Repair Scratched Hull

[scottay]

Good day all,

I was beaching the ski so I could get out and walk around and there was a rock that I didn't see that put a pretty nice scratch/gash in the hull. It's not real deep, but I want to know what I can do to seal it up so the water doesn't destroy the fiberglass.

Any ideas?

 

[Ricky65]

repair

I found a guy at a body shop that does gel coat repair, a little pricey, but well worth it. Liiks brand new

 

[garklie]

I have done gel repairs in the past. My suggestion is to clean the area out of depris and loose gelcoat etc then patch it with a marine style fibreglass paste. Once dry sand it down with a 220 grit paper. You can also use an electric palm sander as this will be quicker. Once perfectly smooth apply liquid gelcoat resin over the sanded area. Once dry sand again but with a very fine grit like 800 or 1000 wet or dry. Carefully feather out the edge of the patch area. You might be able to find a color paste to color the resin black. I know up where I live Canadian Tire has all the right stuff. Once properly sanded, a buffing compound and an angle grinder with a buffing pad will bring the shine up. If the shine does't come up like you want feel free to use a marine spray paint with a proper color match.

Its time consuming but this is why gelcoat repair is so expensive. Hope this helps.

 

[scottay]

Thanks for the tip on repairing it myself. I bought an EVERCOAT gelcoat repair kit at West Marine. After sanding it down really well to get rid of loose pieces, I discovered that the "wound" really isn't that deep. It just barely got through the gelcoat. Do you think simply using that kit will suffice?

 

[garklie]

that should work fine. just be careful not to sand the surrounding gelcoat down too much or you will have to build it back up. If you don't you will see a dip in the shine once done. Just like a wave in a mirror would show. Glad it wasnt too deep. Anything else just ask.

 

[RFoster130]

I had a big spot like yours. It just peeled the gel coat off. I bought the kit from Gel Cote, the OEM maker for BRP. Was very easy to do. Just follow the directions, and dont put too much on or you will be sanding all day.

 

[mookerblu]

I just bought a ski that is pretty beat but I want to make it pretty again
Here is a pic of two "chunks" that were taken out. At the deepest they are less than a quarter inch deep, can I just use the gel coat repair? They are on the top side of the back deck.

 

[RFoster130]

With that spot being on the rear top, I think the gel cote kit would fix it fine. I had some small spots all over like that, it fixed em all.

 

[garklie]

I agree that the damage looks minor. Simple gel coat repair kits should worr fine.

 

[sheim]

The bottom of my Seadoo has quite a few scratches. Mostly on the bottom of the V Hull. I would say the deepest is 1mm. They are certainly not gouges, but a good number of scratches. The bottom of the V hull from front to back is not smooth to the touch at all. Where there are scratches, the surface feels almost gritty. Is this normal, OK to let go, or a sign of it needing a gel coat repair??

 

[94seadoox_p]

The bottom of my Seadoo has quite a few scratches. Mostly on the bottom of the V Hull. I would say the deepest is 1mm. They are certainly not gouges, but a good number of scratches. The bottom of the V hull from front to back is not smooth to the touch at all. Where there are scratches, the surface feels almost gritty. Is this normal, OK to let go, or a sign of it needing a gel coat repair??

Rehashing an old one here, but I have the same markings on the bottom of the V on my machine with similar 1mm or so depths. Should I disregard and just wax over that?

 

[RFoster130]

Wax isnt really going to do anything to those as far as filling them in. It just the nature of the beast....it will pretty much always have small scrathes on the bottom. If you want to fix, you can use one of the gel cote repair kits. I honestly wouldnt worry unless you have quite a few. Maybe do it every couple of years to get it looking new again.

 

[Robj]

I have anothef way that I have done gel coat repairs. You need matching gelcoat, as close as possible or you will see the repair. Clean out the scratch, wipe down with acetone, and start filling the scratch with multiple layers of gelcoat, it is ok to get the gelcoat outside of the scratch. Just as it starts to kick, go over the repair with a squegee to remove the excess. Wipe down the surrounding area with acetone and let set. You may need to repeat to fully fill the scratch. After it has hardened wet sand with 400 then 800 grit, polish and wax. Easy.

 

[moochy]

I'm not sure about skis but with my boat I got a few scratches underneath and I decided to gelcoat repair them then add a keel shield for further protection down the track.

 

[KevinLab010]

Good day all,

I was beaching the ski so I could get out and walk around and there was a rock that I didn't see that put a pretty nice scratch/gash in the hull. It's not real deep, but I want to know what I can do to seal it up so the water doesn't destroy the fiberglass.

Any ideas?

Why the F would anyone beach their machine?? I suppose someone who did not actually spend their own hard earned cash on it. Makes no common sense to me at all. invest in a friggin anchor bag.

 

[lamajama]

I suppose there's a lot of reasons. Perhaps one needs to take a look at the machine, or stop very briefly. I would also think that most
here have stumbled upon an unknown rock before and most hopefully were able to see it at the last moment but accidents happen. I'm
also sure that all "spent their hard earned cash" on their machines too. You must be the only owner who has never ever beached a
machine. Kudos.

 

[buttonbash]

Why the F would anyone beach their machine?? I suppose someone who did not actually spend their own hard earned cash on it. Makes no common sense to me at all. invest in a friggin anchor bag.

you'd cry then if you watched a jetski surf comp, they skid a fair way up the beach with the motor still running lol