Huston, we have a crack...

[Trevor Shipman]

So it’s 80 out, spring is here, time to pull the boat out of hibernation and get her washed up. While washing I noticed this... Not too concerned about integrity of anything but cosmetically I want my baby fixed. I’m thinking it’s just the gel coat. If I run my finger across it I can feel the ridges. So what’s next? Is this a DIY? Or should I drop it off and get it fixed? Any ideas on how much you think?

 

[Trevor Shipman]

And I promise I know how to spell Houston... Gotta love the iPhone.

 

[tdonoughue]

Writing from the HOUSTON area (lol).

What you have there is a genuine spider crack. Usually happens when the gellcoat is flexed and they have too much/too little gellcoat in that spot. Or there is more flex than they were counting on (I have them under my cushions in the bow). Only cosmetic. So you are free to leave it. But it is very DIY-able.

For DIY, get the Spectrum gellcoat for the white for your year boat. Get a Dremel tool. I use the grinder bit that is conical. Draw along the line (no matter how much it hurts). You need enough room for the new gellcoat to attach. Then mix up some of the Spectrum, paint on and leave a little hump if you can. Cover with either a piece of plastic or Saran wrap (you want it airtight so the gellcoat can cure).

Then is the unnerving part: When it dries, wet sand it with a BLOCK (not your hand). Start with 400 or so, work your way down to 1200 or 2000, then move to some good rubbing compound and a circular polisher. Then to polishing compound. Then be amazed that it turns out where you can't even see the crack.

Figure 2 days. One day (1-2 hrs) to prep and gellcoat; one day (1-2 hrs) to sand and clean it up.

Or, leave it until you have lots of them and get a quote for a fiberglass shop to do them all.

 

[Trevor Shipman]

I love this website! Thank you very much for the thorough write up. I shall post the results.

 

[Rob9550]

I also have some spider cracks that I want to repair. I checked the site and they offer a few different patch kits for white.

Yamaha Foxtrot 14-15 Item Code: F557038K is the one that I "think" will match. I guess I will find out...

 

[Betik]

These are amadutre spider cracks, I will post mine when I get home.
They look like an abstract painting or a portion of the Milky Way .....

 

[Gym]

I love this website! Thank you very much for the thorough write up. I shall post the results.

Worse case scenario. If you don't like the job you did you can then have it done professionally.

 

[96Pirate]

So it’s 80 out, spring is here, time to pull the boat out of hibernation and get her washed up. While washing I noticed this... Not too concerned about integrity of anything but cosmetically I want my baby fixed. I’m thinking it’s just the gel coat. If I run my finger across it I can feel the ridges. So what’s next? Is this a DIY? Or should I drop it off and get it fixed? Any ideas on how much you think?

When I did mine I surrounded the repair area with blue painters tape. That way when you go to sand you can take most of the Spectrum off without affecting too much of the surrounding areas. When you are pretty close too flat then you can remove the tape and final sand, buff, etc

 

[swatski]

I also have some spider cracks that I want to repair. I checked the site and they offer a few different patch kits for white.

Yamaha Foxtrot 14-15 Item Code: F557038K is the one that I "think" will match. I guess I will find out...

That's the right brand and the kit for the job, and could be fine, but you never know about matching whites.
The guides I've seen from Spectrum (purchased through iBoats) call for the white "WC5" for most newer Yammies - for everything on deck and top hull cap.

Funny, I just ordered this the other day to fix some deck holes from the carpet snaps removed for SeaDek install.
Still waiting, but if I get it, I may be able to do it next weekend - so we can compare notes.

I think @Ziess21 posted a guide somewhere...

Found it for ya!
https://jetboaters.net/threads/gelcoat-color-codes.14924/#post-257300

--

 

[Rob9550]

That's the right brand and the kit for the job, and could be fine, but you never know about matching whites.
The guides I've seen from Spectrum (purchased through iBoats) call for the white "WC5" for most newer Yammies - for everything on deck and top hull cap.

Funny, I just ordered this the other day to fix some deck holes from the carpet snaps removed for SeaDek install.
Still waiting, but if I get it, I may be able to do it next weekend - so we can compare notes.

I think @Ziess21 posted a guide somewhere...

Found it for ya!
https://jetboaters.net/threads/gelcoat-color-codes.14924/#post-257300

--

Sounds good, our boats should be the same white.

 

[tdonoughue]

When I did mine I surrounded the repair area with blue painters tape. That way when you go to sand you can take most of the Spectrum off without affecting too much of the surrounding areas. When you are pretty close too flat then you can remove the tape and final sand, buff, etc

After a few repairs, I am mixed on the tape suggestion. Good for you to bring up, though.

On the one hand, when I did it, I got a little line where the tape was and wound up repeating the last polishing step to try to remove it (and I worried that I would have a ridge there--so I was careful sanding). So the next time I did it without the tape, but was just careful to not spread (this is the problem sanding--you get outside your area very easily, then you clean that up with the next finer paper, which you spread a little more--and so on, and so on, and...).

Ultimately I think I like without tape best, but it does take some discipline. You can't go sanding like a fiend with big circles. You have to control yourself and use the littlest circles possible to sand your area.

Other thoughts welcomed, of course!

 

[Trevor Shipman]

That's the right brand and the kit for the job, and could be fine, but you never know about matching whites.
The guides I've seen from Spectrum (purchased through iBoats) call for the white "WC5" for most newer Yammies - for everything on deck and top hull cap.

Funny, I just ordered this the other day to fix some deck holes from the carpet snaps removed for SeaDek install.
Still waiting, but if I get it, I may be able to do it next weekend - so we can compare notes.

I think @Ziess21 posted a guide somewhere...

Found it for ya!
https://jetboaters.net/threads/gelcoat-color-codes.14924/#post-257300

--

You’re the man for digging that up. Thanks!