mrdwp

My 2000 36' skater is showing some gel-coat blistering and needs some repairs. It is mainly on the bottom of the boat. The gelcoat is being lifted am=nd is peeling or cracking in some area, mostly form the hauling in and out. Is thius a common problem that occurs over time. I would like to find out the proper way to repair the effected area's. Is it just sand and refinish? or is there more to it than that?

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

Find out if your boat is epoxy or vinylester. If it is epoxy that is most likely paint and not gel. It is occasionally common on epoxy boats and not a major problem, just the nature of beast there and is easily repaired. When you find out what the boat is made out of i will expand on the repair a bit.

kjones

Dave is correct, you don't want to apply gelcoat to paint as it won't adhere. See the link how do I know if I have gelcoat or paint?

mrdwp

Skater tells me that it is expoxy resin

mrdwp

They don't use gelcoat only expoxy

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

Correct, if it is epoxy then they are painted. At the time your boat was built there were no gels or pigmented resins compatible with epoxy so they were painted after de molding. It is likely 555U Imron but i would also verify that with Pete as well. At some point i think they may have changed to a cleaner white that they use today.

Paint repair isnt to awfully difficult. Just a matter of feathering it back to get past the delamination then a light coat of an epoxy primer like PPG's DP-48LF (white). Let that cure for a couple days and lightly sand with 600 then clean the surrounding (blend area) with a coarse compound then wipe the whole thing down with a wax and grease remover. Shoot the area with a straight mix of color the cut it in hafl with reducer and do a quick edge blend with the thinner mix. Quickly empty the gun and toss in straight reducer and dust the blend again (just the edge). Although this a basic How-to of the paint process it should give ya the idea of how its done. Clean blends take years of experience but you should be able to get pretty close with some patience. Good luck with it.

mrdwp

Thanks Glassman. That is exactly what Skater said. I apprecialte your assistance. I see that you have replyed to alot of guys looking for help or some answers. We all appreciate it

Thanks again

glassdave

iTrader: (1)

Thanks man, any time. Its my little way of giving back to a board that i have taken a lot of info from

Theo49306

skater uses a gelcoat then a bearrier coat before the epoxy resin, so there is white gelcoat under the white paint but then epoxy resin for the laminnate. If the blisters only go into the shin, not through the core then a epoxy primer could work, test first.