# Gelcoat Gouge Repair Help



## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

Look at it this way , you dont have to be on pins and needles using her any more. I m on top of oyster shells all the time ( plenty of scratches). I’d try a colored sharpie on the scratches Might try some bottom paint. I would need much more damage to pull out the gelcoat. Good looking skiff ,good luck!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

State fish rob said:


> Look at it this way , you dont have to be on pins and needles using her any more. I m on top of oyster shells all the time ( plenty of scratches). I’d try a colored sharpie on the scratches Might try some bottom paint. I would need much more damage to pull out the gelcoat. Good looking skiff ,good luck!


Yeah, scratches are bound to happen when the boat gets used and I’m ok with that. My concern is possible wicking of moisture into the gouge. I am no expert but I certainly don’t want to compound the problem by letting it go unattended if the gouge is deep enough for that to happen. Either way, the protective properties of gelcoat make me tempted to do it the hard way just for piece of mind. But thanks for the advice!


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

You've got the procedure down pretty well. I prefer to use Mylar taped over the repair instead of the packing tape. Find a Mylar sheet that's a little thicker than packing tape (binder sleeves sold in office supply store work well). It will lay flatter and give a surface that is smoother and requires less sanding and touch up.

P.S. You won't need a gallon of gel coat, more like two oz. Do a small section at a time.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

I think someone makes a color match skim coat. Kinda like body filler. Someone used a colored crack filler around some stress cracks the transom on my skiff (looks decent @3’ , not much to brag on up close ). Good luck


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


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You have a good game plan. Not much more to add. Be patient, work small areas at a time.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

Call Ankona, they will have your color gel on hand. Ask to purchase a pint, a qt, ect... from them. Once you get it, take a little and thicken with cabosil to make a putty with. Clean and slightly bevel your scratch then fill with colored and catalized putty. After putty kicks, sand a bit, apply a couple coats of the catalized gel coat by what ever meens you choose, wet sand to 600 grit and buff!


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

You will need sanding aid, patch aid, wax additive, or duratec in your last coat to get a proper cure!


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> Call Ankona, they will have your color gel on hand. Ask to purchase a pint, a qt, ect... from them. Once you get it, take a little and thicken with cabosil to make a putty with. Clean and slightly bevel your scratch then fill with colored and catalized putty. After putty kicks, sand a bit, apply a couple coats of the catalized gel coat by what ever meens you choose, wet sand to 600 grit and buff!


@TieOneOnJax when you call ask for Erin. She is super cool and hooked me up with some at no charge.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> You've got the procedure down pretty well. I prefer to use Mylar taped over the repair instead of the packing tape. Find a Mylar sheet that's a little thicker than packing tape (binder sleeves sold in office supply store work well). It will lay flatter and give a surface that is smoother and requires less sanding and touch up.
> 
> P.S. You won't need a gallon of gel coat, more like two oz. Do a small section at a time.


Thanks for the advice on the Mylar sheets, I’ve got a bunch of those lying around that I was contemplating tossing. I wouldn’t be buying a gallon if I could find less in my color but the places I’ve called won’t mix it to that color in any lesser quantity. Either way, $60 for the gallon is way cheaper than the $1600 I was quoted so from my current vantage it feels like a bargain!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> You will need sanding aid, patch aid, wax additive, or duratec in your last coat to get a proper cure!


Sorry for asking something that can probably be found on another thread but do mind explaining the purpose behind those additional products? This is all new to me so the help is appreciated. I believe I’ve seen the duratec in a couple other posts and if I recall correctly, it aids in the drying process. The other items, however, are new to me. Thanks!


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

Sanding aid, patch aid, and wax additive are just a wax additive to aid in curing. Non waxed gelcoat will not cure in the presence of air, the wax additive will rise to the surface of the gel creating a barrier from the air while curing takes place. The cabosil is a thickener to make a gel paste with so you can fill the gouge a little. Kind of like using body filler only better and stronger. You only need a little cabosil for this job, don’t buy a lot this stuff is very light weight.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Also, one of the pros that quoted me a price told me that it would be $1,600 because he would need to do everything below the ridge in the hull in order to make it look properly blended. This has me wondering if I should be doing the same or if this guy was just trying to squeeze the most out of the job. I was planning on taping off the area a few inches from the top and bottom of the scratch and only doing that area. If the gelcoat is properly matched, will this be ok or should I be doing that entire section? Thoughts?


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry to be so contrary Boat brains, but .... If the OP is covering the gel coat with Mylar or tape, it will cure just fine. The only purpose of a wax additive is to create an air barrier so the resin can cure tack-free. The Mylar does that. Patch Aid thins gel coat for spraying, and I don't recommend spraying for this application. Sanding aid is also just another wax additive not needed.

