Cracks in gelcoat

[R Juarez]

I have a 84' 25.5 hunter. I have cracks in the gel coat in the cockpit area and along the walkways next to the doghouse. What is the fix for this? Has anyone used a product like rhino liner to take care of these types of area. I seen a advertisement for rhino liner in marine applications like that.  Need Help:  Thanks Ray

 

[Jim A]

Paint

Spider cracks are mostly cosmetic and not worth fixing. To do it right you have to fill them, if required and paint the whole boat! Big time work. Just wax her up nad make her shine and no one will notice the cracks.

 

[Jim willis]

Depends if the reasons for the cracks are serious

SOrt of dealt with as a permanent posting on the gelcoat and plastics forum.If there is undue flexing that cuases the cracks then it the cause should be fixed.However, the main reason is drying out (brittleness) of the gelcoat as it ages and heat of expansion, them shrinking as the boat bakes in the sun then cools.The real way to fixe them is with color matched gelcoat.On non-skid you can redo the non-skid. It it not known whether any wax or other treatment could eventually prevent such cracking, although avoiding the "dyring out" by waxing, conditioning etc should help.ThanksALW