Epoxyworks article: Repairing Gelcoat Stress Cracks

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A new article in the latest edition of "Epoxyworks" - Repairing Gelcoat Stress Cracks

Repairing Gelcoat Stress Cracks - Epoxyworks

By Terry Monville - GBI Technical Advisor Knowing how or why your boat’s gelcoat cracks occurred in the first place is the key to a successful repair. For example, if hitting a seawall or dropping a champagne bottle on deck is what caused the cracks, after fixing them you will know how to...

www.epoxyworks.com

here's one snip - the article goes into more detail on other types of repairs.

Repairing Minor Gelcoat Cracks

1. Use a rotary tool or scraping tool to open the crack into a “V” shape. You will need to go through the gelcoat to the fiberglass and open the full length of the crack. Next, use 80-grit sandpaper to scuff up the opening you created. Fold the sandpaper so you can get a corner of it into the opened crack.
2. After removing the dust, you can fill the crack with G/flex® 655, Six10® or WEST SYSTEM 105 Epoxy Resin®/20X Hardener thickened with 406 Colloidal Silica Adhesive Filler.
3. After the epoxy has fully cured, wash it with water to remove any amine blush. The blush is water-soluble, which means water is the best option to remove it. You can now sand and apply a color matching gelcoat to the area.