Gel-coat crazing

[p424owner]

All,

I have just started cleaning up my topsides in preparation for painting. I have uncovered extensive gel coat crazing towards the bow. Does anyone else have a similar issue? I am concerned that the bow may have flexed excessively with her PO.

Anyone have anything to share?

[RayNWanda]

We don't have any crazing, but our bow water tank is cracked in both rear corners and right in front of the tank outlet. I cut out the top for a 10" inspection hatch, It looks like I can probably repair the cracks. I have them ground out, but the v-berth is covered up with "stuff" at the moment. She took a pounding at some point...

[SailingSeaDragon]

Sea Dragon has a similar problem in the cockpit and on the starboard side just forward of mid-ship.

I have been told that many of the boats built in the 70's & early 80's had very thick gelcoat. Gelcoat is not as flexible as the material under it (fiberglass) so the thicker layer would show signs of crazing due to minor flexing or even over exposure to sun. I quizzed the surveyor about this when purchasing Sea Dragon. I was told that it is only cosmetic and not to worry about it unless I had a bag full of money to either paint the deck or repair the gelcoat.

Not sure if this helps.
Garner

[EdHouston]

I had the same problems on my previous boat Pearson 26, I was painting the whole boat so I simply ground the cracks out with a small dremel ball bit and then filled with thickened epoxy (west system fairing filler) the filler was then sanded down flush for painting. It's important to open the cracks up otherwise the filler will not penetrate or stay put.

There has been no further cracks develop after seven years so I can only assume they were superficial in nature.

You could also follow these instructions from Don Casey regarding gel-coat scratch repair essentially the same procedure I used but I used a ball bit to open up the crack & a filler not gel-coat.

http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/02.htm

Ed S/V Moonlight Mile #110

[SV THIRD DAY]

When we get back from Cruising (yikes....did I say that?) I plan on stripping the deck and giving the old gal a new topside deck paint before we enter her into the Charter Biz...I'm sure it will be a lot of work and we too have some crazing to repair...but oh will she look nice afterwords!