SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Gelcoat / Paint / Fireberglass Repair => Topic started by: beerjet on September 07, 2009, 09:30:09 PM

Title: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on September 07, 2009, 09:30:09 PM
I know this has been covered to some extent but I think this is a little diffrent
The deck on my boat was covered in cracks and I hoped that it was just the shitty paint job but unfortunatley it was all the way into the glass.
My only solution for this is to lay a couple layers of glass over the entire deck in hopes that the new layers will stop the cracks from coming back.

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc290%2Fbeerjet%2FProject%2520boat%2FIMG00321-20090907-20041.jpg&hash=685253f909f41926fe2bed1be0cc97dd918d9aeb)

You can see there is a spot where I hit it with a 3M foam wheel and as it turns out , the cracks are about 1/32 deep  :thumbdown:
I'm not grinding down the entire deck  :sly:
Am I  ???

(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi29.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fc290%2Fbeerjet%2FProject%2520boat%2FIMG00322-20090907-20051.jpg&hash=bed97cbe041a04ce5fff85e6d9207093728b3b39)

-beerjet-
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: crewchief22 on September 07, 2009, 09:41:03 PM
Now would be a good time to pick out a deck design you really like  ;)

Hope it doesn't come to that.

Good luck
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on September 07, 2009, 09:56:51 PM
Now would be a good time to pick out a deck design you really like  ;)

Hope it doesn't come to that.

Good luck

Thanks Chief but not what I wanted to hear.
If worst comes to worst, I'll just throw a rattle can paint job on it  ;D

-beerjet-
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: OC2Vegas on September 07, 2009, 09:57:58 PM
Thanks Chief but not what I wanted to hear.
If worst comes to worst, I'll just throw a rattle can paint job on it  ;D

-beerjet-

Could always just use a roller  :screwy:
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: GT Jets on September 07, 2009, 10:02:22 PM
Holy Cow Crack Batman!

I would offer this small tidbit, I would hit it with a DA with some 60 grit and spray it with some polyester filler primer...Not Feather fill, but something recommended for marine use. Check out Evercoats website...

Dura build (automotive) for when final sanding time comes  :thumbup:

http://www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=261

Formula 27 (Marine) similar to thin Bondo but closed cell and sands a little harder..

http://www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=116

GT
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on September 07, 2009, 10:22:47 PM
Holy Cow Crack Batman!

I would offer this small tidbit, I would hit it with a DA with some 60 grit and spray it with some polyester filler primer...Not Feather fill, but something recommended for marine use. Check out Evercoats website...

Dura build (automotive) for when final sanding time comes  :thumbup:

http://www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=261

Formula 27 (Marine) similar to thin Bondo but closed cell and sands a little harder..

http://www.evercoat.com/productDetail.aspx?pID=116

GT
I'm lookin for a diagnosis Doc.
You sayin I can rough this thing up and spray it with polyester filler primer and I should be a go  :o
Thats WAAAAAY better than I expected to hear .
Your not just telling me what I want to hear right  :sly:
I'm not your wife  :sly:
Nor will I dress up like her  :sly:

-beerjet-
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: GT Jets on September 07, 2009, 10:42:41 PM
Well, I look at it this way.

It looks like something nailed the deck like a mofo.

The "proper fix" would be to go down through all of the cracks and build it back up.

But.......The cracks may just want to come back to visit you.

So........why not try to beef it up from the bottom with a flat sheet of 1/4" plywood and matt (wetted of course) then rough up what you got and apply the marine filler (with a blade or large squegee) block the shit out of it, hit it with some filler primer, block it again and go.

To do it right would take forever and a day with no guarantees of a permanent repair, not to mention the amount of block time would quadruple. :thumbdown:

If you go the easy way out, you're done in 2-3 days and don't paint it until you know the repair holds (couple of outings or weeks).