I'm pretty familiar with this process, and, in fact, just finished gel coat restoration on a 2001 Pro Line 183 which had dozens of scrapes, spider cracks and chips.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

You should be able to blend it good using matching gel! No need to make the repair area bigger. Once you get your materials let me know. You’ll also want to get some 80gr, 220gr, 320gr, 400gr, 600gr sand paper and some buffing compound.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> Sorry to be so contrary Boat brains, but .... If the OP is covering the gel coat with Mylar or tape, it will cure just fine. The only purpose of a wax additive is to create an air barrier so the resin can cure tack-free. The Mylar does that. Patch Aid thins gel coat for spraying, and I don't recommend spraying for this application. Sanding aid is also just another wax additive not needed.
> 
> I'm pretty familiar with this process, and, in fact, just finished gel coat restoration on a 2001 Pro Line 183 which had dozens of scrapes, spider cracks and chips.


You are correct Vertigo, I don’t do the mylar/tape thing but not because it doen’t work. I am more comfortable without it. I would still add the wax just in case the tape peels or there is trapped air under the tape/mylar though.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

If you want a perfect, invisible match, you'll have to do the whole surface below the ridge. Doing just the scrape will yield results that look fine from 3 feet away. It's a fishing boat. It's going to get dinged and dirty. I once knew a guy who, when he got his new boat, took out a screwdriver and gouged a three foot line on the side of the hull. His reasoning was that now he didn't have to worry about the boat getting dinged.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> If you want a perfect, invisible match, you'll have to do the whole surface below the ridge. Doing just the scrape will yield results that look fine from 3 feet away. It's a fishing boat. It's going to get dinged and dirty. I once knew a guy who, when he got his new boat, took out a screwdriver and gouged a three foot line on the side of the hull. His reasoning was that now he didn't have to worry about the boat getting dinged.


Well that’s one way to take the pressure out of owning a pristine skiff! I, on the other hand, prefer to let my stupidity take the reins when it comes to mucking things up (see above attached exhibits of proof). I don’t need perfect, I just need nice. I don’t want it to look sloppy but I am at peace with the fact that it won’t look like it do from the factory. I guess I’ll just have to drive in the left lane now so people can see her “good side” when she’s on the trailer!


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

If you take your time, they’ll have to be lookin pretty darn hard to notice it lol!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

NativeBone said:


> @TieOneOnJax when you call ask for Erin. She is super cool and hooked me up with some at no charge.


Thanks @Native, I’ve been emailing with her and she’s been super helpful. I’m not sure they have any of this gelcoat lying around because it’s a less common color (Bahamian Blue in case you were wondering).


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Thanks @Native, I’ve been emailing with her and she’s been super helpful. I’m not sure they have any of this gelcoat lying around because it’s a less common color (Bahamian Blue in case you were wondering).


Cool, Team Ankona has GREAT customer care! Keep us posted


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Thanks @Native, I’ve been emailing with her and she’s been super helpful. I’m not sure they have any of this gelcoat lying around because it’s a less common color (Bahamian Blue in case you were wondering).


They may not have it but can get it, I would go with them if you can, you’ll get the same brand and blend and your repair will blend better.


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## Imago (Aug 9, 2018)

Ouch. That hurts. Been there and know what it feels like. Looks like you've got a similar trailer to mine and a similar outcome. Skiffs need side bunks and I don't know whey anyone would ever supply a trailer without them. Good luck with the repair.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Imago said:


> Ouch. That hurts. Been there and know what it feels like. Looks like you've got a similar trailer to mine and a similar outcome. Skiffs need side bunks and I don't know whey anyone would ever supply a trailer without them. Good luck with the repair.


Yeah, it’s painful to look at all right. Thankfully it happened at the beginning of a two week lull between flood tides so I won’t miss too much if I’m dry for a little bit. I look at it as a great, risk free way to learn a new skill that, but for the mishap, I wouldn’t otherwise have learned. Worst case scenario, the repair is noticible, I move on and catch fish. Best case scenario, the repair looks great, I move on and catch fish. All roads lead to happiness so long as I can get back out on the water with a structuraly sound skiff.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Quick update, Erin from Ankona has confirmed that the paint color is not a common one for them and they don’t have any lying around to provide me. They would need to do what I am likely going to need to do and order the stuff by the gallon. Regardless of the outcome, Ankona (and specifically Erin) has been great but it looks like I’m going to have some spare gel coat lying around. If anyone wants to gelcoat anything in Bahama Blue, I’ll get you a give you a great deal on 125 fl oz (give or take an oz).


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## Edfish (Jan 4, 2013)

Quick thanks to OP and the contributors for posting such detailed info on this. I need to do some gelcoat stuff for first time as well, and it's great to have such knowledgeable people chime in.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Everything I need to complete the job will be delivered to my doorstep by Friday so I’ll hopefully get this all knocked out this weekend. I’ll do what I can to document my progress and keep y’all in the loop so we can celebrate my triump or agonize over my defeat collectively.


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## Guest (Aug 14, 2018)

You’ll do fine, just take your time and do small sections like Vertigo said!


