I have a few good dings in the bow of our boat, that were there when we purchased it. I want to fix them for looks as well as to make sure no water gets into the glass. My question is, would I be better off using marine-tex or gelcoat? I have used the marine tex on other areas of the boat and it seems to work real well. I am not sure about the gelcoat. I have not used it before, and might be alittle gun shy. Also how deep can the dings be and still use gelcoat? I know you can use the marine-tex for larger dings. Thanks Dale
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Marine Tex is an Epoxy
Marine Tex is an epoxy and makes a good strong repair. It will sand out and polish put quite well. There might be a problem if you try to cover over the MarineTex repair with gelcoat, as it might not adhere. Some folks say it will, others that it won't. Gelcoat is really fairly easy to work with, it goes on like a haevy paint. However, it will not cure in open air, the repair has to be covered over until the gel is cured. That,s not a really big problem, it just needs to be done. The nic thing about the gelcoat is that it is fairly easy to color match it.
Marine Tex is an epoxy and makes a good strong repair. It will sand out and polish put quite well. There might be a problem if you try to cover over the MarineTex repair with gelcoat, as it might not adhere. Some folks say it will, others that it won't. Gelcoat is really fairly easy to work with, it goes on like a haevy paint. However, it will not cure in open air, the repair has to be covered over until the gel is cured. That,s not a really big problem, it just needs to be done. The nic thing about the gelcoat is that it is fairly easy to color match it.
- Jan 22, 2008
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Doug is right about the no stick
The reason is that gelcoat is polyester and marine tex is epoxy. Epoxy will stick to gelcoat, but gelcoat will not stick to epoxy. Go with gelcoat as long as the gouges are no deeper than the cloth or matt. If they are deeper than that, fill them with polyester putty first, let it cure, then add the gelcoat. Cover with food wrap for an airless curing environment.
The reason is that gelcoat is polyester and marine tex is epoxy. Epoxy will stick to gelcoat, but gelcoat will not stick to epoxy. Go with gelcoat as long as the gouges are no deeper than the cloth or matt. If they are deeper than that, fill them with polyester putty first, let it cure, then add the gelcoat. Cover with food wrap for an airless curing environment.
I Like Marine Tex
just used it to fill some cracks in the keel. Works great! Tape of the crack. Use the wet finger method top smooth it out nice. Remove the tape after an hour or so. Use the wet finger method again and you will hardly have to sand it down. It is a good idea to cover it with epoxy paint below the water line. Jus call me Marine Tex Rex.
just used it to fill some cracks in the keel. Works great! Tape of the crack. Use the wet finger method top smooth it out nice. Remove the tape after an hour or so. Use the wet finger method again and you will hardly have to sand it down. It is a good idea to cover it with epoxy paint below the water line. Jus call me Marine Tex Rex.
I wouldn't recommend Marine Tex for cosmetic reasons
I made the mistake of using Marine Tex on some of the dings, scrapes, and scratches on my hull. Once I faired the areas smooth that I used the product on, it left a brownish/yellowish colored stain in the gelcoat around the area (coincidentally the color of the hardener). Granted, it may have been user error (wrong ratios when mixing possibly) but I was very careful. I still haven't figured out how to remove the staining... Manny
I made the mistake of using Marine Tex on some of the dings, scrapes, and scratches on my hull. Once I faired the areas smooth that I used the product on, it left a brownish/yellowish colored stain in the gelcoat around the area (coincidentally the color of the hardener). Granted, it may have been user error (wrong ratios when mixing possibly) but I was very careful. I still haven't figured out how to remove the staining... Manny
Re:I wouldn't recommend Marine Tex
if you use it topside you have to becareful with the mix and the age of the material. The best thing to do is fill the cracks with Marine Tex or other filler then get a hand sprayer and spray some gelcoat over it. You will have to match the color. They sell color kits. It is an art and you get better with practice. Me, I stink at it!
if you use it topside you have to becareful with the mix and the age of the material. The best thing to do is fill the cracks with Marine Tex or other filler then get a hand sprayer and spray some gelcoat over it. You will have to match the color. They sell color kits. It is an art and you get better with practice. Me, I stink at it!
You can thicken gel coat with microballoons
to make a polyester putty that's almost the right colour. It's correct that Gel coat won't harden until you seal it, but there's a wax additive that makes gel coat into finish coat by making a surface seal. You can buy gel coat with the wax in it as a finish coat, or add it of you want to use some gel coat to fill or mix with filler first. Once you use the waxed gel coat, you have to sand the surface pretty thoroughly before you can paint, gel coat, or fill on top of the waxed gel coat. Most of the time I would use epoxy resin with clear hardener thickened with microballoons for ease of sanding. Trouble with that here is you want to paint over it with gel coat (polyster), whick won't stick well to epoxy.
to make a polyester putty that's almost the right colour. It's correct that Gel coat won't harden until you seal it, but there's a wax additive that makes gel coat into finish coat by making a surface seal. You can buy gel coat with the wax in it as a finish coat, or add it of you want to use some gel coat to fill or mix with filler first. Once you use the waxed gel coat, you have to sand the surface pretty thoroughly before you can paint, gel coat, or fill on top of the waxed gel coat. Most of the time I would use epoxy resin with clear hardener thickened with microballoons for ease of sanding. Trouble with that here is you want to paint over it with gel coat (polyster), whick won't stick well to epoxy.
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