There's an area about 3" by 5" under one hull where the paint or gelcoat is chipping. The layer under is still glossy like there was a lack of sanding in that area. The picture is not great but may be of some help.
I measured one chip with a micrometer and the thickness is 0.014". It is also very flexible. Also the underside of the chip is more brownish than white. It looks like paint but could it be a coat of gelcoat?
I want to be sure before attempting a repair.
I know it's not much information.
Thanks for your help.
Looks like paint to me. Gel-coat should be thicker and is not normally very flexible.
Thank you Bacho
The brown underneath could be a filler or primer. If it is flexible it's paint. If it's hard then I would say gelcoat. Doug
Sounds like a polyurethane paint with a poor prep-job. Does it continue to peel-off or sticks well around the edges?
It seems to stick better around the edge, at least when I try to peel it with my nail. When I'll be ready to repair it I'll make a better try with a scraper.
Edited by coolhead on Apr 29, 2014 - 05:21 AM.
Thank you for your help.
looks and sounds like paint, I think that its safe to say 90% of the people that own our type of boats are going to freshen up hulls with a coat of paint over gel coat, one part vs two part, cheaper, more of a beginner to intermediate job, etc.
I would take the time to sand it and make the transition from the old stuff to the new stuff very smooth before painting. The 3x5 area will grow but it will be worth it in the end. Also sounds cosmetic and if you have a issue that big there because of bad prep you'll probably run into it somewhere else.
My 2 cents, since the season is fast approaching or maybe started where you live, I would sand a nice smooth transition that you can't feel, sail that this summer and do a proper restore in the off season. Since what you have there is almost certainly purely cosmetic.
Cezo823,
As you've said, yesterday, I found another place where it's doing the same. Smaller area but I didn't try to peel it yet.
I'll do as you suggest.
Thank you,
Edited by coolhead on May 01, 2014 - 10:42 AM.
No prob,
I didn't mean to talk down paint over gelcoat, Nothing wrong with a GOOD prep and paint job. But I definitely wouldn't want to miss sailing time over it! Especially on a I18!
You guys probably still have ice in Canada, eh?
Saw some floating by on lake Michigan last weekend.
I'm leaving about 20 minutes from Montreal and the ice is gone on all the lakes around. The water is still cold. It was 36 F on lake Champlain last weekend. And the weather doesn't help. It's far colder for the season than usual.
About that material. It is gelcoat. Paint stripper has no effect on it.
cezo823 wrote: You guys probably still have ice in Canada, eh?
Ice is long gone, here in central BC. Water temp is 60 F and air is 53-77 F. I've got my boat wet a couple of times and seen people swimming in the lake last weekend π
If it is gel coat and rubbery I would think that maybe they didn't add the wax in the final coat. Gel coat will not cure when exposed to air. You need to over spray with PVA, or add the wax, or one of the available additives on the final coat to get things to cure hard.
It was not rubbery. It was flexible because it was really thin. It's gone now. The boat has been properly sanded and re-gelcoated.