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

I agree with the above posts but will add to it in a moment.

But first, please explain what this is???


TieOneOnJax said:


> Awlgrip Gelcoat


Ok, back at it. To get a near perfect repair with the absolute least sanding you need to cover the repair with something a bit stiffer than tape. Go to the office supply store and buy overhead projection sheets. They come in two varieties - normal and extra heavy. Normal will be fine for this. What you do is just like above but when you put them on the static will adhere them to the hull. Hold it in place with your finger and use a credit/gift card as a leveling squeegee. The static pull will flatten out the gel nearly perfect and you will end up with a super flat perfectly contoured repair.

John is the guy who taught me this a long time ago and here is an entire hull he made the same way.
http://duckworksmagazine.com/03/r/articles/glass/bottom.htm


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> I agree with the above posts but will add to it in a moment.
> 
> But first, please explain what this is???
> 
> ...


Good question, I may be mixing a couple terms up here. I’ve ordered gelcoat with a color match to an AWLGrip color. I was under the impression that Awlgrip was the manufacturer of the gelcoat but I’m very possibly confused about that. I ordered over the phone from Florida Fiberglass and the rep ensured me it’s what I need for my job. I guess I’ll learn more when I open the package. 

Thanks for the suggestion on the projector sheets! I love that idea, especially with the static holding it in place and flattening our the repair.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Those type bunk brackets are garbage. Welded aluminum brackets are the only way to go on an aluminum trailer. Imagine the heartache, time and money it would have saved!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Those type bunk brackets are garbage. Welded aluminum brackets are the only way to go on an aluminum trailer. Imagine the heartache, time and money it would have saved!


Yeah, both my skiff and I agree, those bunk brackets are garbage. Swapping those out is one of several jobs lined up for this weekend. It’s one of those things I never paid much attention to until I had reason to. Unfortunately that reason is the giant gouge we’ve been discussing.


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

Exactly why I have a white hull. Colored hulls look sharp, but one little scratch and your pulling your hair out..

Hope it all works out for you


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

tailchaser16 said:


> Exactly why I have a white hull. Colored hulls look sharp, but one little scratch and your pulling your hair out..
> 
> Hope it all works out for you


Yeah, something to consider when I’m looking at my next skiff. But this gouge was deep enough that it needed to be repaired regardless. Didn’t want it to turn into something more than a cosmetic issue.


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

Boatbrains said:


> They may not have it but can get it, I would go with them if you can, you’ll get the same brand and blend and your repair will blend better.


The color matching is the hardest part.


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## bugslinger (Jun 4, 2012)

Vertigo said:


> If you want a perfect, invisible match, you'll have to do the whole surface below the ridge. Doing just the scrape will yield results that look fine from 3 feet away. It's a fishing boat. It's going to get dinged and dirty. I once knew a guy who, when he got his new boat, took out a screwdriver and gouged a three foot line on the side of the hull. His reasoning was that now he didn't have to worry about the boat getting dinged.


I know a guy that did the very same thing with every new boat he got.... reasoning that once it's not perfect any more he can be more comfortable in it.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Recieved the gelcoat, MEKP, and wax solution yesterday.










I’ll be applying the gel coat tomorrow morning after the prep is finished. 

Last night I cleaned the wound with a rounded point grinder bit on my dremel. It did my best not to take too much off while opening up the gouge slightly so the GC has something to adhere to. Here are a pre-grind and post grind pic of a small section: 


















This process actually wasn’t as easy as I expected because of the angle of the hull and the narrow width of the gouge. The dremel bit did not want to ride the gouge like a track as I was hoping and it definitely hopped off a couple times making some stray marks near the gouge. I’m now kicking myself for not paying attention to all those lessons on coloring in the lines in Kindergarten. Remember all those times you asked yourself “when will I ever need this in the real world?” before rolling your eyes? Anyway, it probably won’t be too big a deal since the gelcoat will cover those marks too. 

I’ll follow up tomorrow evening with an update on the progress. Thanks again for the help everyone!


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

@TieOneOnJax so curious. I have never had bunk hardware fail ever before. Did a bolt break?


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

NativeBone said:


> @TieOneOnJax so curious. I have never had bunk hardware fail ever before. Did a bolt break?


No, the bolt that holds the bunk flat above the bunk support bracket just gave out and as the boat pushed forward it turned the bunk out, exposing the bracket below. I tried to tighten the nut in the bolt to prevent this from happening again but it seems to be stripped so that’s a separate project for this weekend. 

If the explanation isn’t clear just let me know and I’ll post some picks tomorrow. 

