Repair it (DIY or Professionally) ?

[WildCatFan54]

This was the best (first) warm and dry day in Ky. for a LONG time. I used it to make the 2 hour trip down to see my boat on Lake Cumberland and start preparing for the upcoming season. The boat had been on the lift since the first week of November. Got the batteries reinstalled and after some frustrating attempts , finally got the bimini properly secured to the massive frame/tower. This was the first , and maybe last time I try that ! Now to my point ! While greasing the steering and throttle linkages I noticed this chunk out of the gelcoat on the transom. I know it was NOT there when I put her on the nest back in November but it is now ?? Not very big , about 1/2" wide max at the bottom and only about 1" long BUT pretty deep. Definitely below the water line if off the lift. I have zero experience with fiberglass repair. Is this something I can do while on the lift or should I bite the bullet , trailer it and take to an experienced fiberglass repair person ? I'm not concerned about cosmetics. Don't really care about color match. I just don't know if water intrusion would lead to problems elsewhere ? If you think its DIY , then product recommendations would be appreciated ? Would black silicone be an option ?

 

[FLBulldogger]

Is the fiberglass compromised, I can't really tell by the pictures but can you push in on the fiberglass or is it just a gelcoat issue? If so, call SpectrumColor @ 800-754-5516 with your Year and model and they will have an exact match, just order a small repair kit, it's not hard and here's a video to assist. If the glass is spongy or otherwise compromised I would see a pro. Good luck!

 

[WildCatFan54]

thanks , nothing but gelcoat damage currently as the boat has not been off the lift since damage occurred. Thats partially why I asked about driving it to the ramp and trailering to body shop ? Would that do more harm than a "make shift" on lift repair ? Just unsure how or if fiberglass absorbs water ? I will contact SpectrumColor.

 

[Plpbecks]

@WildCatFan54 if you turned your steering full lock to the left how close would the anode on the left of your jet nozzle be to the hull? Almost looks like that’s the point of contact from these pics, but looks might be deceiving.

Looks like gel coat damage to me, but that one vertical crack, might be worth a trailer trip to a hull repair specialist for peace of mind...

 

[swatski]

This was the best (first) warm and dry day in Ky. for a LONG time. I used it to make the 2 hour trip down to see my boat on Lake Cumberland and start preparing for the upcoming season. The boat had been on the lift since the first week of November. Got the batteries reinstalled and after some frustrating attempts , finally got the bimini properly secured to the massive frame/tower. This was the first , and maybe last time I try that ! Now to my point ! While greasing the steering and throttle linkages I noticed this chunk out of the gelcoat on the transom. I know it was NOT there when I put her on the nest back in November but it is now ?? Not very big , about 1/2" wide max at the bottom and only about 1" long BUT pretty deep. Definitely below the water line if off the lift. I have zero experience with fiberglass repair. Is this something I can do while on the lift or should I bite the bullet , trailer it and take to an experienced fiberglass repair person ? I'm not concerned about cosmetics. Don't really care about color match. I just don't know if water intrusion would lead to problems elsewhere ? If you think its DIY , then product recommendations would be appreciated ? Would black silicone be an option ?

Did you move the anode or is it factory?

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[marcham]

If there's no structure damage, no missing fiberglass and you dont care about colour match then I would repair it with marinetex. It's grey in colour and unlike fiberglass with polyester resin it is waterproof and it forms a strong bond even without a mesh. It's easier to work with than gelcoat.

Marine-Tex® Epoxy Putty | Marine Tex

 

[WildCatFan54]

@Pipbecks , @swatski , That anode relocation is part of Jeff's (Cobra Jet Steering) AK19 kit for the new style pumps. Its stationary and mounted to the pump itself and not the nozzle. Not really as close to the hull as the picture makes it look. Thanks

 

[Dixie Highway]

Personally, I look at the picture and think I’d probably attempt to repair that myself. I’m generally very ambitious when it comes to DIY repairs, so take that for what you will. Get the kit from Spectrum, watch some YouTube on gelcoat repair, and be confident in the fact it was repaired correctly and you did it yourself, all the while saving some $$$.

 

[haknslash]

Looks like a very minor DIY job. It's in such an inconspicuous area even if your repair is 100% I doubt anyone would be able to tell.

 

[tdonoughue]

I would certainly do this myself. And on the lift, if I could reach it. Get the Spectrum kit (as others have said). Feather out the edges around the repair with a Dremel tool. Mix the new stuff and cover the hole, being sure to put a little extra (in my experience, it tends to shrink a little on curing). Cover the repair with Saran wrap or similar. Come back the next day and wet sand with a block (the block is important). Finish up with compound and then polish. You won't even know it was there...

 

[WildCatFan54]

thanks @tdonoughue ! I did purchase the small (2oz.) Spectrum Color kit and did the repair (on the lift) this past week. The color matched perfect. I'm sure if it had been in a more visible area of the boat I would have spent more time sanding and buffing but it turned out pretty good. Easier than I expected.

 

[tdonoughue]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[WildCatFan54]

Sorry !! Boat is about 100 miles away on Lake Cumberland. Just was advised by email last night that marina is closed for business until further notice ?? While they really aren't stopping slip owners from coming to their boats , they made it REAL clear that we are not welcome.Pics to follow but who knows when ? Hopefully for all of us and for a lot bigger reasons than boating , SOON ?

 

[tdonoughue]

Well, given the circumstances, I'm sure we can give you some time to post... Stay safe first; post pics second.