Gel Coat In Cockpit

S

Swee Pea

New member
I have noticed that the gel coat on the INSIDE of cockpit, just under the gunnel is flaking off at what looks like to be "putty spots", revealing the fiberglass. There are about two or three spots where this is happening.
I called the factory and it took several weeks of call backs and "detours", but I finally got an definitive answer. It is not under warranty (Swee Pea is a 2004) and the paint is white enamel #963-wk-307 and the tan speckle is tan enamel #948-nc-009 from Spectrum paint.
My question is two fold 1) has anyone had a similar problem with the gel coat on the inside of the cockpit blistering? 2) anyone with experience in applying the paint for repair? Is is something I can do or... another thought, would I be better off to remove the chipping paint and have it coated with Line-x instead? Any help would be appreciated.

John
Swee Pea
 
John. Interesting. What did they say caused the issue? Did they have a better name for it than your accurate description of putty spots?

Byrdman
 
The Line-X stuff sounds good...don't know if it's a good application for it, but DO know it's lifetime guaranteed....had a couple repairs done and they were happy to fix them for me in the bed of my truck.
 
John:

Are the "putty spots" in line with the rub rail? If so, take a look at the outside too, something may have hit the boat with force (if it's popped the caps (putty)off the rivets).
 
Byrdman:

They knew exactly what I was talking about when I described the location. If you look under the gunnel in the storage area just below where the wires run, you will see the spots I am talking about. Blistering due to poor prep of the surface prior to gel coat.
The term gel coat still gets me. They call the paint enamel but refer to it as a gel coat. Application via brush, roller, spray? Then spray the speckles on? Would seem that the factory would be a little more supportive of the problem - other than give me the phone number of the place to buy the paint. And when I called Spectrum, they didn't recognize the number. I recently got the new part number but haven't called yet. Wanted to hear from you guys first.

John
Swee Pea
 
In response to some other questions/possibilities - the boat has not be hit with any type of force that would sustain any damage. Any minor bumping of the rub rail should not (in my humble opinion) produce the chipping.

I asked the factory about the 5 year hull warranty, they said it is for the outside gel coat and structural integrety, not the inside paint chipping as I have described.

I suppose I could call Cutter, but the distance I have to travel just to have it looked at and then for them to agree with the factory as a non-warranty item when, with some direction from you all, might simply be solved by scraping, prepping, and painting myself, doesn't seem worth it. There is NO damage to Swee Pea, just some flaking paint at those "putty spots".

John
Swee Pea
 
Greetings! Our boat has the same condition. It seems to be only at the raised spots covering the rivets holding on the rub-rail channel. I've always assumed the covering substance (putty, marine sealant, etc.) moved at a different rate than the surrounding glass structure and that the small cracks were no big deal, just cosmetic. On most boats, including many "high end" boats, these fasteners are the structural connection between hull and top, but on the Dory the two parts are glassed together. I would be very wary about installing line-X or other such spray liners. I don't know all the details but I do know gelcoats, fiberglass and other marine coatings have major compatibility issues. You could end up with a disaster on your hands! Happy boating. Mike on Westward.
 
"On most boats, including many "high end" boats, these fasteners are the structural connection between hull and top, but on the Dory the two parts are glassed together."

The CD design is the proper one for a utility boat (we tend to forget the workboat roots of our line). The rubrail is designed to be replaced easily after numerous bashings. Purely functional.
 
Mine were chipped and flaking a little as well. It didn't look like a structural compromise but it bugged me a little. So I put some west system micro balloons putty mix in it then . Primed it , painted it then declared it good to go. I really wouldn't worry about it much. It looked like all the bumps were is the back side of the rub rail rivets. I think the factory smeared some "stuff" over it for looks and so owners wouldn't get hurt by the back side of the exposed rivet. Keep in mind that my boat was rolled in the surf so it flexed allot. The Joint between the hull and the top showed no cracks or hints of any separation at all. Rest assured its one very tuff boat. The reason it rolled was because the previous owners ran out of fuel and were blown into shore with no power. No fault of the boat. This brings up the nice point of a glass boat that almost every thing can be repaired.

Good luck
Chris
 
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