Gelcoat Repair Question

altair

Member
I just removed my SF cover for the first time this year and realized that I have a pretty bad crack in the gelcoat. It does not appear to be very deep but it is very noticable when you run your hand over it which I am sure is not good for racing. I would like to attempt to repair it myself but have very limited experience. Since it is on the bottom I want to make sure I do it right and use the right product. Any step by step instructions would be aprreciated.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mep0812/SF Gelcoat/?action=view&current=Gelcoat4-11001.jpg

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v256/mep0812/SF Gelcoat/?action=view&current=Gelcoat4-11002.jpg
 
Are those cracks on the hull under the cockpit? If so they are likely to reissue after repairs and I don't think you can do much about it. It is just the way these boats age bb
 
If the cracks are under the cockpit, they could have been caused by the trailer bunks.

If you also have cracks inside the cockpit, you should run a pressure test to see if they are just cosmetic or if you have a leak.

William
 
They certainly do look like the typical wear and tear "criss-cross sword cracks" that are found under the outshirts of the cockpit. Keep in mind that if you just gelcoat them, they'll eventually reappear.

I have a 72 fish, and had these typical criss-cross, under-the-well fiberglass failure cracks - as shown below (on the outskirts of the accompanying white circles). The white circles and accompanying white sword-like cracks are failures in the underlying fiberglass. After sanding down the cracked areas as shown below, the white failure cracks were physically revealed.

This area is a typical wear and tear spot as there are no foam blocks under the well, and thus the area under the well flexes (and thus eventually cracks over time).

In this area, it's a typical sand-down, glass and epoxy, then gelcoat repair.
 

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They certainly do look like the typical wear and tear "criss-cross sword cracks" that are found under the outshirts of the cockpit. Keep in mind that if you just gelcoat them, they'll eventually reappear.

I have a 72 fish, and had these typical criss-cross, under-the-well fiberglass failure cracks - as shown below (on the outskirts of the accompanying white circles). The white circles and accompanying white sword-like cracks are failures in the underlying fiberglass. After sanding down the cracked areas as shown below, the white failure cracks were physically revealed.

This area is a typical wear and tear spot as there are no foam blocks under the well, and thus the area under the well flexes (and thus eventually cracks over time).

In this area, it's a typical sand-down, glass and epoxy, then gelcoat repair.

there is no foam under the cockpit but there are some hard foam balls under the cochpit well so that it DOESN´T fllex but with the weight of the sailor the balls are pushed down and it eventually cracks the bottom in the same spots
you can only live with it

Matas J
 

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