How To DIY Gelcoat Repair Like A Pro (Boat)

[@FishBumpTV]

We have made Patreon ( www.patreon.com/FishBumpTv ) available for members who are interested in consultations on their projects. Thank you for your support!

[@nelsongarcia9004]

Finally a boat maker explains with great detail. Thank you thank you

[@FishBumpTV]

You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@noride11]

Love your channel and your ability to transmit information. You're not just sharing your knowledge but your years of actual experience impart confidence. I am in the midst of restoring my old KW and it's been nice to be able to reference a mentor at will. THANK YOU!!

[@FishBumpTV]

Wow! Thanks! Glad we can help. Sounds like a Great project, Best of luck to You!!

[@ronf.109]

Great info and step by step instructions for anyone doing diy boat repair.

[@FishBumpTV]

Thank you Sir! Appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@brianbeherrell6741]

Always nice to watch a professional work

[@FishBumpTV]

Thanks, Glad you enjoyed the video! I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@justinpruitt177]

Very informative. Fixing to take on about the same job on my boat and this video made it about as cut and dry as it can get. Love the content keep it up.

[@FishBumpTV]

Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@timjacobson5843]

I have so thoroughly enjoyed the expertise shared so freely with all of us DIY’ers! We need your guidance and value your experience. Please post a QR code and/or share how we can financially support your channel. Thank you and keep it up!

[@FishBumpTV]

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate you guys watching the channel , and supporting what we do! More DIY videos coming soon!

[@kkutube1972]

Your video help me repair a major damage to my jet ski, your video has been very helpful.

[@FishBumpTV]

That is great! Glad the videos helped!

[@markflynfloat6779]

Love the gel coat tips and tricks!

[@FishBumpTV]

Great! We will be rolling out more DIY vids for you guys. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@flyingscott1039]

I’ve been watching your videos for about a year. Great job! Hope to schedule some fishing. I do a fair amount of glass and gelcoat work for our Jr. sailing fleet here in Ohio. Amazed how you can do gelcoat work in good clothes. Guess its like a good chef, they cook and stay clean. Thanks, keep up the great videos.

[@FishBumpTV]

Awesome! Thanks for watching! Yep, I grew up in a boat shop, and you learn a few tricks about keeping the material where you want it. There is nothing wrong with wearing a tyvek suit when you are dealing with this stuff though! We are really working on growing the channel, and truly appreciate every ones support! If you have any suggestions for content or ideas for the channel, I would like to hear your thoughts. Thanks again!!

[@froggycellis007]

Exactly the tutorial I needed and thanks for the answer about gelcoat vs pigment in resin on the previous video. I have some work ahead of me this spring!

[@FishBumpTV]

Glad to help! Thanks for watching!

[@PappyLearnFishing]

doing Ranger 520 blk bottom w/several spots down to laminate. following videos is godsend

[@FishBumpTV]

Glad to help and welcome to the channel!

[@sethbrown8912]

This is a great educational video. It also helps the people that are only paying someone else to do the work to have an appreciation of the labor involved.

[@FishBumpTV]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ante8210]

Great video. Well explained. I would suggest that you get a mic to improve audio quality. ❤

[@FishBumpTV]

Thanks! I appreciate the suggestion!

[@teddfin]

Your instructions are Great.First day I have come across your channel ! Your great.

[@FishBumpTV]

Thank you so much! Glad you are enjoying the videos!

[@MichaelPrivett-w4b]

Great video! Id love a video that you discuss the different types of buffing pads and compounds. When and where to use them, would be awesome. Love your channel, it's become my go to for information to help me with my classic Procraft bass boat restoration. A charter trip with you is at the top of my bucket list! Keep up the amazing work PLEASE.

[@FishBumpTV]

Thanks! We have another video on the channel where we are polishing a dark green hull. There is some info on buffing pad selection about midway through that you might find helpful.Hope that helps, and thanks again for watching and commenting!

[@luxcars2849]

I’m staying a boat detailing business and starting my first gel coat job I could use all the tips thanks please keep posting

[@FishBumpTV]

Thanks for watching!

[@donkukawski8609]

Awesome information and results..i wanna tackle a gouge that got down into the fiberglass in the hull of my deckboat, and your video's give me the confidence to try it myself.

[@FishBumpTV]

Thanks, glad to help! Best of luck with your project!

[@davidtornberg8060]

Would you ever add cabosil to the gelcoat to make it more like a filler if it was a deeper repair? Love the videos. I have learned a lot. I'm a youtube student and your my favorite teacher😁

[@FishBumpTV]

Sure, you can add cabosil to gelcoat. I actually have a 2 part gel coat repair video on the channel. The first part is prep, and filling In the damaged area with thickened gelcoat. The second part is wetsandind and polishing. We made the video a while back, so you might have to search back through the channel a bit. I hope it helps! I am glad you are enjoying the videos, and I truly appreciate the kind words of encouragement!

[@davidtornberg8060]

@@FishBumpTV I appreciate your response. Wow!!! so impressed. I'm new to your channel this week. I have been home sick the last few days and have watched a lot of your videos but missed that one. I have done a little fiberglassing but love watching and learning. You got me excited to do more projects on my boat a 1980 MasterCraft ski boat. Thank you😀

[@FishBumpTV]

@@davidtornberg8060 Sure, no problem! Sorry to hear you haven't been feeling well. Guess it's a good time to catch up on your KZbin watching! Best of luck with your project!

[@213BRANDONP]

You can use regular gelcoat ? You dnt need ablative or antifouling?

