Fiberglass and Gelcoat Repair

Having a crack in your boat is never convenient, but our team are here to make the repair process as pain free as possible. We work on repairs for both fiberglass and gelcoat boats to cover your needs and ensure the detail is put into the repairs for a seamless finish. Here we wish to share with our clients our process of repair, as well as common causes. We also note a few prevention methods that can help you keep your boat on the water and out of the repair shop.
 
Cause
Cracks often appear in boats due to the constant exposure to expansion and contraction from the water and the stress that creates on the boat. Other elements such as sun exposure and impact can also cause cracking to appear. The cracks will often show their fist sign as a blister that will then turn into a hairline crack if it is left unattended. Some cracks are deemed to be purely cosmetic issues, however it is important that you always have these looked at and repaired so that they do not cause further damage to your boat.
 
Fiberglass Repair
Fiberglass is the internal coat of the hull of your boat, which is covered by a gelcoat as an extra layer of protection. Generally surface cracks will just penetrate the gelcoat, but when they get deeper they will impact the fiberglass. Our team make sure that the repairs on fiberglass are done correctly and aren’t just a quick visual fix. This means that we clear and clean the crack to be able to fill it correctly. We use fiberglass fabric and resin to completely repair and seal the crack, as well as leaving sufficient time for the coating to cure.
 
Gelcoat Repair
Gelcoat is the outer coating of your boat and comes in a range of different colors. As referenced before the most common cracks occur in the gelcoat as the surface is quite brittle. When we are repairing crack in the gelcoat, we ensure there is a color match and adequate curing time allowed. After this we then sand back if required to sit flush with the surrounding areas and commence the polishing. Rather than following a quick and easy method that will visually repair the crack, Boat Repair Lake of the Ozarks take the time to complete all repairs properly so that there is no chance of resulting damage.
 
Prevention
Although there are some elements you have no control over, such as the sun and the strength of the waves hitting the boat. Being surrounded by waves is often the ideal scenario and you enjoy the gentle or rough rocking. The best way to avoid cracking is to keep your boat well maintained and check it for cracks or blisters regularly. Also in some cases we may advise small holes drilled into the gelcoat, however this is method can vary from boat to boat.