Deck dings

I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in the cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/web site on cosmetic gel coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat surfaces. Cheers, Dan

Phone Jamestown Distributors and ask them. On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 2:34 PM, Dan<db… [at] easystreet.net> wrote: > > > I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in the > cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. > Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/web site on cosmetic gel > coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid > painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat > surfaces. > Cheers, > Dan > >

I'm not very fussy.. 1. I just over drill the holes, 2. make sure the wood is dry and all the old caulking is removed, 3. tape around the hole on the bottom & topsides, and then 4. push epoxy with 406 colloidal filler up from the undersides. 5. I then go to the topside and feather out the epoxy and make sure there are no bubbles. 6. I the immediately remove the tape before anything hardens.. otherwise the tape will not come up afterwards. 7. Once the epoxy has hardened I use the Fein sander to smooth the surface, and 8. then touch up with some off white paint (Easy Epoxy)

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dbessmer@...> wrote: > > I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in the cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. > Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/web site on cosmetic gel coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat surfaces. Somebody used to make a gelcoat matching kit. It contained some gelcoat resin and hardener and some compatible colors you could mix in to get a good match. I just looked for such a thing on Google (gelcoat patch) but found nothing like it. There is a Spectrum product available from West Marine that promises a match to factory gelcoat colors. Chris Campbell

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=2997&familyName=Gelcoat+Repair+Kit Call them and ask how it works. $9 cheaper than West Marine. There is also this product http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|12212|309317|636686&id=755360 If you are into self education this looks like a good list http://www.bennettmarine.com/fiberglass_repair.html And this might be the one you are interested in http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/4,35894.html Cheers. Allen On Mon, Jul 27, 2009 at 8:16 PM, sail_c2<cl… [at] charterinternet.com> wrote: > > > --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dbessmer@...> wrote: >> >> I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in >> the cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. >> Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/web site on cosmetic >> gel coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid >> painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat >> surfaces. > > Somebody used to make a gelcoat matching kit. It contained some gelcoat > resin and hardener and some compatible colors you could mix in to get a good > match. I just looked for such a thing on Google (gelcoat patch) but found > nothing like it. There is a Spectrum product available from West Marine that > promises a match to factory gelcoat colors. > > Chris Campbell > >

Chris, did you look at Dan Caseys stuff? Randy sail_c2 wrote: > > --- In Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com , "Dan" <dbessmer@.. .> wrote: >> >> I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in the cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. >> Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/ web site on cosmetic gel coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat surfaces. > Somebody used to make a gelcoat matching kit. It contained some gelcoat resin and hardener and some compatible colors you could mix in to get a good match. I just looked for such a thing on Google (gelcoat patch) but found nothing like it. There is a Spectrum product available from West Marine that promises a match to factory gelcoat colors. > Chris Campbell >

HI, All. Since colors fade, get dirty, and change over the life of the boat and exposure to the elements. Gelcoat matching is a real art. I've known a few people who could do it well, and they go for big bucks. The color of the mixed gelcoat changes some as it dries, so one must account for that as well. Sometimes, it takes multiple tries. Then there is the fine sanding required. Also the coating during the curing period if anaerobic gelcoat is used. I've tried it, but I do not have the patience required. As Timm says, the 5 foot test is a good one. My approach to filling the holes is not-quite-Timmo-like. Overdrill and get the caulk out. Then I tape under the bottom, and fill with liquid epoxy by using the syringes. This soaks into the wood around the hole. You will usually end up with an inverted meniscus which I run a chamfering tool into to bevel the hole (I love big words). I've found that marine tex makes a good sandable filler at that point. Dries slower than some other filler stuff, but it does not appear to shrink. Then comes the dreaded gelcoat layer(s). Cheers, Anyway Charlie From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sail_c2 Sent: Monday, July 27, 2009 11:17 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Re: Deck dings --- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dbessmer@...> wrote: > > I have small number of deck dings, holes and partially patched holes in the cabin top and cockpit where assorted boat bits used to attach. > Does anyone have reference to a how-to publication/web site on cosmetic gel coat patches that color match existing gel coat? I would like to avoid painting the topsides this season and have never patched fiberglass/gelcoat surfaces. Somebody used to make a gelcoat matching kit. It contained some gelcoat resin and hardener and some compatible colors you could mix in to get a good match. I just looked for such a thing on Google (gelcoat patch) but found nothing like it. There is a Spectrum product available from West Marine that promises a match to factory gelcoat colors. Chris Campbell ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links

--- In Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, "Dan" <dbessmer@...> wrote: Weighing in late to this (digest email), but I have some experience, and Charlie is spot-on. My Cal is white (did they come in any other color?), and I've found that I only need a tiny dot of brown to add to a goodly amount of white to make the match close enough... and of course, it cures darker than it was to start. And I notice that it continues to darken over time -- my perfect matches two years ago look a little too dark -- a little too brown (surprise). If I do it again, maybe just white gelcoat, and let it darken to match. My Cal is not a showpiece, it's a boat that I sail, and enjoy. I've noticed that I spend less time worrying about the deck when I'm actually out sailing. Fair winds to all, Harold

haroldbeer wrote: > > > > > My Cal is white (did they come in any other color?) > Well, yes, old Cal 20 #1220 from 1967 is dressed in classic '60s style--olive boot and sheer stripes, and an off-white in the olive direction hull. The deck is white. The other local Cal 20 also has an olive sheer stripe, but the hull is closer to white. My suspicion is that Jensen wasn't too picky about boat-to-boat color uniformity. My slightly-olive hull color may have meant that they just tossed a bit of the olive gelcoat resin for the stripes into the white resin for the hull. Waste not, want not, and make more profit. The olive thing used to bother me. It had a dated look, like last decade's clothes (otherwise stated, like most of my wardrobe). But a couple weeks ago I was admiring our little fleet of about 30 boats on the moorings as I rowed away. Boats always look prettiest in the evening sun anyway, and my boat's olive tones and tan sail cover added a bit of color to the mostly white and blue look of the moored vessels. I've decided she not only has nice lines, but is a handsome vessel all around. I'm not biased, of course, and this is a completely objective view. Chris Campbell