Repairing deck gellcoat stress cracks

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Exile

OK, I understand what you're talking about now. I generally use West Systems epoxy to repair minor cracks & dings on my deck, and can confirm that any of these areas not covered over with fresh gelcoat will eventually turn dark from UV. Not sure if the discoloration also means it has been weakened but it wouldn't surprise me.

Any coating, just not bare.


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[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by Exile

Funny how you get better at these sorts of jobs. Easy in my case since I started at the nursery school level. I also have some thinning & crazing gelcoat that is typical of the deck of an older boat. After reading many of Minaret's advice & suggestions in several threads, I have thus far had some success keeping the gelcoat up and not resorting to painting.



There is, however, one troubling area of lengthy stress cracks emanating from one of four U-bolt deck fittings which secure the shrouds. As Minaret has already mentioned, I'm pretty sure the only lasting remedy is to grind out the entire section and build back up. The problem is that the entire area is part of a section of molded gelcoat nonskid, so then I'm looking at one of those Flex-Fold products to attempt to re-do the factory nonskid (probably a nightmare), or have one section painted with nonskid but the rest of the deck molded gelcoat (not good). Not sure what to do and the cracks are tiny in diameter, but I'm getting nervous about eventual water penetration into the cored deck. Any thoughts?

Have you considered MasterTread or something similar, master tread is tough, but also a bit tough to clean, or on your skin.
Factory nonskid, is often molded gelcoat resin.



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[David M]

Have the expert on this at the boat yard take a look. There are different remedies depending on the type and the extent of the cracking.

Nobody on a forum can fix this unless they are there to see the damage in person.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by David M

Have the expert on this at the boat yard take a look. There are different remedies depending on the type and the extent of the cracking.



Nobody on a forum can fix this unless they are there to see the damage in person.

These are common problems, easily fixed most of the time.
And pictures posted of the job always help.
Usually if it's more than that it's explained as such.


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[Exile]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

These are common problems, easily fixed most of the time.
And pictures posted of the job always help.
Usually if it's more than that it's explained as such.


Sent from my iPad SV Cloud Duster

Thanks for this as well as the other comments. I was just on the boat for a couple of weeks and am kicking myself for not taking pics of this area of stress cracking. I live 2,000 miles away, but the next time I'm back I'll be checking in with some experts on this and coming home with pics. Maybe I should start a new thread.

Given how thin the cracks are, it is tempting to grind them out individually. But that creates it's own aesthetic problem with the factory molded nonskid and, more importantly, is probably not a lasting repair in any event. And of course I need to deal with the underlying cause, namely the U-bolt.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Any coating, just not bare.

True. In my case I have thus far decided to use gelcoat for a finish to keep things looking uniform.

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Have you considered MasterTread or something similar, master tread is tough, but also a bit tough to clean, or on your skin.
Factory nonskid, is often molded gelcoat resin.

Yes, I have looked at these products, including Treadmaster along with Kiwi Grip & Dura-Bak, etc. and they look quite functional. If I went with something other than gelcoat, however, I would likely go Awlgrip and their nonskid product. Just a personal choice, and an effort to keep a traditional boat looking "traditional," I suppose. Painting may become inevitable at some point given the difficulty of dealing with the factory molded (gelcoat) nonskid sections which cover most of the decks.

[Saltyhog]

Originally Posted by Exile

Thanks for this info, Minaret. Turns out you & the experienced pro I'm referring to agree on a lot! He loves my boat and generally has only one way to make repairs -- the right way. I always come around in the end, but not before I've wasted his time with poorly conceived "shortcuts." I probably annoy him with all my banter, but maybe that's why surcharges on invoices were invented!

I want to second this experience, almost verbatum. My "experienced pro" and Minaret almost always agree on the "right way" to do something. I too have bored my pro with my ideas or "easier ways". Ultimately, he is right about how to accomplish things. His reputation is most important to him, so I trust him. I also trust Minaret though I've never met him. I expect Minaret and my pro would get along well, though they are on opposite ends of the continent. All the advice I've got from Minaret has been spot on.

[mackrobertson]

Once again, thank you all for your input. With the exception of a few bored trolls who thrive on complements and backslapping, every post has added to my knowledge base.

I am aware that the quality of construction on this vessel, I probably used the wrong term when I said Stress Cracks. While there are some, most of them are actually Gellcoat shrinkage, and a few spider cracks from dropped items. I do not have crazing, and no real stress cracks due to structural problems. Again, your collective input has helped me identify the nature of the imperfections and has led me to make a decision as how to proceed.

I have purchased some Magicezy (cheapest source is through Defender Marine), both chip and crack repair, 2 tubes each 2 colors each. (some for outside (gellcoat cracks) and some for inside (Cabin liner). I will try this product on an experimental basis, even though some have labeled it snake oil (though they haven't personally tried it). New materials are being developed all the time with fantastic properties, like Graphene and clear Aluminum (Google them), materials that will rock the world!

I have experience with epoxy and would only use it in a paint form with Polyester hulls; Awlgrip or unipoxy, etc . . . I plan to do this on my Hull & Decks and the tan colored non-skid patches. But I will try various crack fillers so that the final finish won't be layered over open cracks.

I will try to take some pictures to post.

BTW: has anybody investigated Line X for hull paint? I am tempted, as it is almost bullet proof, literally! Cost is high but the results are astonishing! I watched a video where a san with a sledge hammer could not break a watermelon painted in Line X!

