Upside-down Gelcoat work

[OVERSPRAY]

Imron and Awlgrip are both polyester based products and niether one is recomended for immersion. Does anyone know what hatteras does currently at the factory before bottom paint, Are they sealing with epoxy? if gell is so bad why don't they just pop them out of the mold in raw glass and start finish coats from there in epoxy from top to bottom?, After all "Gellcoat is just colored resin"

 

[Boatsb]

Imron and awlgrip are POLY/Epoxy paints for above the water line as you said. Below the water the boats I believe are epoxy barrier coated before bottom paint like we woud do with an older boat too.

 

[Starman]

This is about as simple a repair as there is to make and there is no need to go through any complicated process. After all , we are talking about filling in a few screw holes and fixing the spider cracks in the Gel Coat because someone used the wrong size drill bit before setting the screws.

Just grind ( the preferred method ) the screw areas. Remove any dust/caulk from inside the screw holes. Do this with a slightly larger drill bit.

Fill these small spots with west system epoxy with the 404 additive. You can also purchase a hollow caulk tube to put the epoxy mix ( should be a thick paste ) in to fill those screw holes.

The next day, sand it smooth and then add your primer and bottom paint. Reinstall your shells.

K.I.S.S.

 

[egaito]

All of the guys i know who mount things on gel coat use a 45 degree chamfer bit after a small bit is pre drilled for location. The chamfer keeps the larger bit from spalling the gel.

Ted

Another trick I learned was to drill through masking tape. Not sure why it helps, but I've had good luck with it.

Also, choice of bits is important....drills with "high tech" designs seem to cut too fast, and cause more cracks, in gel coat.