The real moral of the story is to stay diligent with trailer maintenance and inspection. This was easily avoidable had I been on top of all this. I’m real diligent with my bearing/hub maintenance because I’ve been the guy with the ruined trip fixing a bearing on the shoulder of a highway. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so on top of it with this issue.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> No, the bolt that holds the bunk flat above the bunk support bracket just gave out and as the boat pushed forward it turned the bunk out, exposing the bracket below. I tried to tighten the nut in the bolt to prevent this from happening again but it seems to be stripped so that’s a separate project for this weekend.
> 
> If the explanation isn’t clear just let me know and I’ll post some picks tomorrow.
> 
> The real moral of the story is to stay diligent with trailer maintenance and inspection. This was easily avoidable had I been on top of all this. I’m real diligent with my bearing/hub maintenance because I’ve been the guy with the ruined trip fixing a bearing on the shoulder of a highway. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so on top of it with this issue.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> Call Ankona, they will have your color gel on hand. Ask to purchase a pint, a qt, ect... from them. Once you get it, take a little and thicken with cabosil to make a putty with. Clean and slightly bevel your scratch then fill with colored and catalized putty. After putty kicks, sand a bit, apply a couple coats of the catalized gel coat by what ever meens you choose, wet sand to 600 grit and buff!


 Beat me to it! It’s not that hard, but time consuming to get it right. For deeper cracks, you’re on the right track with the tape. Use a squeegee after the tape is on. Once that’s cured, pull tape and sand out to 200. Clean then spray your final coat. Go from 220-6 or 800 the. Compound and wax the whole boat.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Rick hambric said:


> Beat me to it! It’s not that hard, but time consuming to get it right. For deeper cracks, you’re on the right track with the tape. Use a squeegee after the tape is on. Once that’s cured, pull tape and sand out to 200. Clean then spray your final coat. Go from 220-6 or 800 the. Compound and wax the whole boat.


Thanks! Pretty close to the plan of attack I have mapped out in my head with the exception of spraying the last coat. I don't have a sprayer and I was hoping to avoid buying one for this one job. It may mean a little more sanding and buffing but I'm hopeful it won't affect the way it ends up.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Thanks! Pretty close to the plan of attack I have mapped out in my head with the exception of spraying the last coat. I don't have a sprayer and I was hoping to avoid buying one for this one job. It may mean a little more sanding and buffing but I'm hopeful it won't affect the way it ends up.


 10 bucks @ home depot. thin out the gelcoat a little


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2018)

Just don’t try to use a prevail like a rattle can! Short shots on the trigger and they work great. Thin your gel and strin with fine mesh paint strainer.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> Just don’t try to use a prevail like a rattle can! Short shots on the trigger and they work great. Thin your gel and strin with fine mesh paint strainer.


Spot on... its intended as a disposable tool for small cosmetic jobs....Hell, I have used airbrush kits for small scratches on the hull.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Thin with styrene!!! Don’t use acetone or mek


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Thanks guys! I considered those and I may end up going that route if necessary but the gouge just isn't so deep that this will end being a three or four coat job. Hell, it may end up being a one coat job. I feel like if I add more coats I'll just end up knocking them down when I sand to get the repair flush with the hull. But If I'm not satisfied with the results I'll go grab one of these and add a finishing coat. It's all somewhat TBD at this point.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Rick hambric said:


> Thin with styrene!!! Don’t use acetone or mek


Thank you, I was just about to ask what to use as a thinner if I end up going this route. Is this something I can pickup at a hardware store or will I be making another order from the glass guys at Fiberglass Florida?


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Thank you, I was just about to ask what to use as a thinner if I end up going this route. Is this something I can pickup at a hardware store or will I be making another order from the glass guys at Fiberglass Florida?


Fiberglass Florida unless you have like a west marine near


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

Rick hambric said:


> Thin with styrene!!! Don’t use acetone or mek


Right on! I should not have assumed and provided a more thorough post. Good catch...


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

just make sure to clean the glass jar and run a touch of styrene through the stray (just spray a shot through it, then empty the styrene and add some water to get the styrene out) that way all you have to do later is buy the can. if you ever have a oh shite moment again.


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## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

I’m doing a similar project using the advice contained in this thread. I have a question though

I applied the gelcoat. Covered the repair to establish an air tight surface. How long would you wait to remove the covering and start sanding. I heard 3 hours but I would like some conformation.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2018)

3hrs should be plenty good!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Well the job is officially done...ish. Thanks again for everyone’s input. Here is a rundown of how I went about completing the job from start to finish with some pictures of the progress and current state of affairs as well as some thoughts on the project. Things did NOT go perfectly smooth and I encountered a major hiccup so if you are reading this, heed my warnings below; life is too short to learn all the tough lessons the hard way.

Step 1: Make gouge in hull, get upset, harass nice forum folk until they share knowledge.

Step 2: Aquire supplies to fix the problem. See above for the exact stuff used. The main ingredients were gelcoat (GC), MEK,and wax solution.

Step 3: Grind gouge to make smooth work surface. Again, see pics above. After grinding, clean the gouge and surrounding area with acetone and a lint free rag. Be sure to get the loose material out of the wound so the GC adheres properly.

