of the entire boat right over the old gelcoat. I'd rather not mess with putting new gelcoat on and I know the crazing will imprint right back through paint. But I doubt it'd imprint through a layer of glass. I need the boat ready by July.

The awlgrip site is a bit vague and suggests you can put epoxy sealer or barrier on over the gelcoat crazing, but that seems short of need. And I just don't know if I need to take the gelcoat off to put a layer of glass over the hull.

What would you guys recommend for the outside? I will buy materials through you. I am going to redo the bottom in white awlgrip and the top is going to be done in robin egg kiwigrip.

Here are the pics and yes, I also am doing other boats as well. Thank you. Dan

I started sanding off the paint.

image by fallguy1000, on Flickr

Here is a picture of the typical crazing-pretty much the same all over.

image by fallguy1000, on Flickr

[jacquesmm]

First, let's make clear that gel coat is not a paint. It is polyester resin. It's cheap stuff.
It will never be as hard or as glossy as a good paint.

In this case, the best way to restore the boat is to do what Awlgrip says:
- grind down all the cracked, damaged gel coat
- coat with epoxy
- paint.

The epoxy coat can be an epoxy primer like this one:
http://boatbuildercentral.com/proddetai ... primer_gal

Follow with a good easy to apply 2 part LPU like this one:
http://boatbuildercentral.com/products.php?cat=68

It is brushable if you prefer and it gives a wet look that you can never get with gelcoat.

[Cracker Larry]

You don't have to remove the gelcoat completely, just give it a real good sanding and cleaning. Then fill any cracks with an epoxy filler like Quick Fair. Then a couple of coats of epoxy primer such as S3 Yacht primer, then paint. It's easy.

No need for more glass unless there are structural problems.

[tcason]

Use an agreessive grit sandpaper to start with to get cracks cleaned up

40 grit proceed to 80 grit then 120 grit then prime

[fallguy1000]

Just use orbital sander or right angle grinder with flap discs? Thanks

[Cracker Larry]

That boat doesn't need a grinder, it is an implement of destruction, just a R/O sander. As said above, 40 grit, then 60, then 80, then 120. good to go.

[fallguy1000]

Thanks Larry.

I was looking at Interlux 2000e. Can I use quik fair or epoxy and glass for repairs, then the 2000e, and then the yacht primer, or is that a waste of efforts? I just want to keep the crazing from coming back through.

Gonna get some lower grit papers and sand more soon. Can't wait, but today is looking like rain, so I might try to get her in the garage..

[fallguy1000]

I found some 50 grit for rotary sander at Menards, but still pretty slow-this paint is thiicckk. Gotta source some 40 grit hook and loop somewhere... I have a nice autobody long sander, but need air compressor upgrade. The transom is rotten on the steering connection on the right, so I took out the bronze plug expecting rot throughout and its solid there-go figure. I kind of wonder if they did a core repair from the other size where you see the trapezoid shape? Sanded away anything loose or deep crazes. I ordered some quikfair from bateau today, but some glasswork at least is going to be required bottom right of picture. I need to get my diamond wheel grinder out and cut away some of the glass to see how bad the rot is...ran out of time today.. I will probably oversize drill all penetrations. Can I just use quikfair in all those, or should I use chopstrand shred and epoxy and leave them hollow? Thanks.

image by fallguy1000, on Flickr

[tcason]

I order my disks from Klingspor - they are very heavey duty and customer support is great

I call them tell them what I am sanding and they make a reccomendation as to what disk will work best

Whaler looks good - I did a whaler that looked similiar - the more you sand know the better result you can expect

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/abrasive-discs/

[jacquesmm]

First make certain that your transom is fine.
Quickfair does not add any strength but it's up to you decide how much glass you have to replace. I can't say until you grind all the bad stuff down.
I would use a chopped strand putty in the transom holes.
After the glass and the Quickfair, I would use the System Three primer. It is an epoxy primer and will seal the hull nicely.
From there, use the paint of your choice. We have almost everything on top of the S3 primer.