Small gel coat holes in Non-Skid

JoeRickard

JoeRickard

.
Aug 4, 2015
32
Oceanis 45 Chicago, Montrose Harbor
Yesterday when I was cleaning my Oceanis 45, what I thought were specs of dirt in the non-skid, turned out to be small holes in the gel coat (see picture).

So the question is, what could have caused these holes? And how do I fix them?

The boat was brand new 5 seasons ago, and always been kept in in-door heated storage in the winters.

Thanks!

Joe Rickard
Non-Skid-Adattare.jpg
 
S

svchickadee

.
May 8, 2011
189
ODay 25 Cambridge
They look like voids in the original fiberglass layup. You could mix up gel coat with a coloring agent to match and insert with a syringe. If you go this route, mask off each hole and the end result will look better.
 
Mechone

Mechone

.
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Welcome to Beneteau,mine is a 1994 and has done it all over.So has my Buddies,I mix up white Marine tex put on latex gloves and wipe forcing it into holes.Wipe off excess with rag. I can't tell after its done, works great on hairline cracks too and is stronger than gel coat. Look at videos on it gel coat repair with it.If you use it make sure you get the white,I believe it comes in gray too,you can tint it with gel coat colour also
Also do you cover your boat in the winter,could be caused by water freezing on deck
 
Last edited:
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Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
On a 5 year old boat I would have my dealer on board real skippy so he could tell me how Beneteau was going to fix their gelcoat QA/QC problem. Unacceptable. I have a 14 year old Beneteau with none of that nonsense.
 
jssailem

jssailem

.
Oct 22, 2014
21,088
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Could one of your crew have been wearing their golf cleats during the last sail?
 
Apex

Apex

.
Jun 19, 2013
1,197
C&C 30 Elk Rapids
Gunni said:
On a 5 year old boat I would have my dealer on board real skippy so he could tell me how Beneteau was going to fix their gelcoat QA/QC problem. Unacceptable. I have a 14 year old Beneteau with none of that nonsense.
Click to expand
5yr is a very young boat. Start as per Gunni suggestion.
 
S

sailrj

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Jun 16, 2004
43
Beneteau 351 0 Aurora, KY
The small voids in the non skid and the gelcoat in general is an on ongoing problem on our 351 also. Agree with Mechon on using Marinetex for the repairs. If the gelcoat around the voids is paper thin, a little grinding back to adequate substrate with a Dremel may be required. Always clean the repair area with acetone. Do it at the first of the season and it looks good till the next year. A few more new ones will show up the next year. This method was recommended to me several years back by Beneteau, before they got paranoid about liability from making recommendations. The good news is there are always less in the succeeding season after the first repair or so! Good luck.
 
jssailem

jssailem

.
Oct 22, 2014
21,088
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Since the issue is voids, likely the process or the gel coat used gassed when layed up in the mold. Thus you have bubbles/voids that are appearing when the skin wears and degrades. Pretty much all that can be done is to clean the voids (acetone) and perhaps a coarse dremel grind to give the new gel coat something to grip and fill the voids. As @sailrj indicates doing a little bit each year will eventually do it all.
 
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G

Guan

.
Jul 18, 2011
138
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Vancouver
Mechone said:
Welcome to Beneteau,mine is a 1994 and has done it all over.So has my Buddies,I mix up white Marine tex put on latex gloves and wipe forcing it into holes.Wipe off excess with rag. I can't tell after its done, works great on hairline cracks too and is stronger than gel coat. Look at videos on it gel coat repair with it.If you use it make sure you get the white,I believe it comes in gray too,you can tint it with gel coat colour also
Also do you cover your boat in the winter,could be caused by water freezing on deck
Click to expand
where to buy marinetex? thanks.
 
G

Guan

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Jul 18, 2011
138
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Vancouver
Gunni said:
On a 5 year old boat I would have my dealer on board real skippy so he could tell me how Beneteau was going to fix their gelcoat QA/QC problem. Unacceptable. I have a 14 year old Beneteau with none of that nonsense.
Click to expand
Hi Gunni,
my 2001 b361 needs strips replaced on sides of coachroof. Have you done so? Any advice n where to buy strips?
Thks.
Guan
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Guan;
No, in fact mine are getting ratty looking and I may just take them off next spring. If you were so inclined you could prep and apply an automotive pin-stripe.
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I can see the Marinetex as a "quick and dirty" repair material. But please know, there's a "correct" way to repair gelcoat voids in non-skid. You make a rubber or vinyl mold of the non-skid surface, or even purchase this - there are places that supply standard molds in sheets, which is what the boat makers use to make the non-skid texture. You use a small piece that is aligned with the non-skid, fill the void with color-matched gelcoat, and press the mold into, both to mold the pattern, and to deprive the gelcoat of oxygen to cure it.

When you're done, it is as-new.

It's not as bad as it sounds. Here's a video of one guy's technique:

There are simpler, field-based variations. Mold release wax can be used instead of PVA, too.
 
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