Step 4: Tape off the repair area leaving room for the GC to spread around the gouge. My damage was below a lateral ridge on the hull so the work area was somewhat defined and confined by the natural topography of the hull.

Step 5: Mask, glove, and goggle up. The MEK is nasty stuff (as you’ll see below) so protection is very important. At this point, I followed the mixing ratios provided by the factory and made up 2oz of GC. I could have gotten away with one but the instructions suggest not making a batch smaller than 2oz. Also, less material would have been harder to mix as you may loose a significant amount of the mix on the sides of the container. Because the mixture requires very specific ratios, I used a cheap turkey injector ($4 at Winn Dixie) to measure 1oz of the GC at a time and then I used some cheap eyedroppers to measure out the MEK and wax solution. Also, I made sure to add the MEK last because I needed the longest pot time possible. Despite being in a garage, it was dang hot which accelerated the pot time on the batch.

Step 6: Once the mixture was prepared I began applying, working from bow to stern. I made sure the be fairly precise with the GC while still applying to the gouge fairly liberally. I wanted to slightly overfil the gouge to make sure there would be enough GC after sanding. I was required to work somewhat quickly because the GC was beginning to kick about 7-8 minutes after mixing.

Step 7: While I was gooping on the GC, someone was coming behind me and applying the clear transparency sheets, then smoothing out the GC with a plastic spreader. This was completed all the way down the painted area in an effort to minimize the sanding necessary. Here are some photos of the area taped and sealed with the plastic.
















Step 8: REMOVE THE TRANSPARENCIES A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER SMOOTHING OUT THE PAINTED AREA! This is emphasized because I did not remove the transparencies and it was a huge mistake. I’m not sure if it was the heat from the reaction or just the chemical reaction itself, but the transparencies melted into the gelcoat and became a park of the mixture. This made this job a royal PITA. Here is a list of things NOT to try when attempting to fix this screw up: Paint scraper, finger nail, heat gun, acetone, and yelling and swearing and consuming beer. Each of these efforts was a failure for one reason or another. The only thing we could do was sand, then sand some more, and then sand more which led us to...

Step 9: Sand the begejesus out of the GC. If your like me and have made a lovely cocktail of melted sheet plastic and GC, this step serves two purposes; first to remove all plastic, and second, the level the GC for finishing or for applying additional coats. We used a 150 wet dry to start things off and, after several sheets, we got what I think was all of the plastic off. Here are a couple shots of the boat after what will live in history as The Great Plastic Debacle of 2018 (or TGPD18):
















As bad as this looked in the photos, I assure you, it was worse. After taking a breather and gathering my thoughts, we went hard at it with the sandpaper doing our damdest to remove all plastic. I believe we accomplished this but it was certainly to the detriment of the freshly applied GC. Oh well, you live and you learn. Here is where we stood after TGPD18 and 3 sq yds of 150 grit:



















Despite all the sanding, the gouge was actually pretty well filled but there were definitely a few spots that still needed more GC. Those spots all had GC in the gouge but the GC didn’t fill the gouge to the point of being flush with the surrounding surface so i was off to mix a fresh batch.

Step 10: Make another batch of GC and repeat the process. Most the areas were probably good enough to be left alone, but I figured what the heck, and I re-GC ‘d the entire wound to get a fresh coat over the formerly plastic areas.

Step 11: Like the previous attempt, we laid on the transparencies and smoothed the GC out. This time, however, we pulled off the sheets about 60 seconds after they went on. This roughed up the wet GC a tad but it was way better than the alternative and I was feeling a little gun-shy about leaving it any longer. Once on, we wheeled the boat into the sun and let the GC cure for a couple hours before getting back on it with the sandpaper.

Step 12: Sand your way to a fine grit sandpaper. We started by using a wet dry 150 and progressed all the way to wet dry 1200. While sanding we made sure to use a sanding block. This made sure the pressure was even across the surface area and prevented any pressure spots with the sand paper.

Step 13: once we completed sanding with our finest paper, we dried the skiff then we applied and removed a hard compound, then a polish, then a wax sealant. This was the last step we took but as I’ll explain below, I will likely go back in and re-do a couple things.

Here is are a few photos of the end result as it sits now:



























The photos don’t quite show it clearly but overall, it looks pretty good. From 3ft, I would grade it out as a solid B+. From closer than that, I would likely give it a B- or C+ for a couple reasons. First, the sanding scratches are still evident when you look at it into the light. While they are light, they can still be seen. As a result, not only do you see the scratches, but you don’t get the same high gloss finish that the rest of the boat has. Second, the compound/polish left tiny white spots of wax in the tiny pores in the GC. This really isn’t a big deal but it is worth mentioning as it wasn’t an issue prior to the project. I am going to make an effort to resolve these issues by going back over the area with a finer grit paper, going up to at least 2000 and possibly higher. After that, I’m going to re-compound, then add a different polish and wax/sealant that are both specifically designed for GC. I’m hopeful this will resolve the scratch/sheen issue as well as the white wax dot issue. I’ll let you all know how it turns out after I finish these last few steps.

