Gel Coat or Hull Damage?

[geodebasser]

If it’s not fiberglass I would use the $1000 or $3,000 that it would cost to fix it and buy electronics. Crazy as it may seem I have had great results with scratch repair by getting Oriley Auto Parts to match the color and mix up a one stage urethane. I have an older boat and it worked perfectly. I bought a card of 30 different metal flakes at Hobby Lobby and was able to match the flakes in the paint . Just blew a few on the wet paint. After it dried I wet sanded with 1500 grit. All for less than $50.00

[dean c]

I appreciate the input, but I’m just not that kinda guy. Gonna have it professionally fixed. And knowing me, I’d even screw that up!

Me too… I caught a bolt on a floating piece of wood when my rig was about the same age as yours. Went straight to the glass shop to get fixed.

Same guys saying leave it are the ones scrutinizing a rig for perfection when buying used.

[Missouri Jay]

Slap some MarineTex on it and fish!!!

[Meadows]

Me too… I caught a bolt on a floating piece of wood when my rig was about the same age as yours. Went straight to the glass shop to get fixed.

Same guys saying leave it are the ones scrutinizing a rig for perfection when buying used.

Yeah I can't have a scratch like that in my rig. I'm pretty meticulous about my stuff.

Thanks for all the input guys. I definitely feel better about hull damage. Gonna take it to the glass shop next week to see what it's gonna cost. I do have a tourney in a couple weeks but I think I feel okay enough to run it if I can't get it repaired in time.

[Highcentered]

Me too… I caught a bolt on a floating piece of wood when my rig was about the same age as yours. Went straight to the glass shop to get fixed.

Same guys saying leave it are the ones scrutinizing a rig for perfection when buying used.

There's a reason I have no business owning a glass rig. People don't expect a tin rig to be a show piece

[jdbassman]

If you need someone that will do an amazing job, contact Precision Fiberglass in Stafford VA. He did my Skeeter a few weeks ago and his work is amazing! Might be a little drive for you from Staurts Draft, but worth it. I can send you pics of before and afters. Send me a PM and I can send you pics and his contact number as well.

Put a pretty good scratch on her this past weekend. I was fishing high water after a lot of rain and went over a vertical steel post that was barely submerged when I was fishing down the bank (not running big motor).

It doesn't really seem to be deeper than the gelcoat, but should I be worried about structural or hull damage?

Posted this in the Skeeter forum as well, but figured I'd get more traffic here.

[Mark Perry]

I bet they can get you fixed up pretty easily. Now according to the recent Nitro thread you might want to ask insurance for a whole new boat....

[Meadows]

If you need someone that will do an amazing job, contact Precision Fiberglass in Stafford VA. He did my Skeeter a few weeks ago and his work is amazing! Might be a little drive for you from Staurts Draft, but worth it. I can send you pics of before and afters. Send me a PM and I can send you pics and his contact number as well.

Thanks JD.

I called my dealer (Anna's Marine Center) and they recommended Precision Fiberglass as well. I have a tournament on the Potomac in a couple weeks so I have to drive past them anyways. There's another place in Lynchburg that's a little closer for me, but I'm waiting on them to call back.

[BMCD]

I try to batch mine up if possible, cause it happens. mine is going in to get some deep scratches fixed this week. Other wise I'd spend too much time at glass shop.

[Highcentered]

I bet they can get you fixed up pretty easily. Now according to the recent Nitro thread you might want to ask insurance for a whole new boat....

Wasn't that a Triton? Either way, the new boat demand was pretty ludicrous.

[Stoner]

https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Coat-O...64&sr=8-3&th=1

[vatreefarmer]

Thanks JD.

I called my dealer (Anna's Marine Center) and they recommended Precision Fiberglass as well. I have a tournament on the Potomac in a couple weeks so I have to drive past them anyways. There's another place in Lynchburg that's a little closer for me, but I'm waiting on them to call back.

Rob at the Boat Shop on Anna made a repair to my Basscat and it was amazing. I would not hesitate to recommend his work to anyone asking.

[boneil]

I wouldn't rush to get it fixed, your boat may get stuck in the shop longer than they anticipate. I would wait till the off season to get it fixed.

[CastingCall]

No one can give you a legit answer by looking at your picture... have an expert repair shop put eyes on it and verify the scratch does not breach through the gelcoat AT ALL.
If it doesn't, repair it when timing is best for you.
If it does (even a small section), they should be telling you to fix it before using it again.

Doesn't take much fiberglass cloth/mat exposed to have water start soaking into the laminate.

[jedwards]

I bought my boat from a guy in Texas and when I was looking it over I noticed a pretty good scratch along the side. His quick reply was "oh, that's just Texas pinstriping". Yours may be a deeper scratch, so I'd have looked at. Mine wet sanded and buffed out nicely.