1. Filling a Gouge or a Chip in your Gelcoat
It’s simply a fact that during your time boating damage will occur from time to time. Take a
look at the repair that needs to be done, it may require a professional, however if its only
small and you are feeling adventurous give it a try yourself, it is quite easy to buy the
products you will require and during this guide we’ll discuss what you need to do to fill a small
chip before being painted or covered with gel coat.
Your chip must first be filled, this ought to be with a fiberglass product like fairing compound,
which is a combination of resin and fiberglass dust, the result is a paste like mix that when
used to fill the chip is very strong, yet no problem to sand before you paint or gel coat over it.
There are numerous different products available for this, that being said, West System
produce a really good product which is easy to work with, so this is my recommendation.
You need to mix the epoxy resin first, this is typically a four to one ratio, but be sure to check
the instruction on the packaging. The curing of resin is an exothermic reaction which means it
emits heat, this reaction can sometimes get so hot it cracks glass, for this reason do not
attempt to mix large quantities and only use a plastic container to mix. Be sure to mix the
resin and catalyst thoroughly, when it is mixed add fairing compound dust and stir with care,
keep adding fairing compound until you have a dense paste that will stick when applied.Use
a spatula, or your stir stick to fill in the chip fully and smooth it down, be aware though that
the resin can shrink as it dries, so be careful not to smooth the mixture totally flat to the
surface
Insure your epoxy compound mix has fully cured, this can take anything from a few hours to
overnight, just insure its completely hard before sanding. Now its time to sand the repair flat
with the surface of the boat, don’t be afraid to use a heavy sandpaper, up to 80 grit is alright,
but be sure to use a lighter grit to finish. Now you’re all done! Ready to hide the repair by
using gel coat or paint, I’ll discuss this in a future article.
Do It Yourself Boat Care ... Filling Gouges on your Boat