Overall, I’m satisfied with the result and I’m optimistic that it’ll actually get much better. While you can see the gouge line, I do believe the color will fade to match the surrounding area and it will, over time, become much less noticeable. Additionaly, I’m pretty optimistic that the finer grit paper will do wonders in smoothing the surface out and the GC specific products will make sure it shines a little brighter and is a closer match to the rest of the hull.

In conclusion, if my options were pay $1600 or do this job again, I would gladly choose to go the same route, especially knowing what I learned this go round.

Thanks again to everyone for their advice and support and a big thanks to SouthernCannuck for the help with the manual labor and beer drinking!


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

The big mistake I see in your process is that you did not use Mylar to cover the gel coat. Mylar would not melt and could stay in place and then be cleanly removed after a complete cure. Overlay transparencies are apparently not Mylar. It also appears that you used a little more MEK than necessary. The cure should take 2-3 hrs in summer heat, and should give about 15 minutes of decent working time. 

If you can still see sanding scratches, you need to sand more and/or use a finer grit. When you get down to about 800, then get some 3M 05954 Super Duty compound and borrow a machine buffer. You'll need some decent foam pads and a buffing wheel. Buff it down to a high gloss. You may also need a finishing compound to remove residue.

Don't think I'm being overly critical of your work. For a first shot at this kind of job, you did extremely well.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

I’d say job well done for a 1st timer! 
Gelcoat repair is a continuous learning curve trust me!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> The big mistake I see in your process is that you did not use Mylar to cover the gel coat. Mylar would not melt and could stay in place and then be cleanly removed after a complete cure. Overlay transparencies are apparently not Mylar. It also appears that you used a little more MEK than necessary. The cure should take 2-3 hrs in summer heat, and should give about 15 minutes of decent working time.
> 
> If you can still see sanding scratches, you need to sand more and/or use a finer grit. When you get down to about 800, then get some 3M 05954 Super Duty compound and borrow a machine buffer. You'll need some decent foam pads and a buffing wheel. Buff it down to a high gloss. You may also need a finishing compound to remove residue.
> 
> Don't think I'm being overly critical of your work. For a first shot at this kind of job, you did extremely well.


Thank you for the advice! No offense taken, I'm well aware that there were some mistakes in the process and any feedback on the job could possibly save some future person from the headache. As for the transparencies, I took that advice from a member on this forum but I likely should have clarified about removing them before it cured or not. I didn't think I should remove them before the GC hardened because the GC would ripple as it stuck to the transparency when it was being removed. In hindsight, I would much rather sand out the ripples than sand out the plastic. BUT, as you stated, the best solution would apparently be to use the Mylar.

As for the MEK, I'm fairly confident that I used the correct ratios. When I said it was starting to kick, I meant that there was a noticeable change in the consistency at about that point. The GC was still easy to work with but was becoming thicker and it was a good indicator that I was running out of time with the batch. I would say I had pretty close to 15 minutes of working time, but certainly not much more. It did actually take about 3 hours to fully cure once it was applied.

Finally, I went past 800 to 1200 but I could still see the scratches. I opted not to use a machine buffer because I'm not a fan of the circular motion and the swirl marks that can be left behind but I may reconsider when I go back and sand down to 2000 grit. After the 1200 we put on a heavy duty compound and used all the elbow grease we had left before taking that off and putting on a polish, then wax. I think the issue here was not using products designed for marine applications or GC specifically. I'm going to give this another crack this weekend with some better product and see if I can't get a better outcome.

Thanks again.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> I’d say job well done for a 1st timer!
> Gelcoat repair is a continuous learning curve trust me!


Thanks Boatbrains! I certainly won't be opening a glass shop any time soon but I definitely won't be in such a panic next time I put a big dummy mark in my hull.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

Hey man, the sand scratches you are seeing most likely came from your courser grit papers! I typically only sand to 6-800 grit before machine buffing. Use a guide coat to do your sanding... “I use a pencil” you”ll see the areas that need more work. After you get to 600 grit use a spray bottle or damp sponge and wet the area this will highlight the scratches so you can see where you need to sand a little more with the finer grits. I have never taken gelcoat past 800 grit except when the gelcoat is clear such as over metal flake on a bass boat.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Sorry if my previous post sounded too critical. I have a hard time giving advice without sounding like an a$$hole. Please, let me share one more bit of knowledge. There is a huge difference between the results of hand buffing and machine buffing in terms of time required and quality of results. Machine buffing will remove scratches down to about 800 grit, and for sure 1200. Done right machine buffing won't leave swirls. Use something like 3M Machine Polish to remove buffing residue.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Thanks Boatbrains! I certainly won't be opening a glass shop any time soon but I definitely won't be in such a panic next time I put a big dummy mark in my hull.


now you can focus on fishing! its like buying a new car, you don't look forward to the first scratch and do everything you possibly can to avoid the wandering shopping carts, but eventually learn to enjoy the ride and not so much cosmetics.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> Sorry if my previous post sounded too critical. I have a hard time giving advice without sounding like an a$$hole. Please, let me share one more bit of knowledge. There is a huge difference between the results of hand buffing and machine buffing in terms of time required and quality of results. Machine buffing will remove scratches down to about 800 grit, and for sure 1200. Done right machine buffing won't leave swirls. Use something like 3M Machine Polish to remove buffing residue.


