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I found Dave Stinkpotter's gelcoat repair

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5372 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/14/2015 : 22:10:50

As many of you know I bought Passage from the gent who bought it from Dave Stinkpotter. She has a lot of nice features that he installed over the years when he owned her too numerous to mention like the port o let and the interior cushions.
One oops on Passage was a repair to the gelcoat on the bow that Dave had apparently made and had mentioned a few times in posts. I never learned of the reason for the repair but I assume it was due to a docking mishap.
Recently as I approached the gas dock in the harbor, the kid on the dock grabbed the bow line to make it secure, yanked it hard and suddenly a gust of wind and his extra tug caused the bow to blam into the wooden dock. He apologies profusely.
I heard a whack when the bow rode up on the dock and I heard a crackling sound as the boat jolted to a stop.
Shtuff happens I know. Seems the gelcoat repair was damaged and now it's cracking off. I had never noticed the repair in the past-it was quite good.
This fall and winter I intend to repair the gelcoat in that area and hope to make it as good as new.
Since the boat is now 30+ years old, should I just use white gel coat, or should I mix a bit of beige color into the gelcoat to make it match the patina of the boat?
How should I prep the spot? Wire (brass) brush? Scrape it all down then reapply the gelcoat? I don't know how to go about this mainly cosmetic repair. Any suggestions? Saran Wrap needed?
I appreciate learning the finer art of reapplying gel coat but have little experience in actually doing it. Should I wait until next April until the weather warms into the 60� range before I do it?

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

jduck00
Captain

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313 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2015 : 05:25:44

I'll take some pictures of mine while I'm getting her launched today. I got the original color gelcoat from Catalina and it was a very close match. It could probably use a drop of brown to make it match completely but it was close enough for me.

Jeremy Duck
The Lucky Duck
1980 SKSR Hull # 1850

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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4024 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2015 : 06:00:58

Bruce, How big an area are we talking about? I know that Marine Tex matches my boat but for some reason when I saw Passage I thought it to be a little tanner in color than mine.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 08/15/2015 : 07:13:07

Ya, ya... Likely story...

I used this stuff...

No color modification--I just removed any loose material, wiped with some acetone to remove anything around it, applied the patch so it was higher than the surface, let it set, sanded, applied a little more where I didn't use enough, sanded again, sanded with finer paper, and (I think) applied a little Poly Glow (which was on the hull). It disappeared (as you saw).

WM also has it in "buff"--you could probably mix them.

There's another patch you apparently still haven't found--where a moron in a powerboat with a stainless steel rubrail ran into me while trying to make a turn in a narrow channel. Both repairs were small--that little tube was more than enough--I might still have it.

Now remember, NEVER APPROACH A DOCK ANY FASTER THAN YOU'RE WILLING TO HIT IT.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 08/15/2015 07:17:34

islander
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Response Posted - 08/15/2015 : 14:39:09

I've used that gel coat scratch repair that Dave showed, The key is to mix it very well or it will never harden and stays tacky. I usually cut the tube open and stir it with a toothpick but I think they say to kneed it to mix it up but it works good and can be sanded then buffed.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Voyager
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5372 Posts

Response Posted - 08/16/2015 : 09:39:34

Hey all,
Thanks for the suggestions and lessons learned. Going in order:
1. Jeremy - I like CD's products. Pretty much always offers top-notch products and great advice&service.
2. Scott - It's a small spot at the moment. About 6-8cm. I did not pick off any of the shards. Can't say how large the original repair it (which is testimony to Dave's expert care of Passage). I've used original MarineTex for other repairs on Passage and you're right - MT is a little too white to match the patina. I think the color could partly be due to Poli-glow.
3. Ya-ya Dave. I was trying to beat a powerboater to the dock. Couldn't find the emergency brake :-)
The gelcoat repair looks familiar. I'll get some. I think that when I prep the area I'll clean off the Poli-glow around the area.
4. Scott -I'll take your advice on mixing it but I'd like to do two coats so I'll squeeze out half and mix it up, patch the bow and a few other dings, sand then redo with the rest.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 08/16/2015 : 10:08:17

I'm pretty sure I just kneaded the tube--seemed to work fine.

Dave Bristle
Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired),
Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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4024 Posts

Response Posted - 08/16/2015 : 13:58:18

Bruce if I remember when I cut the tube open to stir it the manufacturer obviously loads the tubes with the gel coat first in the bottom then the hardener on top so if you knead the tube to mix it do it for a good amount of time then some more.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

Edited by - islander on 08/16/2015 14:06:43

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 08/18/2015 : 20:09:04

quote:
Originally posted by islander

Bruce if I remember when I cut the tube open to stir it the manufacturer obviously loads the tubes with the gel coat first in the bottom then the hardener on top so if you knead the tube to mix it do it for a good amount of time then some more.

I don't think so. Evercoat Scratch Patch is not a curing resin. It's only one part, not two. It hardens by solvent evaporation (like a lacquer paint), not by chemical curing (like epoxy or polyester gelcoat). That's why it has such a long shelf life and is easier to use than gelcoat (don't need to deprive it of oxygen like real gelcoat). Its softness makes it very easy to sand/buff. But as you noticed, it does damage easily if you hit it in exactly the same spot again. The lack of curing is also why it's not resistant to gasoline or solvents. It's basically old fashioned model airplane glue with a lot of white pigment to give it opacity and some sag resistance.

What you were seeing when you cut open the tube is just separation between the resin (glue) and the pigment.

Sorry for the rant, I've spent my whole career formulating automotive paints and inks, so this stuff is my "bread and butter."

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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4024 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2015 : 05:40:16

quote:
What you were seeing when you cut open the tube is just separation between the resin (glue) and the pigment.

Rick your probably right, I do remember the product being separated, Just assumed it was a hardener. Still the bottom line is that it needs to be re-mixed thoroughly to harden properly.

Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688
Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 08/19/2015 : 17:02:53

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

...How should I prep the spot? Wire (brass) brush? Scrape it all down then reapply the gelcoat? I don't know how to go about this mainly cosmetic repair. Any suggestions? Saran Wrap needed?

Since Dave said he used Scratch Patch for the original repair, you do not need to scrape it all off if you use Scratch Patch this time. Since it's non-curing, the new material's solvent will "cut in" to the old stuff and allow it to adhere well. So I'd just clean off any dirt, smooth out any rough edges, and apply some to the depressed part. Do a little at a time, allowing it to dry in between, since too much at once will sag. It will shrink some when the solvent flashes off, so you may need to repeat a few times. You don't need to sand in between the coats unless there are high spots or runs that you want to smooth out.

No saran wrap - that's just for the curing polyesters where you need to deprive it of oxygen.

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 08/19/2015 17:03:37

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