Akestor
Well-Known Member
A small piece of 100 grit sandpaper would solve the mystery! I would hand sand down a tiny area with my thumb and see whats under the paint..It could just be a bad paint job ( paint or paint+primer flaking off).
Gelcoat crazing or delamination?
- Thread starter CarolineSE
- Start date
CarolineSE
New Member
Wow, the power of collaboration! I m really moved by everyone who take the time to answer!
Will be going there in two weeks and let you know what is going on.. Hopefully we learn something new
Would be happy if it is just the paint work!
Akestor, i will bring my palm sander or it will take the whole weekend to get through �� the paint is super tough
Will be going there in two weeks and let you know what is going on.. Hopefully we learn something new
Would be happy if it is just the paint work!
Akestor, i will bring my palm sander or it will take the whole weekend to get through �� the paint is super tough
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
Use a stanley blade and mark out an inch or so on either side of one of the cracks, scoring it so when it comes away, only the scored section comes off and no more.
Just slide the blade in the crack and ping your scored section off.
Keep the bit, take photo's of the underside of the bit and where it came from and put the pics up on here.
CarolineSE
New Member
!Late update! Been over to take paint off to see what was underneath. Paint is applied really thick, perhaps 3-4mm and has bonded really well to the undersurface.. No primer what i can see. Unfortunately crack is visible in the gelcoat under aswell.. Thinking it has been squeezed or beaten at some point... Thanks again for your thoughts
anoccasionalyachtsman
Well-Known Member
It'd be a heck of a job to build up that thickness in paint alone - a thick paint like enamel is only about 2/1000" thick, and so you'd need about 60 coats to get to 3mm! I can only imagine that it's a fairing compound, and maybe happens to be the same colour as the topcoat?
Unfortunately, alarm bells are ringing here. I can't think of any good reason for having 3mm of fairing compound on a production boat hull. If it turns out that it was done to cover up cracks that were the result of damage the I think you need a good surveyor, just for peace of mind. If it was squeezed by some large force it does not necessarily follow that the damage is too serious. You may need to look at the attachment of the bulkheads etc.. to the hull and deck, and they may vneed to re-glassed in (any cracks in the deck btw?), but cracked gelcoat certainly doesn't mean cracked hull laminate.
I really hope I'm wrong though.
Unfortunately, alarm bells are ringing here. I can't think of any good reason for having 3mm of fairing compound on a production boat hull. If it turns out that it was done to cover up cracks that were the result of damage the I think you need a good surveyor, just for peace of mind. If it was squeezed by some large force it does not necessarily follow that the damage is too serious. You may need to look at the attachment of the bulkheads etc.. to the hull and deck, and they may vneed to re-glassed in (any cracks in the deck btw?), but cracked gelcoat certainly doesn't mean cracked hull laminate.
I really hope I'm wrong though.
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
We really need some more pictures Caroline please, in order to see what's going on.
Marine Reflections
Well-Known Member
Any update?
William_H
Well-Known Member
I havn't seen this thread before but my immediate reaction was just ignore the cracks and go sailing. That is unless you are completely hung up on image of the shiny hull. For my experience top side finish is a consumable and every winter I retouch the top sides where the ali dinghy has marked the surface. Mean while the paint is most likely polyurethane as epoxy while a great resin does deteriorate in sunshine so not good as a finish.
Yes the hull will be made of polyester resin which is cheap and long lasting. It however is not such a good glue as in applying over old polyester. It bonds chemically with new polyester extremely well ie within a few days. So epoxy is best but polyurethane paint bods very well also. I would be tempted to patch up with more polyurethane paint but whatever you do it will be very difficult to amintain that smooth gloss look.
As for cause I have nor experience of cold weather. (fortunate). You would laugh as I complain bitterly about cold.
weather here. windy rain and temps between 11 min and 18 max. Welcome to boating. ol'will
Yes the hull will be made of polyester resin which is cheap and long lasting. It however is not such a good glue as in applying over old polyester. It bonds chemically with new polyester extremely well ie within a few days. So epoxy is best but polyurethane paint bods very well also. I would be tempted to patch up with more polyurethane paint but whatever you do it will be very difficult to amintain that smooth gloss look.
As for cause I have nor experience of cold weather. (fortunate). You would laugh as I complain bitterly about cold.
weather here. windy rain and temps between 11 min and 18 max. Welcome to boating. ol'will