Not at all, I really appreciate the advice. I just wanted to make sure I was clear on my process so anyone who finds this thread in the future is clear on what I did right and what I did wrong. If I was a sensitive-sally I would never have posted my results and mistakes knowing that a better job certainly could have been done. You don't learn a damn thing by people telling you how good a job you did (although it's certainly always nice to hear).

I borrowed a machine buffer and now I'm just waiting on a new pad and some new compound. I'll update when I get that work done some time this weekend.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> Hey man, the sand scratches you are seeing most likely came from your courser grit papers! I typically only sand to 6-800 grit before machine buffing. Use a guide coat to do your sanding... “I use a pencil” you”ll see the areas that need more work. After you get to 600 grit use a spray bottle or damp sponge and wet the area this will highlight the scratches so you can see where you need to sand a little more with the finer grits. I have never taken gelcoat past 800 grit except when the gelcoat is clear such as over metal flake on a bass boat.


Good to know. Are you saying that you think it would be harmful to take it past 800 or just that you don't normally find it necessary?


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Good to know. Are you saying that you think it would be harmful to take it past 800 or just that you don't normally find it necessary?


Not harmfull at all, just really not neccesary with machine buffing.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

This is what I use when buffing gelcoat, it comes in smaller containers.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> View attachment 38102
> 
> This is what I use when buffing gelcoat, it comes in smaller containers.


Good product! Have used it on several of my boats over the years and it works well.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Boatbrains said:


> View attachment 38102
> 
> This is what I use when buffing gelcoat, it comes in smaller containers.


Dang, looks like I'll have to take a trip to West Marine, life is tough.


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Dang, looks like I'll have to take a trip to West Marine, life is tough.


Ya know the saying: *B*reak *O*ut *A*nother *T*housand....


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

NativeBone said:


> Ya know the saying: *B*reak *O*ut *A*nother *T*housand....


Ain't that the truth... But in all seriousness, beer included, I'm only in this job about $100.

And reading this out loud makes me realize that boats are damn expensive because I am certainly not flush enough to ever use the phrase "I'm _ONLY_ in this for $100."


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

A little goes a long way! A gallon can last me a year and I use it quite a bit!


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## NativeBone (Aug 16, 2017)

TieOneOnJax said:


> Ain't that the truth... But in all seriousness, beer included, I'm only in this job about $100.
> 
> And reading this out loud makes me realize that boats are damn expensive because I am certainly not flush enough to ever use the phrase "I'm _ONLY_ in this for $100."


LOL..my old man bust my balls all the time in regards to the money I spend in the boat category. He reminds me during his time on the water, little money was spent after the initial purchase of a boat *UNLESS* it was necessary. They could care less about scratches and gouges, the damn thing better have a hole in it to warrant any additional funds to be spent on the boat. Forget JP, Trim Tabs, yeti coolers, fancy rods, expensive push poles etc. they just made it work....somehow! LOL


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Jax, there are people with a name on a building that charge money for this work and don't get it that nice.

I do owe yo an apology - I went back and read my post about the transparencies and I left out a dirty three letter word - wax.

I sorry but I am glad you came out with a great looking job.


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## Guest (Aug 20, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> Jax, there are people with a name on a building that charge money for this work and don't get it that nice.
> 
> I do owe yo an apology - I went back and read my post about the transparencies and I left out a dirty three letter word - wax.
> 
> I sorry but I am glad you came out with a great looking job.


I agree! I think he did great!


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

DuckNut said:


> Jax, there are people with a name on a building that charge money for this work and don't get it that nice.
> 
> I do owe yo an apology - I went back and read my post about the transparencies and I left out a dirty three letter word - wax.
> 
> I sorry but I am glad you came out with a great looking job.


That makes sense! No harm, no foul the extra sanding was a good way to burn off the beer calories. I’m just glad I can laugh about it now because I was in full on panic mode for a sec!


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

@TieOneOnJax - I have some decent scratches in the transom of my Shadowcast that I'll be needing to repair at some point. I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind:

- I'm guessing the MEKP is a thinner, what does the wax solution do?
- Are all three products mixed together (gelcoat, MEKP, wax solution)?
- What did you use to spread the mixture?
- If I use mylar as recommended by others, would I apply the Gel mixture and then cover with mylar, then allow to cure before peeling the mylar off?


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2018)

ZaneD mekp is the catalyst that hardens the gelcoat.
Wax additive is to allow the gelcoat to cure properly.
Thinning is only needed if spraying.
All would be mixed as a batch adding mekp last.


