71 / 87
July - August 2018
71
boatingonthehudson.com
AGENT- ADDITIVES- APPLICATION METHODS- MATCHING GELCOAT COLOR
FADE
All play an important role in doing a successful Gelcoat Repair
When you are done banging your head against the side of your boat you can
always bring your boat to me or any professional gelcoat repair person.
#16- Protect your hull if you leave your boat in the water all
season long
You may want to entertain the thought of applying an epoxy barrier
coat on the hull. I’m not talking about Bottom Paint- It’s Epoxy
Barrier Paint which will HELP prevent blistering from the waterline
down. It’s a lot cheaper to properly apply epoxy barrier than it is to
pay a repair facility to fix osmotic blisters. In addition Epoxy Barrier
is cheaper than Bottom Paint.
As I mentioned in articles numerous time Bottom Paint alone will
NOT prevent osmotic blisters and not all hulls are susceptible to
developing them. Every manufacturer has their own building process.
Two boats can be built in the same plant- one boat may develop
blisters while the other may not. If you don’t want to apply any barrier
at the very least KEEP a good coat of sealer glaze and a coat of
marine wax on the hull.
#17-Choose adequate lines, fenders and dock hardware.
Secure your boat properly at the dock to avoid this type
of damage
#18- Don’t wait too long to take shrink wrap off in the spring
As soon as the weather permits take the shrink wrap off your boat
and get your boat open and ventilated!
On hot humid days the shrink wrap acts as an incubator and can
cause dampness, mold, etc to develop. Be sure to ask for vents and
moisture absorbers when shrink wrapping.
“Hopefully this information will help you enjoy your boat for years
to come! We would like to hear from you! You may have a question
or a story to share! We’ll keep your name anonymous!
Email us-
boatrepair@aol.com -Be aware of obstacles when you’re at the helm.