Gel Coat Scratch On Underside?

[svana]

I was working on the boat yesterday when I walked around it and saw these shavings along the starboard ridge of the hull underside. It almost had the texture of a dried up brittle Teflon tape that you use for plumbing. I don’t see any major gouges/scrapes in front of it, could it be from the forklift moving it or it running against the bunks when they set it down? Maybe something underway? Also there’s a tiny chip in one spot that I’ll probably need to fill in for good measure that’s along the line but not sure it’s related.

 

[FLBulldogger]

I would agree that more than likely its from the forklift moving the boat, those are really thin but I would still want to find the source. Maybe the next time they move the boat ask them to let you take a look underneath to check for where the shavings came from, also when they pick it off the bunks check the bunks for more signs. I think the dimple you show can be patched with some 5200 in the mean time. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

 

[svana]

I would agree that more than likely its from the forklift moving the boat, those are really thin but I would still want to find the source. Maybe the next time they move the boat ask them to let you take a look underneath to check for where the shavings came from, also when they pick it off the bunks check the bunks for more signs. I think the dimple you show can be patched with some 5200 in the mean time. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

Ya, I’ve got a little bit of Marine Tex that I can use to patch it up, it needs a serious cleaning first though or it’ll look whiter than the hull lol. Not sure if should clean then patch or vice versa.

 

[FLBulldogger]

When I did a couple of patches on our '13 SX190 I cleaned then patched. Just didn't want any foreign objects between the new and the old gelcoat.

 

[Dough]

Those are drill shavings. My hull was full of them. They slowly make their way to the plug.

 

[svana]

Those are drill shavings. My hull was full of them. They slowly make their way to the plug.

These were stuck to the exterior bottom of the hull about 1/3 of the way up from the stern. No drill holes in sight lol

 

[jamesk]

Been there....had same issue in the past. Marina had their forks wrapped in plastic.
Think they pulled the forks out from under the boat and it rub off onto the boat, almost melts the plastic to the gel coat.

 

[svana]

Been there....had same issue in the past. Marina had their forks wrapped in plastic.
Think they pulled the forks out from under the boat and it rub off onto the boat, almost melts the plastic to the gel coat.

Funny you mention that...I was looking at their forks while working on the boat and noticed that it looked like they had just put new plastic/rubber pads on them. That could be the case.

 

[svana]

Been there....had same issue in the past. Marina had their forks wrapped in plastic.
Think they pulled the forks out from under the boat and it rub off onto the boat, almost melts the plastic to the gel coat.

Called the marina today to ask about it, send them a photo of it and they confirmed that they had just gotten a new forklift. They checked my hull and confirmed it was just residue from the new forks - mentioned that if it was gel coat it would be chipped pieces and not stringy like what I had.