The last coat of gelcoat needs to have the wax in it. As the substrate flexes as it is designed to do, the gel just cant deflect the same amount and will develop these small cracks. If cracks appear at important joints or intersections in the cabin or deck, however, they might be the sign. The same applies to fractures looks like a spider web or long cracks in gel coat in both cases you need to check for damage beneath the repair. Are spider cracks not usually just cracks in the gelcoat. I have a 2005 r12x with 7 hours on it, bought brand new leftover this year. The location of the cracking is the center of the hull,about 5 inches down from the bump molding. Both the deck and hull had deep cracks running in virtually every direction. Any heavier than 25 mils and youll run the risk of spider cracks in a few years. When i look at the sidewalls really close and in the right sunlight, i can see a bunch of small little like spider web cracks.
Clear coat applicationspider crack questions dont see why you couldnt clear coat gel coat many fiberglass hulls get coated with two part lpu coatings. Use a cloth to apply enough wax to the fiberglass that theres a thin, visible layer over the entire surface. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. A local marina was advertising one that was mideighties vintage at a very reasonable price. Before you tackle repairing hairline cracks in gelcoat, youll need to prepare the. How to fix spider cracks, hairline cracks, and crazing in boat. Collinite wax bottle looks different now but same product. Crazing appears as very small microcracks that look like a spider web on the acrylic surface. The engines good and transom along with all other goodies that make a boat go. Mix up the gel, fill it in with a small hobby paint brush. As far as how they did in detail, not 100% sure, just know they laid down a sheet on another area that can take the pattern, then pull off in a couple days, then spray the gel and then apply a sheet of fibre. No, thats due to you using a non yamaha specific wax and therefore voids the warranty or some other. I flew up to tokyo yesterday and back on the 15th, so will take some pics for ya then. Will epoxy primer penetrate crazing gelcoat moderated.
Gelcote international 6 neal drive peterborough, on k9j 6x7 canada t. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. On recent inspection a series of concentric rings of very fine cracking in the gelcoat on the hullside have appeared. Spider web cracks in gell coat originally posted by wedoseadoo its a pretty common thing and an absolute biotch to repair,it will not leak though and is just cosmetic. Use a wax designed specifically for gelcoat or fiberglass. Looking to purchase a 2004 holiday rambler with dark blue full body paint. Clean the surface, then wax andor polish it with the same products you use on the.
Crusting can occur when you stamp a pattern on concrete that has dried too quickly. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats. These are very fine surface cracks that resemble spider webs or shattered glass. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. I see these all over the motorhome but only if i look close and the sun is right.
Chris craft seahawk is developing spider web cracks in the gelcoat. That how they keep the gelcoat from sticking to the mold. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. This condition makes it easier for solvent molecules to penetrate the molecular structure of the acrylic and diffuse throughout the polymer chains. When the last windstorm took the cover off i went out to recover it and discovered the entire bottom covered with little spider vein cracks in the gelcoat. Look for stress cracks around stanchions or other areas that might be an indication of an underlying structural problem. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. Wait 2 hours for it to dry, a heat gun will speed it up. Gelcoat repairs which includes an instructive video that covers gelcoat restoration, scratch repair, and polishing and. As it is more brittle than the laminate, when something stresses the laminate too much such as flexing or something hard hitting the deck it cracks to resemble a web pattern. The reason it was low priced was that the entire boat had significant gelcoat cracks, and i do mean cracks, not spider web crazing that you associate with banging into a dock, etc. Sometimes the damage is only repairable with a paint job. All that filler wont allow the gel coat to shrink as much as the hull and the gel coat fractures.
They also protect the parts from weathering, moisture and chemical exposure. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. The nonwax gelcoat will remain sticky untill the wax is added. Add a cap full of sanding aid wax to the gel coat to seal the surface. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Sand the layer of fiberglass exposed by the removed gelcoat with coarse 80 to 150grit dry sandpaper to provide good bonding surface for the application of new gelcoat. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. If the gel coat is not chipped but only spider webbed, wash the bad areas with acetone, scuff with 320 grit, blow clean and use a small finish roller to apply several coats of gelcoat thinned with about 20% styrene. These cracks do not affect the structural integrity of. Although faded, the deck is fine, but the whole of the topsides were covered in a maze of tiny cracks that looked like impact damage but a were completely random in pattern and b not even i am so bad at berthing that i could have hit it in that many places.