I would call it a professional hack job... 8)

GT
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: ironman on September 07, 2009, 11:39:02 PM
Sup Omar, Dam I am glad I gave you that boat she looks to be in bad shape underneath all of that craked paint. I had a feeling they were kinda deep. Can you believe the guy I bought it from said that the gel would buff out cherry :screwy: anyway glad to see you fixin it and saving an old classic. I wanted to cut that biatch up and put it in the fawking dumpster but Proppy wouldn't let me ;D best of luck with your secret project  O0

Ironman
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: Sanger Pete on September 08, 2009, 12:07:57 AM
Beerjet, I have a question--it is hard to get oriented to your pictures, but is there some kind of support under the main crack line in your deck? I have a similar situation in the old Sanger flat that I am working on but the two crack "lines" are directly above the 2 bulkhead/supports that run across the deck. My understanding is that to solve the problem, I need to cut down the bulkheads so they don't actually touch the bottom of the deck before fixing the cracked gel coat, or it will just crack again. So I was wondering if there is some kind of similar situation under your deck.
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on September 08, 2009, 06:03:24 PM
Beerjet, I have a question--it is hard to get oriented to your pictures, but is there some kind of support under the main crack line in your deck? I have a similar situation in the old Sanger flat that I am working on but the two crack "lines" are directly above the 2 bulkhead/supports that run across the deck. My understanding is that to solve the problem, I need to cut down the bulkheads so they don't actually touch the bottom of the deck before fixing the cracked gel coat, or it will just crack again. So I was wondering if there is some kind of similar situation under your deck.
Great point Mark and something I was going to address today since I did notice there is a string of cracks down the center where there is a support.
These pictures are from me standing along the drivers side of the boat.
The other side is the exact same way but there is no support anywhere else other than the center .
There were a couple spots where the foam had expanded so much that it had pushed up on the deck but have almost gone away since I removed the foam.
I guess I'll keep sanding the deck until I get into these cracks enough to  :screwy:
The underside is in pretty good shape.
There is aleady 1/4" ply under there and no signs of damage.
I'm thinking there was contamination when the boat was being layed up since it looks like the it's the cracks are just in the first layer of glass .
Thats kind of where I was going with the whole adding another layer of glass to the deck in hopes that the new layer will keep the cracks from coming back  :sly:

-beerjet-
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: GT Jets on September 08, 2009, 07:00:42 PM
I need to find out if I can still buy Tiger Core, it is a super dense type of fiberglass cloth that will keep roving show and crack bleed through from happening, the glass dude I used to use retired and don't know how to get it anymore, but I will figure it out... :thumbup:

If memory serves it would only work with vinyl resin, but I suffer from CRS. :screwy:

GT
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: pw_Tony on September 08, 2009, 11:52:39 PM
If it's the boat I think it is Omar, ours has the same problem  :-\ Even with all the support and extra wood in the world lol.... But the rest of the boat all looks great with original fiberglass, but the deck is a mess
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on September 09, 2009, 06:00:56 PM
Thank you Glen , Your help is immeasurable !
As I was sanding  :mad: some more to day  :banghead: I realized that the 60 grit (when fresh) does a pretty good job of going through the glass.
So I'll either try and  sand it out or I'll just end up going out of my fockin mind  :screwy:
The only problem is that the 60 grit goes to shit real fast .
Off to get some more  :banghead:

-beerjet-
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: Ralph Brunt on September 09, 2009, 06:52:32 PM
use 24 and 36 grit and get r done
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: BATHTUB SAFE on October 02, 2009, 11:49:58 PM
I 2nd what GT said.  However, I don't like the idea of plywood.  It's gotta be a tight fit to add the support you desire.   Plus, ply is like a sponge.  All I can say is seal the shyte out of it before you lay it in. 

Better would be to lay in some K glas cloth and build up the deck. 

For sand paper, use the best.  Norton 3X.  60 grit on a DA should be sufficient.  Don't press too hard, let the tool do the work.  Stay with ester resin. 

West Marine is expensive but stocks what you need.  Aircraft Spruce in Corona too.  They're expensive too.  I have contact info for a specialty house around here, I'll try to find it.  They carry everything and at good prices.  But it's all gotta be shipped.  I don't like waiting so I buy local.  Which means paying more than an on-line store.
Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: BATHTUB SAFE on October 03, 2009, 12:20:13 AM
This place   http://www.uscomposites.com/

Title: Re: Cracks
Post by: beerjet on October 14, 2009, 04:24:24 PM
Thanks a bunch guys !
After a bunch of sanding , I've made alot of progress and after alot of head scratching I figured out why the deck is a wreck.
I'll take some pics and update the thread .

-beerjet-
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