Gel Coat Crack At Water Line

[BMUR21]

I have a Mainship Pilot 34 RR and was getting ready to launch her for the season (scheduled for this Friday) and after inspecting the bottom paint job I had just had done, I found a crack in the gel goat right at the water line. See pictures (about a dime sized spot)

I talked to the guy that works on my boat about it and he said not a show stopped, put it on the punch list for next year. I don’t want it to be a bigger issue by launching the boat and getting to it after the season but I will need to find someone on short notice to do the work.

Anyone have any similar issues? Did you address right away or get to it later? Also need to match the paint when I do the work.

Thanks,
BMUR

 

[ancora]

If that is a cored hull, you could have problems with water ingress, rotting out the coring.

 

[BMUR21]

If that is a cored hull, you could have problems with water ingress, rotting out the coring.

Meant to say that this is a solid glass hull, not cored.

 

[C lectric]

When I saw the glass fibres I thought , get it repaired now. There may be more damage than is visible right now.

Never thought about if it is a cored hull.

It almost looks like something hit it hard.

Paint can come later if need be although that should not be a big deal.

 

[BruceK]

Now. Pic 2 suggests something happening below the exposed f/g mat. With the boat is on the hard it`s the perfect opportunity to repair.

 

[mvweebles]

I agree with your boat guy - not a big deal. If cored or below waterline, might have a different opinion.

But its pretty easy to do a quick repair as long as its above water. I'd grind away the loose gelcoat, saturate the mat with some epoxy, then cover with marine tex.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

Do a temporary repair now and fix it properly after the season.

 

[SoWhat]

Fiberglass mat is exposed. I would do a temp repair at minimum. It only takes a minute to mix up a cup of West System Epoxy. 1 coat will hold you.

A proper repair is simple but takes a little more time. Grind away all suspect material. Put on a coat of West System resin. Dry until tacky. Put on another coat mixed with filler. Sand w/ 80 grit. Second coat with filler. Sand with 120 grit. Paint touchup. All can be done within one day if temps are above 70.

But absolutely a coat of epoxy before launch.

 

[STB]

The boat is on the hard now, why not fix it? It'll just take a few minutes a day for a very few days. Grind it and fill it with thickened epoxy one day. If it needs some glass, which I doubt, that can be done the same day as the thickened epoxy over it (I doubt it'll be deep enough to be too deep for one day). Overfill everything slightly with the thickened epoxy. Sand it and prime it the next day. Paint it the next day. Mask above bottom and do it 1st, then mask above top and do it 2nd. Repeat for 2nd coat. Splash day 5 morning.

If the boat has exposed gelcoat vs paint, that's even easier. Fill one day. Gelcoat over it the next day. Sand and polish and 1st coat the bottom paint the next day.Then 2nd coat the bottom paint the following day. Then splash on day 5.

I wouldn't leave it there to collect growth so that your diver digs into it with his knife and makes it worse. It'll be deeper, as well as slimy and hairy by the end of the season.