Keep the thread going. It is fascinating and very informative.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by mackrobertson

Once again, thank you all for your input. With the exception of a few bored trolls who thrive on complements and backslapping, every post has added to my knowledge base.

I am aware that the quality of construction on this vessel, I probably used the wrong term when I said Stress Cracks. While there are some, most of them are actually Gellcoat shrinkage, and a few spider cracks from dropped items. I do not have crazing, and no real stress cracks due to structural problems. Again, your collective input has helped me identify the nature of the imperfections and has led me to make a decision as how to proceed.

I have purchased some Magicezy (cheapest source is through Defender Marine), both chip and crack repair, 2 tubes each 2 colors each. (some for outside (gellcoat cracks) and some for inside (Cabin liner). I will try this product on an experimental basis, even though some have labeled it snake oil (though they haven't personally tried it). New materials are being developed all the time with fantastic properties, like Graphene and clear Aluminum (Google them), materials that will rock the world!

I have experience with epoxy and would only use it in a paint form with Polyester hulls; Awlgrip or unipoxy, etc . . . I plan to do this on my Hull & Decks and the tan colored non-skid patches. But I will try various crack fillers so that the final finish won't be layered over open cracks.

I will try to take some pictures to post.

BTW: has anybody investigated Line X for hull paint? I am tempted, as it is almost bullet proof, literally! Cost is high but the results are astonishing! I watched a video where a san with a sledge hammer could not break a watermelon painted in Line X!

Keep the thread going. It is fascinating and very informative.

Good luck! Please try to remember to post some pics in a year or two, as well as right after.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Saltyhog

I want to second this experience, almost verbatum. My "experienced pro" and Minaret almost always agree on the "right way" to do something. I too have bored my pro with my ideas or "easier ways". Ultimately, he is right about how to accomplish things. His reputation is most important to him, so I trust him. I also trust Minaret though I've never met him. I expect Minaret and my pro would get along well, though they are on opposite ends of the continent. All the advice I've got from Minaret has been spot on.

Lol! This all sounds ever so familiar. In fact, these days, it's all I do. This is because I now manage a large crew and never have to actually pick up a grinder. So it's all planning and ideas. Most of this involves talking clients down from the latest BS they've read on the web, and talking them through doing it right. Patience is the key.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by mackrobertson

With the exception of a few bored trolls who thrive on complements and backslapping, every post has added to my knowledge base.

Who knows, but a bit of gratitude rather than condescension might further your knowledge base even more. It looks like you may be a relative newcomer, but if you do a search for Minaret's own boat restoration thread (preserved on CF as a "Sticky"), as well as his many contributions to refit threads involving "Shamrock" & "CPA," to cite just a few examples, you may understand why so many DIY'ers appreciate his input. Not exactly sure who you were referring to, but this same research may also help you realize why "bored troll" is a rather absurd description.

Best of luck with the MagicEzy stuff.

[Saltyhog]

Originally Posted by Exile

Who knows, but a bit of gratitude rather than condescension might further your knowledge base even more. It looks like you may be a relative newcomer, but if you do a search for Minaret's own boat restoration thread (preserved on CF as a "Sticky"), as well as his many contributions to refit threads involving "Shamrock" & "CPA," to cite just a few examples, you may understand why so many DIY'ers appreciate his input. Not exactly sure who you were referring to, but this same research may also help you realize why "bored troll" is a rather absurd description.

Best of luck with the MagicEzy stuff.

Agreed.

So there's a "MagicEzy" click ad at the bottom of my CF page. When I click on it, I get a 404 error. Oh the irony. There's no *there* there.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Saltyhog

Agreed.

So there's a "MagicEzy" click ad at the bottom of my CF page. When I click on it, I get a 404 error. Oh the irony. There's no *there* there.

Ha! I also have ads, top & bottom of the page -- but with the same 404 error! Gotta love it.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure "gelcoat" is spelled with one "L." Kinda petty, but we are talking about how much the small details really count, right?

[cabo_sailor]

We all start somewhere and IMHO there is nothing wrong in questioning advice. All the little odd gods of the universe know we humans are opinionated. However, the better the track record, the more likely I will be to take seriously his/her opinion.

Personally I mean well but even if I respond as truthfully and accurately as I can I can and have given non-optimal advice.

It takes time to find the gems and the chunks of coal. As a geologist I was told it was my job to offer my opinion and my boss was was paid to decide whether to accept it.

The OP has a variety of opinions to select from. Now it's his/her turn to select.

Good luck and let us know what you learned.

Rich


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[Exile]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

We all start somewhere and IMHO there is nothing wrong in questioning advice. All the little odd gods of the universe know we humans are opinionated. However, the better the track record, the more likely I will be to take seriously his/her opinion.

Personally I mean well but even if I respond as truthfully and accurately as I can I can and have given non-optimal advice.

It takes time to find the gems and the chunks of coal. As a geologist I was told it was my job to offer my opinion and my boss was was paid to decide whether to accept it.

The OP has a variety of opinions to select from. Now it's his/her turn to select.

Good luck and let us know what you learned.

Rich


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Can't disagree. Just been burned too many times by boating products that promise but don't deliver. Don't even get me started with all the cleaning lotions & potions on the shelves at West Marine! And how about so-called "safety gear?" If only I could have all that $$$ back now! In fact, I do wish the OP luck with the MagicEzy stuff and hopes he has a good report in a year or two. Then maybe I can try it myself and my friend the professional won't chew me out!