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Boatbrains said:


> ZaneD mekp is the catalyst that hardens the gelcoat.
> Wax additive is to allow the gelcoat to cure properly.
> Thinning is only needed if spraying.
> All would be mixed as a batch adding mekp last.


I don't want to derail the thread too badly, but what if you also throw patching (2) 3/8" holes in the repair job? Can gelcoat be applied over something like marine-tex, or would i have to fill the holes with glass and resin? If I did use glass, can the holes simply be filled, or would I have to actually use cloth over top of the holes?


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2018)

You should grind out a bevel around the hole and use glass/resin to repair it then fair and gelcoat. Anything else will just crack or pop out later.


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## efi2712micro (Sep 17, 2015)

What a thread ... I hope I never have to do a work like this but now wonder if I should practice just in case on a dummy piece of fiberglass! 

I think this thread should be kept at the front end of the forum permanently. 

Thanks to you all for sharing this and @jax for documenting your experience so well along with learnings! Really learned a lot from ya’ll!


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

for small gelcoat repairs it's best to use unwaxed gelcoat. All the wax does is cut off air to let the gelcoat cure. Spraying or brushing PVA on unwaxed gelcoat works best. I use a Preval sprayer to apply the PVA.
here I filled 2 large holes in the transom when I removed the livewell equipment as I don't use bait. Matching the then 15 year old fighting lady yellow took some trial and error. You can't even find these repairs now.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

ZaneD said:


> I don't want to derail the thread too badly, but what if you also throw patching (2) 3/8" holes in the repair job? Can gelcoat be applied over something like marine-tex, or would i have to fill the holes with glass and resin? If I did use glass, can the holes simply be filled, or would I have to actually use cloth over top of the holes?


For holes that small you can use the fiberglass that comes with glass fibers in it and just fill the holes and sand off the excess, then gelcoat. Bondo makes some, can get at Walmart. Or maybe cabosil?


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

Caution!! Gelcoat may not cure properly over epoxy. If you patch with epoxy, you'll need some kind of barrier between the epoxy patch and the gelcoat or else you'll have to do a lot of work to remove the amine blush from completely cured epoxy before you gelcoat.


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## Guest (Sep 29, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> Caution!! Gelcoat may not cure properly over epoxy. If you patch with epoxy, you'll need some kind of barrier between the epoxy patch and the gelcoat or else you'll have to do a lot of work to remove the amine blush from completely cured epoxy before you gelcoat.


I will add to this while not disagreeing with Vertigo.
I’ve never done a large epoxy/ gel repair but have done a pile of small ones. Provided you get a good tooth in the epoxy repair and “THOROUGHLY” remove the amine blush after allowing a few days cure time for the epoxy the gelcoat will stick and not pop. As with any coating or painting project the prep work is the key to success!


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Was not aware of this problem, will amend my post.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

devrep said:


> Was not aware of this problem, will amend my post.


Dev- don't amend, leave as is.

Although gel will stick it needs to clarified like BB did that it has to be fully cured and all blush removed.

Failure to properly prepare and clean, one will find themselves in the situation you described.

Better to be forewarned.


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## Vertigo (Jun 3, 2012)

The problem with gel coat over epoxy is that properly preparing the epoxy area requires a lot of time and may still be a gamble. Sometimes we don't have the luxury of waiting for epoxy to fully cure or have any way of testing the cure, which in some cases can take days. There's also no way to be sure all amine blush is removed. It's pretty disappointing to do a beautiful epoxy repair, wait for a good cure, clean it a well as possible, then do a nice gel coat job over, only to find the gel coat peeling off a day or a week later. Contrary to the advertising West System puts out, I've had patches with their epoxy that even after a week or 10 days of cure and furious scrubbing and sanding, would still not hold gelcoat.

It's a gamble. Do you feel lucky Punk?


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

ZaneD said:


> @TieOneOnJax - I have some decent scratches in the transom of my Shadowcast that I'll be needing to repair at some point. I've got a couple of questions if you don't mind:
> 
> - I'm guessing the MEKP is a thinner, what does the wax solution do?
> - Are all three products mixed together (gelcoat, MEKP, wax solution)?
> ...


Sorry for the slow response. It looks like your questions were answered by people much smarter than me. In addition to this forum I spent some time on the phone with Fiberglass Florida. They were pretty helpful in answering my pestering questions and got me everything I needed for the job. 

When applying I used a paint brush. I brushed it into the gouge then overfilled it slightly before applying the Mylar (see above for a valuable lesson in the importance of wax on the Mylar). After the Mylar was on I used a putty spreader to smooth out the gelcoat in the gouge. Once smooth I allowed to dry. I wish I could say the Mylar will peel right off after the gelcoat dried but I don’t know that to be true so you’ll have to take the word of others on that one. 

Good luck and feel free to reach out if you need any more info!


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