spider cracks......

[tom]

what are u supposed to use to fix spider cracks on the boat....and no.. raid doesnt help

 

[LaDonna Bubak - CatalinaOwners.com]

Live with them

Short of major sugery, there's not a lot you can do to permanently remove them. You have to grind them out (I used a Dremel), fill them with polyester putty, sand that down, fill any air holes (there WILL be air holes), sand again and then repaint the boat. I did this and wouldn't recommend it if you're happy with the gelcoat otherwise. Awful job!I would suggest a good cleaning and then wax. That will help prevent dirt getting in those little cracks. BTW, if you paint over them, hoping that will do the trick, you'll be disappointed. Soon enough, those cracks will pop back out through the paint. Either live with them or fix 'em right.LaDonna

 

[greg]

Get Crackin

I have found a way that seems to work very well with out too much work. Clean the area you wish to repair with acetone. Mix up a batch of Marine-Tex Brand epoxy putty (white and sold in cans). Smear a thin layer of putty into the spider cracks with your finger. It even works well in areas with non-slip thread. Assuming your hull is white/off white, the color match when dry is amazing. Certainly not factory perfect but truly an incredible match. The price for a small kit of Marine-Tex is about $10

 

[Jim Willis]

It's not just the cracks...

We all have them on a boat over that "certain age" and yes it's a pain to fix them.If you do, it's worth doing properly, becuase it's not just a surface crack but the gelcoat is coming unattached from the underlying laminate.If you you want to fix them with gelcoat (the easiest way) go to the Gelcoat and plastics forum and look for FIberglass Trilogy II. It's all there including advice on the art of color matching.In the meantime a good wax or sealant will keep the dirt out.ThanksJim Willis