Gel Coat Help

[Bearbait]

I have run into a possible problem. I have filled over 100 unused bolt holes in my boat and bought a gelcoat repair kit from West Marine to cover them. I used West system epoxy to fill the holes and the instructions with the gel coat says it doesn't stick to epoxy. Should I worry about it? Should I have used something else?

[thataway]

If the holes are small, and you sand around the repair, it is possiable that you can get the gel coat to stick. Generally when you gel coat--it is best to use polyseter resin and fillers/glass fibers to fill. Do not use bondo.

[Bearbait]

Well, I'm learning way more about these glass boats than I ever wanted to. I gather from this that the boat is made from polyester resin and not epoxy? If the boat was made from epoxy resin would a different type of gelcoat be used?

[thataway]

The vast majority of boats are laminated with polyester resin. Some use vinylester resin--at least in bottom layers. There are some very custom built boats which use epoxy. These epoxy boats are painted--usually with a two part polyurethane paint. There is no "epoxy gel coat". Epoxy resins are subject to decay from UV light and must be protected.

You might try light sanding around the point of repair, and putting a gel coat on the entire area--then lightly sanding it, and polish after setting up. Generally gel coats have to have some process to occulde the air when setting up--either a mylar film, wax etc.

[hughpenk]

You need to use a product by Duratec - a vinyl ester primer specifically used to allow gel-coat to bond to epoxy. It works great. I have sprayed gel-coat on epoxy and watched it bead up which is not what you want to see. The primer is expensive at around $50 @ Qt. I get mine from minicraf.com in Florida. You could brush it on those spots.