TOPIC: Filler/bondo question

I am currently getting some structural work done on my 1961 Cutter tornado and was gonna have them redo the gel coat while they were at it. But a 12-15K job is just way out of my budget. SO i was wondering if any one has done their own gel coat or what combination of filler and paint works really well. I'm not looking for a permanent fix but something that will look good for the next couple of years. The top side and hull are covered in spider cracks. I do plan on doing some sanding but will not be going down to bare glass. The real problem is that I'm pretty sure these cracks run all the way through the gel coat and down to the glass. I'm looking for something that will seep into the crack and fill them. Any suggestions??

merc1,

Even deep cracks can be filled with UN-thickened epoxy, followed by epoxy "peanut butter". = Personally being CHEAP, I use the cheapest generic epoxy that I can find.
(I bought the last lot of epoxy for a hull repair from a company that repairs Corvettes.)

SOME epoxies CAN be thinned & those generally will "weep into" even very deep but narrow cracks.
(IF it was my boat, I would grind the area down & resurface the hull with "peanut butter" & then sand & re-paint, rather than trying to gelcoat.)

Rustolieum works well, when hardener is added to the rolled-on & tipped-off paint.

just my OPINION, satx

Satx is right. If the cracks are just hair width and more annoying than anything else I usually use a high build primer. A paint primer used in auto repair that fills in those little dits. Spray on a few coats and then sand down with about a 600 grit. Or you could use spot putty that is sold in tubes like toothpaste at auto stores that you can spread with your finger into the cracks and then sand smooth.

Oh boy here we go. This race has been run many times before here but since you asked
Here is my opinion. First if you are going to do this at all then don't skip one of the most ( yes the nastiest too) steps. Removing the gell down to the glass. If you skip this step and try and fill the cracks you may fill some of them but I guarantee after you have spent countless hours doing all the work it takes to get ready for a final finish and you don't do the proper prep. It may look good right after you do it but as soon as your boats is in the sun for any length of time those cracks will reappear. Then you just have about the same finish as you started with.
I think if you call ten shops that do this type of work they will all tell you start with a,good base and work you way up.
How ever other than the time it takes. there are great products out there and this site lives to help get you thru this. You can do this!

D

del is absolutely correct. my boat was full of of spider/gelcoat cracks when i purchased it. i sanded out these cracks and probably did not go deep enough. had it painted with an epoxy primer, then painted by maaco (3 coats baked in what they call an oven.) this was 10 yrs. ago. the finish/shine is like it was done yesterday. however after a few times out on rough water the cracks reappearedin some of the places. some pics. ron : : : : as you can see in the last pic.the crack lines ..i guess i didn't go deep enough. should of had a professional do it. the finish today.

herters59,

SORRY. I wasn't clear. = I'm talking about first sanding off ALL of the gelcoat on the deck, etc., doctoring all the cracks thoroughly and then refinishing the deck. - In over 2 decades, I've NOT had even deep cracks reappear IF the cracks were repaired with epoxy & then the surface refinished.
(Some of our boats are 60+ years old & a considerable number of hulls have MORE than surface cracks, that MUST be repaired to ever be serviceable again, long-term. - Epoxy "peanut butter" is stronger than the fiberglass deck & with proper preparation will last as long as the boat will.)

just my OPINION, satx

Sorry satx my reply was not really meant at you. I was just giving merc1 my thoughts.

You guys are all right but if you re-read the original post he is not looking for a permanent fix. $ is an issue and just looking for a cosmetic repair for a short time hence the quick fix.

63 Sabre,

Pardon me for pointing out that my "cheapskate suggestion" is both inexpensive & permanent. = The first such repair that I ever saw & "helped with" was done over 3 decades ago & it is still perfectly sound, though the deck has been repainted twice.

yours, satx

Satx, sorry if offended, didn't mean to. I've used the resin procedure myself, just might be doing it on the Lone Star that presently graces my garage. That thing has a "sandwich" hull and the salvage yard I bought it from used a forklift to load it on the trailer putting a nice hole in the bottom. Now I have to figure out how to repair a bottom from the bottom

63 Sabre,

I'm far from offended. - Just passing on my experiences; your situation may vary.

As for the double-hulled Lone Star: Presuming that the hull isn't ruined by the forklift, I'd cut out the hole to a convenient size & fit/glue a larger/suitably sized piece of veneer into the hole & then proceed with the repair of the outer hull.
(Veneer is flexible enough to accomplish that task & serves only to be a convenient "holder" for the glass or epoxy until it hardens. After that, it is just present & provides no strength to the hull.)

just my OPINION, satx

Good idea, I was thinking of forcing some foam in there and working with that somehow but your idea makes more sense, like patching a hole in a wall. I'll start a thread when I flip it. Just put in a new transom and front kick board and running a complete new glass interior floor.

If i wanted to go with the thinned out bondo route any suggestions on which combination of bondo/thinner works well together?

If i wanted to go with the thinned out bondo route any suggestions on which combination of bondo/thinner works well together?

merc1,

Fyi, I don't trust bondo on fiberglass hulls, as the FG hulls flex a great deal more than most metal car bodies do. Period. End of story.
Also, it's just as expensive (or possibly more $$$$, if you make your own "peanut butter" as I do) than epoxy is.

just my OPINION, satx

I agree with Satx. I would not use the Bondo that you are thinking of. They do make other products that are suitable for boat repairs and are more flexible. I use what they call 'long strand' for some small hole repairs. It's pretty much the peanut butter in a can. Stuff is so stringy you almost have to cut it with a scissors when taking it from the can. Here's a link from Jamestown with the product.
www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=6103

Also a link for their "jelly" for minor dings.
bondo.com/products/fiberglass/432-bondo-fiberglass-resin-jelly.html

I agree with Herters,, we take it all down to cloth,,I am not going to do this every 2-4 years, the cracks will come back,also we put new transoms and floors on all to me that is like restoring a car with a rusty frame,I understand that that this is probable more time and expense than what some want to do,but that is the difference in a restoration and that is up to who ever,My own thoughts Bill