Glass fibre deck repair
Glass fibre deck repair
I am restoring a GRP Butler Finn, the hull is really good in its original gelcoat but the decks have suffered from being exposed to the sun. The gelcoat has innumerable hairline cracks, crazing and tiny, dry, blisters, the deck has also faded from the original bright yellow to various shades of cream. All the deck is sound with no soft patches or deep cracks, I'd be happy to sail her like this as she is sound but just not pretty.
My thoughts are to sand off the worst of the damage, hopefully not right through the gelcoat, give it all a thin coat of epoxy based gelcoat repair, sand it smooth and then paint.
Is this the best method or what other suggestions have you got?
Thanks, Phil
My thoughts are to sand off the worst of the damage, hopefully not right through the gelcoat, give it all a thin coat of epoxy based gelcoat repair, sand it smooth and then paint.
Is this the best method or what other suggestions have you got?
Thanks, Phil
Just across the Tamar in South East Cornwall
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Never really sure what is best to do with this situation. stripping the gelcoat off is hard work. Painting it is certainly possible, but rarely seems to look as good as it could....unless you are very good.
the first thing I would do is really have a good go at it with some strong rubbing compound, or at least T-cut and see what that does for you.
cheers
eib
the first thing I would do is really have a good go at it with some strong rubbing compound, or at least T-cut and see what that does for you.
cheers
eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
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Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
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IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
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Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
I have tried rubbing compound and whilst that brings up a good shine the surface imperfections are clearly visible. I think the surface material is quite sound, you can not pick bits off the surface like you can with osmosis blisters, it just doesn't look or feel nice.
I sprayed a few cars in a former life so that part doesn't concern me too much but getting a good sound substrate to paint is my real problem.
I sprayed a few cars in a former life so that part doesn't concern me too much but getting a good sound substrate to paint is my real problem.
Just across the Tamar in South East Cornwall
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
If you really want to spray, then sanding it back to get rid of the shine, repairing odd bits, spraying with some sort of hi build (or the star cracks will just come through) and then spraying with the car paint will work as well as anything. Gelcoat repair stuff really doesn't coat well - it will peel off shiny gelcoat.
Personally, I'd live with the fadedness - painted GRP looks OK for a while, but once it gets worn, really starts to look worse than the original.
Personally, I'd live with the fadedness - painted GRP looks OK for a while, but once it gets worn, really starts to look worse than the original.
Rupert
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Hi Phil
Just leave it and join the exclusive sail a shed club membership one at present.
Cheers Al finn 424White Rabbit nick name "THE SHED"
Just leave it and join the exclusive sail a shed club membership one at present.
Cheers Al finn 424White Rabbit nick name "THE SHED"
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
your nickname....finn 424White Rabbit nick name "THE SHED"
won't tell you what we call it
For what it is worth, the only paint that has worked well for me over polyester gelcoat is 2-pack epoxy white primer. It is easy to apply, actually sticks to the gelcoat pretty well and is damned hard. You can then buff that back to a soft-shine, that doesn't attempt to be high gloss, but looks OK, nonetheless.
cheers
eib
Ed Bremner
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
CVRDA
Jollyboat J3
Firefly F2942
IC GBR314 ex S51 - 1970 Slurp
MR 638 - Please come and take it away
Phelps Scull
Bathurst Whiff - looking for someone to love it
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
In 'days of yor' I used to drive a 2 seat open top kit car. It had lots of fibre glass, that would crack when comming back to earth from an escapade with a humped back bridge. You have to get one of those pointy abrasion bits for you 'dremel' and chase out all the cracks in the gel coat, making sure you stop drill each crack end. then you can fill the miriad of V shaped channels with either new gel coat (that never matched) or fibre glass resin, followed by a skim of car body filler - the flexible kind. Then you painted it.
If you were lucky it would last long enough till you met another verge or sold it.
You could get an indelible pen and make a feature of it? Like the dent in my motorcycle fuel tank....
Steve H
If you were lucky it would last long enough till you met another verge or sold it.
You could get an indelible pen and make a feature of it? Like the dent in my motorcycle fuel tank....
Steve H
Steve Hawkins
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
1967 National 12 2383 "Sparkle"
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Know that problem used to happen all the time with my Marcus. It was resprayed with primafiller every 2 years and then finished off with acylic paint.
Cheers Al
Ps and The Sheds still pretty quick.
Cheers Al
Ps and The Sheds still pretty quick.
Last edited by alan williams on Tue May 21, 2013 9:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Where do I have to apply and how much does it cost to make it a less exclusive club?alan williams wrote:Hi Phil
Just leave it and join the exclusive sail a shed club membership one at present.
Cheers Al finn 424White Rabbit nick name "THE SHED"
Finobarb aka Shed 2
Just across the Tamar in South East Cornwall
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
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Solo 4928
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Hit 5 Sold
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
No fees just sail what you have and being a Finn you are automatically a member,
Cheers Al
Cheers Al
Last edited by alan williams on Wed May 22, 2013 3:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Phil, the thin hairline cracks are a feature of many race build Finns. Even the modern boats are prone to picking up these starred cracks and they are impossible to do anything with except overpaint. However, because they are caused by the flexing of the very thin deck and substructure they will only return in time. The decks with coloured gelcoat always appear worse as the cracks really show up. Modern glass Finns are really quite flexible and as soon as you sail in waves the hull and deck flex and keep the boat manageable. Old wooden Finns are so solid that they are much harder to sail, they do not flex, consequently the hulls are too stiff and much harder to sail.
I would recommend 'live with them' you will cause yourself more agro by trying to treat them than leaving well alone.
Martin
I would recommend 'live with them' you will cause yourself more agro by trying to treat them than leaving well alone.
Martin
Martin Hughes
1957 Jeremy Rogers Finn K192
1956 Fairey Finn K17
2004 modern Devoti Finn: GBR567
1957 Jeremy Rogers Finn K192
1956 Fairey Finn K17
2004 modern Devoti Finn: GBR567
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Thank you all, I think you have saved me a lot of effort that would have turned out to be a complete waste of time.
Therefore I am joining the Shed Sailing Club!
Therefore I am joining the Shed Sailing Club!
Just across the Tamar in South East Cornwall
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
I can foresee a competition for who has the scruffiest boat becoming a feature of the future Classic Finn events, something like a concours in reverse.
But you should be aware Phil that Alan will work very hard to win this one......
But you should be aware Phil that Alan will work very hard to win this one......
GBR74 ex custodian of
GBR384 Mickey Finnale (Taylor,wood)
GBR455 Rubber Duck (Taylor, grp)
FD GBR350 Supercalifragalisticexpialidocious
GBR384 Mickey Finnale (Taylor,wood)
GBR455 Rubber Duck (Taylor, grp)
FD GBR350 Supercalifragalisticexpialidocious
Re: Glass fibre deck repair
I will leave the mould, lichen and fungi in place then and give him a run for his money, trouble is it seems to be dying off as it dries out, perhaps I should nourish it with some yoghurt!Brookesy wrote:I can foresee a competition for who has the scruffiest boat becoming a feature of the future Classic Finn events, something like a concours in reverse.
But you should be aware Phil that Alan will work very hard to win this one......
Just across the Tamar in South East Cornwall
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
Solo 4928
Solo 3406
Hit 5 Sold
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Re: Glass fibre deck repair
Good Plan
Regards Al
Regards Al