Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
jakswhaler
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Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby jakswhaler » Mon Mar 13, 2023 11:30 am

I have a new 240 Vantage in southwest Florida off the Peace River. While using the boat in windy conditions, the anchor windlass released the anchor. The anchor swung under the boat causing damage to the hull.

With the recent hurricane it will be a while before I can schedule the repairs.

Q1: can I still use my boat?

Q2: should I leave the boat out of the water until fixed?

Q3: will water will get in behind the gel coat?

A dealers told me that even though the gel coat has been compromised in a 4-inch by 4-inch area and the fiberglass is visible, the way the Boston Whaler is constructed water can't get behind the gel coat and I can continue using the boat.

Give me your opinion.

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Phil T
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby Phil T » Mon Mar 13, 2023 12:48 pm

Uploading a few photos will help give precise advice.

Above the waterline -

Apply a layer of clear packing tape over the damage with the ends folded over (to aid in removal). Go use the boat.

At or below the waterline -

Lightly sand damaged area, apply Marine Tex to the area. Let cure. Launch the boat.

https://www.wholesalemarine.com/marine-tex-epoxy-putty-repair-kit-white.html

Once repaired, add a line to secure the anchor to prevent reoccurance.
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jakswhaler
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby jakswhaler » Mon Mar 13, 2023 1:46 pm

Phil: Thank you for your reply.

Port side near keel.jpg
Fig. 1. Damage near keel on Port side.
Port side near keel.jpg (2.66 KiB) Viewed 1054 times
Port side edge.jpg
Fig. 2. Damage at what appears to be a hull strake or chine line.
Port side edge.jpg (6.15 KiB) Viewed 1054 times
Port side damage A.jpg
Fig. 3. Another view of damage at what appears to be a hull strake or chine line.
Port side damage A.jpg (8.28 KiB) Viewed 1054 times
Port side underside.jpg
Fig. 4. Damage on underside of hull on Port side.
Port side underside.jpg (15.86 KiB) Viewed 1054 times


All four areas of damage are below the water line.

I do have a lanyard on the anchor, and it was still clipped to the anchor and chain when I retrieved it. It was very choppy and the rope must have somehow unhooked, or it wasn't properly secured.

I am going to have the boat professionally repaired but there is a very long wait right now due to the hurricane that went through last fall.

Q4: will I cause more damage by using the boat?

Q5: should just keep the boat out of the water until the damage is fixed?

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Phil T
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby Phil T » Mon Mar 13, 2023 6:59 pm

After reviewing the photos, my advice stands.

You can use Marine Tex for these.

Once the repair facility is available, the technican will grind off the repair and apply gelcoat.

In the meantime, you can use the boat without concern.

Sand the damaged area with 100 grit sandpaper.

Wipe off with a rag coated in Acetone

Apply Marine Tex to the damaged area following the instructions.

Use packing tape to leave a smooth contoured surface. Remove tape after several hours.

Let cure based on the product instructions.

Note - I have used Marine Tex for under water repairs on all 3 of my whalers.
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jimh
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby jimh » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:13 am

jakswhaler wrote:Q1: can I still use my boat [before the damage is repaired]?.
I would not use the boat until you make a temporary repair. Phil has described a temporary repair method. I would not double the tape over at the ends as Phil suggested; the pressure of the water could tear away the tape

jakswhaler wrote:Q2: should I leave the boat out of the water until fixed?.
I would not leave the boat in the water for an extended period of time with just the temporary repairs

jakswhaler wrote:Q3: will water will get in behind the gel coat?
Yes. If there is no gel coat layer in the area of damage, then the underlying laminate will be exposed to water.

jakswhaler wrote:A dealer told me that even though the gel coat has been compromised in a 4-inch by 4-inch area and the fiberglass is visible, the way the Boston Whaler is constructed water can't get behind the gel coat and I can continue using the boat.
If there is no gel coat layer left to protect the laminate, then water will have access to the laminate. If the damage is in an area of the hull's running surface when the boat is on plane, the water flow will exert pressure on the hull. This increases the chances of de-lamination occurring.

jakswhaler wrote:Q4: will I cause more damage by using the boat?
Use of the boat without any repairs will increase the chance for further damage to the hull from ingress of water into the laminate and possible de-lamination.

jakswhaler wrote:Q5: should just keep the boat out of the water until the damage is fixed.
Keeping the boat out of the water will be be most prudent action to prevent further damage to the hull structure.

If you want to continue to use the boat, you should make, at the least, a temporary repair. The simplest repair will be to cover the damages areas with a tape with strong adhesive properties. A high-quality duct tape with some water-resistance could be used. Any tape that is applied onto the running surface of the hull is subject to considerable pressure from the water when the boat is being operated at speed. I certainly would not leave the boat in the water for any lengthy period of time if all the areas of damage are going to be immersed in the water. That is just an invitation for water ingress into the laminate.

The largest area of damage you describe as being 4-inches by 4-inches is particularly concerning. That such a large area should break away due to an impact of something against the hull and its somewhat regular shape suggests to me that there might have already been some de-lamination or at the least a poor bond between the gel coat layer and the underlying laminate layer. This would represent a defect in the construction of the hull. For this reason, I would immediately take the boat to the Boston Whaler dealer for assessment of this damage, before you put the boat back in the water and use it. If the damaged area is a result of a poor bond in construction, then the hull repair may be covered under the warranty. The other areas of damage are more clearly the result of puncture or abrasion against the hull surface, and would not expect there to be any chance to have them repaired under warranty. The larger and almost square area of damage is quite different. It should be assess by the dealer with an eye to possibly being due to a defect in the laminating of the hull.

Since this is a new boat, you need to have the hull repairs done by the dealer so that the 10-year-hull warranty will remain in effect. If the hull is improperly repaired by someone other than the Boston Whaler dealer, there could be later problems with the hull warranty. For a new boat with most of the 10-year-hull warranty remaining, you should not take any action that could later be claimed as terminating the hull warranty due to faulty repair.

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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby jimh » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:35 am

The larger area of damage has much to much area to be repaired with just a top coat of epoxy resin and filler. A proper repair to that area will required more extensive methods. To get background on repairs to a Boston Whaler Unibond hull, read the factory's advice in the REFERENCE section of the website at'

INSTRUCTIONS -- HULL PATCH KITS
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... tions.html

Another element of the repair to consider: in any area of damage all the loose existing material must be removed. This often results in the size of the area to be repaired to increase significantly.

Also, if you were to make a temporary repair by using epoxy resin and thickener, the temporary repair would have to be ground away before a permanent repair could be make. This also can increase the area to be repaired.

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Phil T
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby Phil T » Wed Mar 15, 2023 11:59 am

I would not leave the boat in the water for an extended period of time with just the temporary repairs


Marine Tex is designed for under-water repairs. The advice above is not accurate. Review the product information.
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jimh
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby jimh » Thu Mar 23, 2023 2:55 am

To be clear, a repair with epoxy resin is fine underwater. A repair with tape underwater is not sufficient for extended use of the boat.

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Don McIntyre - MI
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Re: Hull Damage Removing Gel Coat Layer

Postby Don McIntyre - MI » Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:54 am

And to expand on what Jim mentioned regarding larger that initially thought. Yea, you need to slowly grind the gelcoat back enough to determine if the actual embedded glass fibers are fractured.