glass repair from a newbie

[anotherhassel]

Hi guys first I would like to say that this is a great site with some great craftsman and vessels. I sadly do not own a seacraft ,but hopefully someday. The boat i own is a 85 21' bullet center console. The boat was built right here in New Jersey and she is starting to show her age. I have some what i call stress cracks around things like rod holders. My question is how do I repair them? Would like to paint the cap and liner(one piece like the 20'er) so gelkote isnt really an issue. Also the cap has very small pin holes in the gelkote what do i do with them. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks John

[Islandtrader]

Welcome aboard.

If you check out the permanent post at the top of the page "Here we go again" you will find a wealth of information.

If the stress cracks are just gel coat related, hitting them with a grinder and then fairing out would be OK. Otherwise you will have to go deeper and then lay in some fiberglass and then fair out.

As far as pin holes, if they are real small I just take some fairing compound and a razor blade and skim them shut. If the hold are larger, bevel them out and fill.

Good Luck, and search the sight.

[anotherhassel]

I read that post it was great. Strick does beautiful work. If what I am thinking about doin comes out half that good I will be happy. I didnt see him address the situation that I had in question. Do you think tiger hair used in autobody kinda like body filler with fiberglass in it would work for the stress cracks? Thanks John

[71kidcasper]

If you don't want to see "stress cracks" come back again. Grind them out past the gelcote feathering back at least an in or two and then layup some glass, fair and feather.