Fiberglass boat spider crack repair

Theres a marine adhesive called sixtyten or something like that that ive used in the past. The gelcoat in combination with wax additive andor pva allows the fiberglass hull to separate from mold the gel coat becomes the exterior finish of the hull. This will be broken down into 5 steps, which are similar to those required for structural repairs. 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. There is a fiberglass repair kit on amazon called west system 105k fiberglass boat repair kit that is great for repairing cracks, scraps, gelcoat blisters, loose hardware, damaged keels and smaller holes. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured surface. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. In fiberglass boat repair the repair area may have hardness very similar to the original laminate and you can accidentally change the shape of the surrounding area. Another great quality of a fiberglass boat is that, once repaired, it looks as good as new. Fill the crack with a fair amount of fiberglass epoxy resin, using a plastic applicator. Small cracks forming, especially at the surface of the fiberglass. This manual provides repair and maintenance solutions to many of the problems that afflict fiberglass boats. Brush on the resin and apply the precut mat to suit your area to be repaired. After the new layer of fiberglass dries, it becomes part of the boat, rather than a superficial patch.

Try a fiberglass boat repair kit for smaller fixes to save on the labor rates. If, however, the spider cracks appeared at an attachment point or in a highstress area, theres a good chance theyll simply return after you fix them. If the underside looks solid, and the surface is steady, then a spider crack is just a spider crack. Prep often includes cleaning surface with abrasive chemicals, scrubbing with waxremoving solvents, and coarse grit sanding. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to. Wait for several hours and then lightly spray pva polyvinyl alcohol the pva serves as an air barrier, allowing the gelcoat to fully cure. How to fix a hole on a fiberglass boat complete diy guide. This thicker gelcoat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. Theres also a great article on how to drill holes correctly to avoid chipping and cracking in fiberglass. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boat s structural integrity. Wrap plastic wrap around a piece of cardboardlarge enough. 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 structural integrity. For properly fixing a spider crack, you will want to open the cracks to properly fill them. It can be difficult to diagnose spider cracks, especially when youre not aware of them.

Fiberglass basics that all boat owners should know. Even the best boat captain has had a docking turn into a scuffandchip event. The 105 resin epoxy creates a hard and durable coat while the 205 fast hardener will have it set in a few hours and completely ready in 14 days. Jul 26, 2004 home boat design forums construction boatbuilding fiberglass and composite boat building fiberglass spider crack repair discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by james mm, jul 26, 2004. My westsail, still in kit form, has spider cracks all over the deck. Home boat design forums construction boatbuilding fiberglass and composite boat building fiberglass spider crack repair. Gelcoat is a big part of our business here at fgci. Any crack that goes deeper than the gelcoat definitely needs attention. The resin is usually a twopart epoxy mixture or a twopart. The good news about these cracks is that theyre largely cosmetic problems. When looking at gelcoat, there is a wealth of options to choose from. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. It is polished through a process of sanding and compound waxing.

These scars of a life welllived are unsightly, but usually are just cosmetic. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and. How to repair cracks and chips in damaged gelcoat duration. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. Gelcoat repair in maryland and delaware nicks boat work. While you will find that these are all about boats, the fiberglass is the same which makes the repair process the same. Jun 06, 2016 crack is whack, especially when its in your rvs fiberglass. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Although the typical repair process requires the affected area getting worse before it. How to repair a fibreglass crack for beginners youtube.

To diagnose spider cracks, inspect your boat and look for the following. Magicezy has developed a range of worldfirst gelcoat repair products that repair and color damage in seconds. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. Fiberglass has many characteristics that make it an ideal material for use in boat construction what is commonly known as fiberglass is actually a combination of a resin and a glass or composite fiber. Surface should be cleaned before and after sanding. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. The first step needs to be ensuring that your spider cracks are just that, and not a sign of a soggy core, or a broken support. Spider cracks can be avoided by countersinking holes just through the gelcoat, so the load is placed on the structural fiberglass rather than the brittle gelcoat. All of the following items, with the exception of the sand paper and acetone, come in their fiberglass boat repair kit. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which.

These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boat s ability to stay afloat. The stress cracks are not much larger then the thickness of a hair. Once you have the color figured out, comes whether you want to brush the gelcoat or spray it, as we have. If you have adequate skills and you are confident that you can accomplish the repair job, consider repairing the fiberglass of the boat yourself. It is very common for older boats to show signs of spider cracking, as the gelcoat layer was often very thick.

The west system handy repair kit has every thing you need to make minor repairs on your boat. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. In this case, before you attack a single crack, you need to reinforce the area. There are recessed spots over the entire nonskid surface. It has been sitting on the hard in the sun for the past 30 years.

A friend of mine said to get fiberglass sheets and resin and cover over the crack. Most boat owners know that doing fiberglass boat repairs is a nightmare. Plan on using a variety of sanding tools if you are dealing with a repair that bridges both a flat area and a detailed area such as a chine or gunwale. Step 3 now, once youve removed all hardware, toerails, and other paraphernalia. Discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by james mm, jul 26, 2004. Step 1 figure out what caused the cracks to begin with. This can range from small defects that need a little patching up to major damage that affects the overall shape of the surface.

