Reverse transom repair

[PabloPicasso]

I've been repairing some chipped gel coat on the trailing edge of a GRP reverse transom. Now I've filled chips with epoxy and have left it to be finished with white gel coat filler.

There are some old repairs leaving some brown finish in places. This early 1980s cruiser has gel coat in good condition otherwise. How can I finish the repairs and cover the unsightly brown colour from previous repairs yo leave it looking good?

 

[LP1]

Don't think gel coat will adhere to epoxy. You'll have to fair it and paint it.

 

[VicS]

Don't think gel coat will adhere to epoxy. You'll have to fair it and paint it.

Not a problem PROVIDED the epoxy is properly mixed with no excess hardener, is fully cured and the formation of an "amine blush" is prevented or is removed.

All the facts from West Technical Services: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f55/will-gelcoat-adhere-to-epoxy-5794.html

 

[William_H]

Gel coat will stick to epoxy provided the epoxy is well cured and roughed up. However as said paint is far better than Gel coat. If you can get a paint to match the rest of the hull then you will be fixed for repairs long into the future. 2 pack polyurethane I found will last a long time in the tin. The hardener doesn't but that can be replaced.
Epoxy itself can be coloured with pigment but it will deteriorate with UV so really needs to be covered with something.
Really IMHO once you start to repair gel coat to any degree you either put up with wrong colour repair or paint it over. good luck olewill

 

[onesea]

As above...

Less pretty but, you could just leave them be let her show her age with dignity or put a S/S or rubber capping over them.

 

[Pete7]

One afternoon I was chatting to a friend of a friend in the boat yard. He was just finishing off refurbishing two large stern drives on a power boat and I remarked the stern was looking very shiny and had polished up well. He said it was paint. So good was the finish and the colour match to the topsides I hadn't noticed.

Pete

 

[Seajet]

I have seen rubber car door seals used to good effect as sugar scoop protectors, though no good if the OP's is simply a retrousse transom.

 

[oldsaltoz]

I suspect the brown marks are old repairs or exposed glass after many attempts at cleaning/polishing.

The fix is pretty simple, just grind them out and re-coat the area, also consider using flow-coat (Gel-coat with added wax) no need to cover it and fully cures in a shorter time frame.

Good luck and fair winds.