Gelcoat cracks boston whaler

Please allow 24 weeks after order for completion of parts. Learn the best way to take care of your whaler and its accessories below. Unpainted, original gel coat inside and out, spider crack, in the usual places, to be expected for this vintage vessel. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Services gel coat doctor make your boat beautiful again. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking.

The very basic reason for stress cracks in a gelcoat finish is the hull or surface that the gelcoat is bonded to flexed or moved an amount beyond the point that the gelcoat can flex, so it just cracks, because the gelcoat has no structural bearing attributes. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. Boston whaler your boston whaler may be unsinkable, but it still needs a little tlc tender loving care now and then to retain its wellearned glory. A fiberglass layup that is too wet, or has too much resin will crack also. These craze cracks usually develop on surfaces where the gel coat is heavy. He said hed be happy to restore my little fiberglass boat, as it would be a fun change of pace for his crew. Boston whaler restoration projects public group facebook. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. You can successfully complete basic fiberglass boat repair by following these steps. The mahogany wood was revarnished in march along with the gelcoat detailed, bottom paint redone, and the engine serviced. There is an aluminum dive door on the port side that is painted. While holding the swim ladder against the transom at the marks made in the previous steps, use the pencil to mark the transom through the holes 4 in both the left and right brackets. While grinding out a few larger cracks, i discovered that what i thought was a. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs.

Well i noticed a wet spot on the ground and looked up. Spectrum color carver, 19952003, off white color boat gel coat. Chip size on bow smirk, rough spots on forward keel presumably from beaching. Theres a guy here who does wonderful restoration work of old wooden boats.

Is there spider cracks on the topside or boils on the hull in the gelcoat. If you use unwaxed gelcoat as the finish coating, you must spray pva. First i thought id sand it down, then apply a resin with filler additive to refair the surface, sand the filler, then use awlgrip to paint the entire boat. Gel coat applied to flat hull surfaces will generally not be particularly thick, perhaps only 0. This gelcoat repair is effective for non structural areas.

Imperfections in your boats finish can tell you about its structural integrity. The interior and decks have the typical crazing and spider cracks. Also, gelcoat shrinks over time and exposure to the sun makes the effects worse. Serious fiberglass work, ft boston whaler restoration. There is a crack in the gelcoat in the bottom keel downt he center of the hull on either side of the daggerboard slot. The gelcoat was patched by the bow eye, but no structural damage. On that basis, performance of a dauntless 15 with 70hp should be very good. The gelcoat without wax is used for layups when you want the initial layer of gelcoat to remain tacky to the touch while youre laying reinforcement plies on top in order to create a strong chemical bond in the laminate. Fiberglass, gelcoat, paint and woodworking are my specialties. Most boats develop stress and spider cracks over time in the gelcoat. See more ideas about boston whaler, boston whaler boats and boat. Boston whaler restoration norman pins cleats part 1.

The exterior gelcoat has basically turned to chalk. There is no problem with spider cracks on the topside or boils in the gelcoat. Plans and designs plywood boat plans, wooden boat plans, boston whaler boats. A restoration of the interior deck of a vintage boston whaler with crazing and cracking that needs repair.

Since the hull of a boston whaler is constructed in a unique and patented way. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating. Minor scratches and hairline cracks that are to be expected with regular use. Because gelcoat by its nature is a hard and brittle substance, hairline craze cracks may result with age. Stress cracks stress cracks are cracks in the gel coat of a boat that let you know there is undue stress on a particular area or a problem under the gel coat. Fiberglass gelcoat repair boston whaler restoration part 6. I have been shooting automotive coats for a while now emamels, urethanes, polyurethanes etc but never have tried to spray gelcoat, only. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Whats this boiled down too was that i was faced with two choices. Spider cracks, epoxy paint moderated discussion areas.