The stress tends to pull apart the tightly coiled polymer chains. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. Cracks occur when there are pockets of gelcoat that accumulate and end up being too thick. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and. If you are trying to save money and are going to buff it your self make sure you have experience if you only knew how many times over the years i have been called to fix what a rookie has done.
Because there is no fiber in it, over time it will crack because the hull naturally flexes a bit. Look for a pattern of spider webtype cracks radiating away from the damaged area. All gelcoat is, is nonreinforced tinted fiberglass. Webbing solution gelcoat additive webbing solution is an additive to gel coat or paint that is used to create a surface with a spider web or spattered effect to it.
The gelcoat will not tolerate flex and therefore you develop stress cracks at the stress points. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she came out of the mold. Heres an easy way to fix and color stress cracks in seconds and its so tough it comes with a 3 year durability guarantee magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application it penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest. The reason to use a nonwax is for putting on multiple coats without having to sand in between coats. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Gelcoat continues to cure and shrink through out its life span. The effect is dependent upon the air pressure of the spray gun that you use to apply itsetting the spray gun to 10 to 15 psi creates a spider web effect, air pressure between. Its the unstable nature of the polyesterfiberglass hull under the gelcoat and its tendency to shrink slightly over time that cracks the gel coat.
Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. Remove wax paper, sand smooth with, then 1500 and finish with 2000. I didnt hit any thing but did some wave jumping 1 to 3 waves. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can. Gelcoat surface damage 1 dings 2 dents 3 gouges 4 small holes. They are the best resource i have found somebody w gelcoat background might tell you that gelcoat might fill the spider cracks. If you have any surface scrapes or gouges that need repair, check our advisor doit yourself. Cosmetic gelcoat surface damage 1 small scratches 2 hairlinespider cracks 3 gelcoat chips. Evidently nonstructural, but according to the surveyor, probably caused by some weight locally compressing part of the outside of the hull, generating an area of expanding rings of stress cracks, about 23 across, presumably when the deformation pressure released. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which. The fact that yours are extensive and below the water line should get the attention of both the dealer and the builder.
How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. They will ussally appear whiteish this needs to be removed or your repair will fall out in due time or water. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. Spider cracks in paint lexus detailing and car care. Fiberglass comes out of the mold painted the color its going to remain. Spider webs on paint can be remedied with proper polishes and technique. The cracks are purely cosemetic, and not structural to the boat. Hi guys, i just looked at a fully restored 20 bertram yesterday and the boat was having the bottom redone. When the wax dries, buff it off with another cloth. My hull just developed spider cracking on both sides,that go parallel about 5 inches in lenght,then web out 10 inches on both sides of the hull.
Stamping literally shakes loose pieces of the concrete around the stamping pattern. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Craft seahawk is developing spider web cracks in the. You spray blue gelcoat in the mold, and glass to it. Webbing solution additive merritt supply wholesale. My sc400 has spider web cracks in the paint on the front bumper were it seems that the bumper has bumped into something and flexed the paint so that it cracks in a spider web pattern. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. I asked the manufacturer about it at the boatshow and was told to not worry about leakage and just use an abrasive rubbing compound to help remove the cracks or even a super fine grit. Can this be safely repainted and the cracks not come back through the. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. The spider web crack was just in the gelcoat, not in the fibergalss. They blasted off the bottom paint to gelcoat and i noticed that the gel coat had spider cracks throughout the bottom. Crazing cracks can be unsightly, but are not a structural problem. Wax will also make the gelcoat shinier and more reflective.
These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. We have this awesome boat that just cannot take enough of a beating, but. Cover with wax paper and smooth out with a credit card. Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. The cracks are called spider cracks, and they are normal for a gel coat finished boat.
294 52 1115 435 616 140 43 684 1413 1553 524 1223 169 1092 1245 597 1009 85 482 139 1582 432 1318 146 958 1284 711 575 793 1489 1386 692 95 11 274 144 1433 1398