Gel Coat Damage oops!!!!!!!

[rafiki_]

Some take ten minutes, some ten hours.

If you have the original gel coat (or a custom made match) it will help no end.
Once you have the correct colour and an understanding of how to use the products, repairing your own gel coat is fairly simple, well mixing the products to make them cure is and so is grinding out cracks and filling etc, lots of little tasks, none rocket science.
The wise will ask for an extra tin or two of original gel coat to be included from the build (if new) and new owners would be glad of a tin of colour matched gel with a second hand boat for peace of mind.

The costs of a repair depends on if it's a temporary patch, or a complete invisible repair.

GRP white filler - 1 tube of & 1 credit card type spreader will be all that is required for a budget / temporary fix.

However, as a self employed tradesman, just the kit for gel coat deep repairs alone includes:

Gel coat (multiple containers of, clear, white, off white, blacks, blues etc) flow coat. 100's of custom mixes held in stock for future use.
Pigments, micro balloons, catalyst, styrene, accelerator & acetone, all not cheap,

Consumables - mixing sticks, measuring cups, stirrers, pigment droppers, brushes, masking tape/film, sanding discs 100's different grades (some at £5 a pop), wool pads, backing pads, compounds, polishes and many others.

Tools - Dremel, carbide bits, attachments (router, snake etc) silent DA, / polisher, heat gun, heat lamp, sun gun (colour check light) thermometer, hair dryer, heater, mobile air con unit, access platform, access ladder, inflatable tender for working in water, tons more.
Then there is 'the van' I class that as a tool, as I do the phone, the mac, cameras, sat nav and so on. Each have their own respective costs, insurance, tax on the van, maintenance, the diesel!!

Protective clothing - full face 3m with gas and vapour carts, 3m suits, nitrile gloves, separate particle filters, goggles, glasses, hats, boots, hi-vis, life jacket prob loads more for winter / summer specific.

Other costs - Professional indemnity and public liability for £10Million (in the marine trade), insurance, tax, external contractor marina fees, electricity fees, communication time, quotation time, even invoicing time, there's plenty going on other than on the repair.
Holidays, sick days - I wish!
Ordering goods, products, waiting for the postman before being allowed to leave, sitting in the van during a downpour cursing yourself for not having it shrink wrapped. Or finding out the gel coat mixer at the GRP supplies sold you gel coat and not flow coat whilst your waiting for it to cure and so on.



My hairdresser (he from Barcelona you know) charges £20 per cut, he takes 10-20 minutes to cut my hair. £60 - £120 per hour ... with scissors!

If that bothers you, my solicitor friend took home £28k last month.... with a pen and some reading glasses! the cheek..

I would add that there is a huge amount of skill involved in making good a repair. Most of us could do a reasonable job with some glass paper, filler and gelcoat (assuming we could get anything like the right colour match), however to get an invisible repair takes a professional. The required skills will take a while to achieve, even mid the right tools are to hand. Paying someone £200 ish for a proper repair will easily pay back IMHO.

 

[Gin]

Unfortunately I punctured the hull below the waterline of my new (to me) boat and needed a repair done professionally.

I was recommended to employ Rob Crowhurst, who has a very busy workload which in itself speaks volumes about his work. He is a pleasure to know, very skilful and has worked in the industry for 30 years; the cost was more than I anticipated but I have to say that for someone like me who must have the best I certainly got what I paid for.

A really superb, meticulous job, and a very neat and tidy professional who left the boat spick & span and I reckon that the repair is now the strongest part of the vessel.

I do hope I shan't need his services again but if I should suffer another misfortune I would not even think of looking elsewhere for an alternative quote- very highly recommended by a delighted owner.

 

[tom52]

Two visits, travel time, few hours work each time takes the major chunk out of two working days. Materials. Estimate £400 to £500.