I just found some interesting information on this subject published by boston whaler in the 70s. 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. Crazing will come through paint and or gelcoat if you do not grind and fill each individual crack with a suitable product. From the expansive bow with innovative seating galore, to the beautifully designed convertible helm and cockpit areas, to the gracious, wellequipped cabin with enclosed head, the 420 is a champion at onboard entertaining and pleasure cruising, whether. Feb 17, 2005 4,980 970 1 state of confusion name tim boat longboard, 15 calibogie bogart. With some boats you could begin seeing signs of stress within the first few years. You dont always have to have a 10 year old boat to be experiencing this problem. This was the first time i have used epifanes 2 part polyurethane, and i am a fan.

Ive never done any fiberglass work, but i did repaint the bilge of my apache with awlgrip last year. Since 1968, west marine has grown to over 250 local stores, with knowledgeable associates happy to assist. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. Linexs elastomer properties and nonslid texture are the perfect weapon to revitalize your boat. We have this awesome boat that just cannot take enough of a beating, but the gelcoat in some spots seems to craze, or spider web. You can trust the gel coat doctor to restore your whaler to showroom condition to get you back. Small cracks forming, especially at the surface of the fiberglass cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. Gel coat crackscrazing on my old whaler the hull truth. The motor has lbs of compression on both cylinders. While that was the final coat after many hours and layers of important steps underneath, it was the icing. Fiberglass paint primer and sanding boston whaler restoration part 7.

Tried to open the cracks and fill but new cracks just kept appearing. If the cracks are stress caused, youll need biggerstronger backing plates for the fittings andor layup additional laminates to increase the thickness of the area. See how i repair the bulkhead of this boston whaler with missing fiberglass and gelcoat. Apr 8, 2019 gel coat crackscrazing on my old whaler the hull truth. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. Boats and cracks are not meant to hang together and so when the owner of this boat settled on a pretty major refit from stem to stern, we got involved for the deck refurbishing and got our boston whaler blue wetedge topside paint involved. First, i could sand out as much as possible and fill with fairing compound or i could try to take. Gelcoat crack and crazing repair moderated discussion areas. If the surface of your boat looks like a cracked eggshell, the gelcoat is suffering from crazing sometimes called alligatoring.

How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration. Since youre going to shoot gelcoat lbi in ct has the best price ive seen for gelcoat, ill be there next weekend youre gonna have to fill and patch with polyester resin. In retrospect, those were easy compared to the myriad of small cracks and missing pieces of gelcoat. As with any paint job, prep is key the second coat will cover only the finest of hairline cracks in underlying gelcoat.

Boston whaler is a brand of motorboat manufactured in the united states. Spectrum color gel coat repair kits in a variety of original boston whaler colors. New cushions with a second set of cushions included also. Has some gelcoat cracks, sails good, i think the fixed keel needs sealed where it meets the hull. Repairing hull damage the whaler way continuouswave. Stress cracks are cracks in the gel coat of a boat that let you know there is undue stress on a particular area or a problem under the gel coat. If you cant find what youre looking for, view our faq page, or send your question. Classically, a whaler is characterized by a foamcored fiberglass hull often of modified vee cathedral hull form, with an outboard motor and center steering console. Spectrum color boston whaler, 19721993, desert tan color boat gel coat. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in.

Fwiw, my w32 deck was laid up on a cold day in february. I have a 79 11ft whaler and it is covered in cracks in the gel coat, but none seem to be wide enough to tell me there is a problem. Whaler who was suffering from crazing and cracking all around, we knew. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. With a little tlc and straightforward upkeep, youll be enjoying your whaler for decades to come. This is a classic whaler that turns heads whether you are offshore or cruising the bay or lake. Boston whalers are engineered for easy upkeep and longlasting reliability. Not to the point of flaking or chipping of, it just looks bad. I want to spray on a coat of gelcoat to the entire outside and inside of my 88 boston whaler outrage 18. Custom options available like two tone or cup holders and backrests available at additional cost. According to the boston whaler catalogue for 1994, the dauntless 15 needed a minimum of 30hp, and a maximum of 70hp was allowed. Thick gelcoat cracks under minor flex where thinner will not. Whaler central boston whaler boat information and photos. It is common to see on older boston whaler boats that some cracks appear in the gel coat layer in certain areas of the hull which may have some bending stresses on them such as at the transom and where the gel coat layer is thicker than elsewhere.