How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. Feathering the edges of the fiberglass minimizes the lap joints, which helps create a solid integration between any new fiberglass and the existing fiberglass. Repairing stress cracks in a nonskid textured deck ive got a 79 f36 trojan. This page outlines the fiberglass basics for boat construction and repair. These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of. The texturing of the deck is dimpled, for lack of a better term. The most obvious first choice is the color of the gelcoat. But you dont have to pay astronomical marina fees to get your boat fixed.

Since these cracks often form from small impacts or minor flexing, they can appear just about anywhere on your boat. How to repair fiberglass on a boat the family handyman. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. The adhesive filler, colloidal silica, helps control the viscosity and help prevent run off. This show covers how to repair fiberglass stress cracks on your boat using polyester resin. You may want to apply colored gelcoat enamel over the repaired area, so the repair wont be so noticeable.

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. Our test boat has had a few spider cracks since a few months after she. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass. These fiberglass cracks can be purely cosmetic, or can severely degrade the boats ability to stay afloat. Cracked compartment lid bass boats, canoes, kayaks and. Step 2 then toughen the laminate that contains the crack or cracks by solidifying it. The resin is usually a twopart epoxy mixture or a twopart polyester mixture. If you have a fiberglass roof its especially important to get damage fixed as it happens so you dont end up with moisture under it and inside the ceiling. To make sure youre stripping away all the damage, always remove an area at least. If your fiberglass repair is not too big, you can get away with buying a repair kit to fix the problem yourself. Heres everything youll need to know to repair these cracks. If the cracks on your boat were caused by impacts, such as around rub rails or where a heavy object was dropped, move on to step 1. Since the majority of the exterior is usually made up of fiberglass, knowing how to fix those cracks can come in handy. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat.

The size, depth, and location of the spider crack will determine what type of auto glass repair will be necessary to restore your cars windshield. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the existing damage. When the area is dry, smooth the surface with sandpaper. If you are looking to do some diy gelcoat repairs, this brief primer will help achieve adequate repair. Not only do they have kits, they have stepbystep written instructions, as well as videos you can follow. I thought about using it to glue an aluminum sheet or some other kind of brace on the underside. A miniature grinding tool like a dremel is ideal, but the sharp point of a can opener will work, too. Step 4 as soon as the crack has been channeled out, wipe it clean.

In addition to what cody said, i like to use a small ball burr in a dremel and actually grind each crack out to enlarge it enough so the filler gets a good hold in the crack have fun. Repeat this process until three layers have been applied. Apr 08, 2012 this show covers how to repair fiberglass stress cracks on your boat using polyester resin. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Fortunately, spider cracks are not difficult to repair. Since i was trying to repair a 18 wall, i thought 3 layers of fiberglass material would be appropriate. If you dont open the crack, you wont be able to force the gelcoat into the repair area or expose enough surface area for the repair to adhere. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. Structural flexing may not the only cause of spider cracks. What is commonly known as fiberglass is actually a combination of a resin and a glass or composite fiber. It is possible to fix a crack in gelcoat easily, as it can be sanded over.

First, get your boat to a wellventilated area where it can be sheltered overnight. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Previous episodes go over other types of fiberglass repair using west system epoxy. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. Make sure you dewax the effected area, clean the surface, and make sure it is completely dry. Gelcoat can be applied directly to fiberglass or existing gelcoat. Cosmetic repairs fiberglass boat repair for the diyer. The topic of gelcoat is often a mystifying subject for boat owners. Aug 15, 2018 and almost every fiberglass boat, even the most mollycoddled, eventually suffers the heartbreak of spider web andor stress cracks.

A sailor friend of mine informed me that i would need to glass in a large patch first, and sequentially step down to a patch the size of the hole. Fiberglass has many characteristics that make it an ideal material for use in boat construction. I have worked on many boats with spider cracks, the best method i have used is a dremel tool to gouge the cracks and fill them with a gelcoat paste made with gelcoat and glass bubbles works wonders, as for sand paper you will have to change grits as you sand and fill. How many layers of fiberglass cloth you use depends on how thick your fiberglass shell is. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass online repair. If your spider crack is just the gell coat you can dig the cracks out, create a v and repair with gelcoat. Sometimes, however, spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with the fiberglass structure under the gelcoat. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. Repair if the spider crack is smaller than 12 inches long does not have a large whole in the glass does not disrupt your view. To repair a fiberglass boat, start by cutting away the damaged area. If you feel like giving this repair a go and have some experience with home improvement techniques, follow a few simple rules to help you complete this job. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs.

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. In this section we will provide guidelines for cosmetic composite repairs, including fiberglass crack repair, fiberglass gel coat repair, and composite repair finishing. Generally, repair of minor damage is within the mechanical aptitude of most skippers. Catalyze the gelcoat and brush onto the exposed fiberglass area. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat.