I'm convinced on Poli Glow, but I need a gel coat

[Mike]

After reading the posts here and viewing the pictures on the poli glow site I'm convinced that I want to Poli glow my 1989 mac 26d.There are a few scratches, gouges and deep nicks I think I would need to repair first that are in the hull above the water line. I assume that Poli glow won't cover these and I will need the hull in as perfect as shape as possible for the best results. What do you recommend to do? I'm a complete novice when it comes to the gel coat. It is white, is there an easy way to repair these nasty marks on the hull. A few of the marks remind you of what a car would look like if someone keyed it. Someone who owned the boat before me also made some repairs but the colors don't match exactly.With what I have seen from the examples of Poly glow I want to make this hull look brand new and am ready to spend the time to do it. Now how do I do it?Thanks in advance,Mike

 

[Jim WIllis]

Repair of gelcoat nicks etc

If you go to the gelcoat and plastics forum on this website, you will see a long article (Great Fiberglass Trilogy Part II all about gelcoat repair AND COLOR MATCHING. It is really not that difficult!Best of LuckJimPS crazing or "alligatoring" of gelcoat is a different matter and is treated differently. Blistering of gelcoat (underwater) is to be the subject of the next issue of the Trilogy.

 

[Dan Ulrich]

Gel Coat repair (Mike)

Mike:Jim is correct, I also suggest you visit his site. It is jam packed with valuable repair info. True, Poli Glow will not fill large cracks

 

[Joe Dickson]

Gelcoat Repair

I have repaired many nicks, dings, gouges and holes all over the boat. Get a gelcoat repair kit with the polyester resin, the hardener, and several tubes of primary colors (as well as black, brown and white). It's really a simple process. Mix gelcoat paste with the appropriate amount of hardener and color and then merely fill whatever minor void you have. You will have 5 or 10 minutes of open time before the paste hardens. I have found it to be very easy to work with. Additionally I have used it as a 'spackling' to fill in the various screw holes drilled in the fiberglass around the inside of the cabin, from pieces of equipment, lights, etc., that have been mounted over the years and later removed. If you're attemting to match an unusual color you may want to mix the paste and the colors before adding the hardener. And go easy on how much of the color you add. It's amazing little you need...JoeS/V Charis