Passat G3 Hull Gel Coat

sbourgoin

sbourgoin

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Morning...This past weekend I purchased a White 2006 Seaward Passat G3 and looking to get a fresh gel coat added to the bottom. Does anyone have any experience with doing a full hull vs. a damaged section? The hull doesn't have any damage just a few faded spots on the stern and 1 chip the size of a dime. I would prefer to get an experienced person to take on this task instead of doing it by self! Unless this is easier then I am thinking.
Also going to replace the bungees and ropes.
Looking forward to getting out on the water this Spring/Summer for some adventures!
Thanks
Shawn
 
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CPS

CPS

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I'm of the opinion you shouldn't recoat a hull unless there's significant damage over the whole hull. The amount of gelcoat required would add significant weight, with little benefit.
Getting a little patch to look decent isn't too tricky, but a full hull is a big job
 
Kayak Jim

Kayak Jim

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My friend had the bottom gelcoat on her 30 year old Nimbus done a couple of years ago by one of the boat places here in The Valley. I can check which one tonight. The whites don't exactly match but it seems to be holding up OK and it's mainly along the keel line. Or you could check with Gabriela at Wavedancer.
 
J

JohnAbercrombie

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You may find that a small repair and an hour with a good buffer/foam pads/compound will do what you want, avoiding the need for a complete gelcoat.

I have had gelcoat sprayed on a Mariner kayak hull by Blackline in Sidney. I did all the prep work - repairs and filling, and sanding the whole hull. Blackline sprayed on the gelcoat- excellent job, and I thought the price was reasonable - as I recall it was 3(or 4?) hours of shop charges plus materials. After spraying, the new gelcoat had a 'matte' finish with a bit of orange peel. Blackline would have done the sanding and polishing, but I did that myself. It was a stressful job - unless you want the weight to increase a lot, the geloat needs to be thin, so there's no room for over-exuberant sanding.

About weight increase- I weighed the boat before I started and when the job was finished and the difference was only a pound or two. (Note: I did sand down the original gelcoat. You'll want to have a sander setup with good dust collection.)
 
sbourgoin

sbourgoin

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Thanks for the feedback....It sounds like re-gel coating is not a good option or use of time/money!

I think I will start with a thorough washing (inside and out), fiberglass stain remover (top and bottom) and then a wax (top and bottom) and finish off with some 303. Am I correct in thinking that the top and bottom of a G3 is the same material? I don't believe its Kevlar, but Fiberglass
I will be replacing all the bungee and lines as they are stretched out so this should help with getting the job done a little quicker without having to work around them. This will probably take me all weekend!
Then take it in for the chip repair and re-doing the lines.

Looking to use:
Davis Instruments - 790 FSR Fiberglass Stain Remover
3M Marine Restorer and Wax
303 Aerospace Protectant

Does this sound about right?

Cheers,
Shawn
 
J

JohnAbercrombie

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Try to ensure that nothing containing silicone gets anywhere near your kayak.

I would do any repairs before adding cleaners and waxes to the surface.

I'd pick a spot on the bottom of the hull and use rubbing compound or very fine (800-1000 grit) sandpaper on a small area, then polishing compound to get an idea of the actual gelcoat colour, before doing any gelcoat repairs. A LOT of 'white' hulls aren't.
CdnTire usually carries Turtle Polishing and Rubbing compound, I think.
Turtle polishing.jpgTurtle rubbing.jpg
And, gelcoat repairs are an easy DIY project - if you make a mistake you can just sand/scrape it off and try again. :)
 
J

JohnAbercrombie

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sbourgoin said:
John: Are you suggesting not to use based on the silicone in the product?
Click to expand...
If you put that 3M wax on the hull, it will have to be removed if you want gelcoat (or anything) to stick. Autobody supply places sell products for removing silicones.

I'd do the gelcoat work first and then do the polishing afterward.
(Plastic surgery first, makeup afterward...) :)
Wax is optional IMO, but it does help to keep crud/weeds from sticking to the boat.

Do folks put 303 Protectant on gelcoat? I thought it was mostly for rubber hatch covers. That's another product I would be wary about putting repairs over- another 'secret ingredients' formula from the MSDS.
 
sbourgoin

sbourgoin

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Thanks John,
I see. Good points.
I think I will refrain from waxing the bottom until after repairs are completed and the keel strip put on. Just wash and stain remover on the bottom.
I won't be putting a new gel coat on. Just repairs and keel strip added. Too costly to re-apply gel coat and most likely not needed from some of the research that I have done and the current condition.
I read in the Owners Manual that Seaward recommends 303 as a UV protectant. But I have also read that other kayak manufactures don't recommend it.
Cheers,
 
Tangler

Tangler

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Gel coating small dings is pretty easy, especially if you don't mind if it doesn't look perfect to the fishes. It is not a critical repair.
I like to do my own deck lines/bungies as it allows me to customize the pattern to fit my preferences. It is also easy, just have to tie a few knots.
 
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