Gel-coat repairs

[mirage]

I have just received an invoice for a gel-coat repair from Wyatt Earp that quotes 5 hours labour.

The actual repair was on the edge of the deck when the anchor chain jumped off the roller, the damaged area was about 35 mm x 7 mm.

They slapped on gel-coat for about 100 mm, then rubbed it back a few days later.

Am I correct in thinking 5 hours labour is a bit excessive or am I being charged for them standing around waiting for it to go off ?

 

[savageseadog]

I think you'll find it's a bit more involved than that. A good gel coat repair is difficult to do, 5 hours labour may be more than reasonable.

 

[gjgm]

may have been deeper than just the gelcoat, and a colour match can be a slow process. Extremely hard if its blue.
Even with polishers etc, it is time consuming. At least half a day for even a smaller job sound fine.
I got quoted £800 from elsewhere for half a dozen small touch ups...

 

[mirage]

[ QUOTE ]
may have been deeper than just the gelcoat, and a colour match can be a slow process. Extremely hard if its blue.

[/ QUOTE ]It was just the gel-coat & standard Bayliner white, exactly the same colour as supplied in a tube for a repair I did myself a couple of months earlier

 

[PCUK]

Why didn't you do it again?

 

[mirage]

Because this one was on a curve, I felt that I couldn't rub it down properly & maintain the line.

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]
Because this one was on a curve, I felt that I couldn't rub it down properly & maintain the line.

[/ QUOTE ]

Surly then the price is worth it! Also in this weather it takes time for the gel coat to go off even if he did use a heat gun. It would need to be dry to rub down etc.

 

[mirage]

[ QUOTE ]
Surly then the price is worth it!

[/ QUOTE ] It's not the price I am complaining about, they quoted me a price 4 months ago when the boat was ashore for a month, 20' from their workshop & they could do it in within a day or two. That's all they are getting paid.[ QUOTE ]
Also in this weather it takes time for the gel coat to go off even if he did use a heat gun. It would need to be dry to rub down etc.

[/ QUOTE ]They slapped the gel-coat on last Thursday & rubbed it down on Monday this week.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I had to feel sorry for a chap in the yard at Pwllheli. He had just bought himself a Sunlegend 41 (blow-along) and when I saw it last all of the gelcoat below the waterline had been ground off right down to the matting. The lads working on it had drawn on it with black felt-tip to outline the dinks and damages. Next to the keel was so stoved in, it was obvious that the keel had whacked a rock or something at speed. The rest of the damaged areas were too numerous to count. Some extensive GRP & structural relairs were needed and then the entire hull re-coated with gel-coat.

How much that must cost is goodness knows, but guess what.........






The surveyor had missed the entire damn lot /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Solitaire]

Well perhaps if you had made clear the whole picture, rather than let people draw their own conclusions based on the information given, then you might get the answers you are looking for! Where is the boat in relation to the yard now? Did they have to make two trips to the boat?[ QUOTE ]
They slapped the gel-coat on last Thursday & rubbed it down on Monday this week.

[/ QUOTE ] Was it their fault that the repairs were not done when it was 20' from their work shop etc etc?

[ QUOTE ]
they quoted me a price 4 months ago when the boat was ashore for a month, 20' from their workshop & they could do it in within a day or two. That's all they are getting paid.

[/ QUOTE ] So, you have made your mind up then! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[mirage]

[ QUOTE ]
Well perhaps if you had made clear the whole picture, rather than let people draw their own conclusions based on the information given,

[/ QUOTE ]That wasn't my intention, I just wanted to know if 5 hours was reasonable.[ QUOTE ]
Where is the boat in relation to the yard now?

[/ QUOTE ]About 5 miles away[ QUOTE ]
Did they have to make two trips to the boat?

[/ QUOTE ]They made two trips, but they were working on another boat in the marina on at least one of those occasions [ QUOTE ]
Was it their fault that the repairs were not done when it was 20' from their work shop etc etc?

[/ QUOTE ]Yes and when I had to get the boat back in the water they agreed to honour the quote even though they would have to travel to do the repair[ QUOTE ]
So, you have made your mind up then! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]As to what I am going to pay them, yes, it was the time I wondered about

 

[StephenSails]

Some times one needs to add extra gel coat, sometimes you can get little bubbles and voids. Also if its on a funny angle the gel runs as well.

 

[gjgm]

ok, lets try again. Assuming its gelcoat they used and not a tube of gelcoat repair (and i think we can assume this), then I'd say three hours minimum. Rubbing down, masking, mixing gelcoat, covering-then you say at least they are not charging you for waiting for it to go of- sanding back, spray with colour paint to show up low points, maybe re gel, sand back again, start with compound rubbing, up through the grades, blend back into surrounding gelcoat, onto polish. Yea, thats going to be a good three hours.
Tube of gelcoat repair, and a quick rub back, about 30 minutes. Which finish did you want?

 

[mirage]

gjgm Thank you,

I can accept the 3 hours as you explained, still not 5 hours though /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I accept that their repair might be better than my 'Gel-coat from a tube' one, but I can't find the repair I did now.

 

[gjgm]

ah.. a good 3 hours, I suggested! Somewhere flat isnt too hard, but as you realised yourself, a compound curve is pretty tricky. Often though, its the smaller one off job that seems expensive. It probably wouldnt be much more expensive if the area was much bigger. Guess the moral is always make sure you have a proper whack if you re going to hit something...