[@FishBumpTV]

Yes, you would use regular gelcoat for hull repair. Bottom paint or ablative is made to stop marine growth such as barnacles and oysters from growing onto your boat. Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@poboy-to8bj]

So what if you have a crème color tan bottom? Just white and then paint after? Then clear coat? Awesome channel

[@FishBumpTV]

If you have a creme colored gelcoat you can make a custom color by starting with base white gelcoat and using a gelcoat pigment tint kit to make the color you need. You could also order some from the boat builder if they ate still in operation. You could also get gelcoat from a company like Spectrum gelcoat that specializes in custom gelcoats. No clearcoat on most of the boats we work on. You do see Clearcoat on metal flake bass boats and some other boats with metal flake. I hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@lorenweatherby6520]

Wondering if you have a video on single side below waterline fiberglass repair?

[@darren4007]

Great video, very informative! Just wondering (1) if grit matters for initial sanding to make surface rough so new gelcoat can bond? Will 80 or 120 grit make better bonding than 150 or 180 grit?, (2) for small size of dent/chip (damage is deeper than scratch), is it possible to put only one layer of flowcoat (has wax in it) + catalyst, but this layer will be quite thick and then sand it off? If the layer is thick enough it may still have enough material after cure (shrink)?

[@nathanprotz7468]

any recommendations for a small repair kit? I have a few dime-nickel size damaged areas on my dad's old bass boat on the bottom. I don't need an entire gallon of gel coat

[@FishBumpTV]

I have a video on the channel showing how to color match gelcoat, I think you might find it helpful. In it, I use a gelcoat repair kit made by evercoat. It has everything that you might need for a small gelcoat repair. I also have a Amazon link for it listed below the videos description. I hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@nathanprotz7468]

@@FishBumpTV​​⁠thank you! Love the channel. I find myself watching it and I don’t even repair boats haha

[@FishBumpTV]

@nathanprotz7468 Glad to help! That extended watch time really helps the channel! Thanks

[@debrisbox]

Hey Joe, do you ever use a cheep 60cc syringe to suck a precise amount of Gelcoat out of the gallon or quart size container?

[@FishBumpTV]

I think I have tried that before, but it seems like it was more difficult than using a stirring stick. I might have been using the wrong kind of syringe though. It seems like it could work. Let me know if it works good for you. Thanks!

[@irvinrose1047]

So I am curious: can you tell where you added the new gel coat. Is it like when you paint a car, sometimes the old paint is a little faded and has a different color than the new paint?

[@FishBumpTV]

If it is a newer boat, and the gelcoat is a good match it is very hard to tell where the repair was done. It has a lot to do will the skill of the person doing the repair. I hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@MirandaMarkesteyn]

Do you have any videos/advice for changing out boat bunks?

[@FishBumpTV]

Sorry, no videos on that subject. Obviously it is much easier to do trailer work with the boat off the the trailer. Sometimes it is easier cutting the old bolts and hardware off, than trying to remove the nuts and bolts. I would also recommend buying all of your replacement hardware before you take every thing apart. Then replace the old with the new as you go, it seems to work better this way. I hope this helps, and I appreciate you watching!

[@johnroyal943]

Great video. Looking forward to more. I do not see anything about pigment recommendations. Do you have one/more you like? I need black for my Skeeter.

[@FishBumpTV]

I will be doing a color match video soon, but you might try getting some gel directly from skeeter or spectrum gelcoat. Hope this helps, thanks for watching!

[@보영최-v7s]

What would happen if you were to put it in the water with some exposed fiberglass?

[@FishBumpTV]

The gelcoat helps to keep water from migrating into the fiberglass. If water gets into the fiberglass it can cause osmosis and blisters over time. Thanks for watching!

[@robertoluongo19]

Hi, thanks for video great work! I have a tungsten grey boat with lots of scratches and stone chips (from towing). I am first time DYI polishing/buffing; so far I have used the Abralon1000 and 2000 grit 5" on a DA at low speed. I still can't get the scratch or tiny chips (I can still see white). Should I try more aggressive wet sanding before applying my compound? If so, do you recommend a test area with more continued aggressive paper until i get the scratches out?

[@FishBumpTV]

As a general rule If the scratches in your gelcoat are deep enough to catch your finger nails on, you will probably need to fill them with some new gelcoat. Gelcoat on most boats is not super thick, maybe a 1/16 of an inch or so in most cases, so you do not want to sand it very aggressively, or you risk going through it. Most dealers can order you factory gelcoat if the boat is newer, or there is a company called Spectrum gelcoat that can do custom factory matches. I hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@1957cajun]

Was that damage just from loading the boat onto the trailer? Just from the bunks? Is that normal or does something else need to be done to the bunks to stop that from happening? I’m going to need to do this on the stern of my boat from getting stuck in the sand and the boat rocking back forth before I got it towed off.

[@FishBumpTV]

Yes, it was wear from launching and loading. It is a charter boat and gets launched 100 or more times a year. So it is going to see more wear than the average boat. Plus the area we live in is very sandy, and the sand gets trapped in the carpeted bunks and act as sandpaper as the boat is launching and loading. It is a good idea to clean the carpet on your trailer bunks at least once a year, with a pressure washer preferably. They also make a plastic material that goes over the bunks rather than carpet. I have used that with good success. Hope the video helps with your project, and thanks for watching!

[@teddfin]

Can I build a seat in my walk-in shower.It has 2 bump outs that are too low to use as seats and a chair will not fit in?

[@djnaughtynaught]

Did you consider starting with a filler, like Everlast prior to gelcoat?

[@djnaughtynaught]

And thank you for awesome tutorials!

[@FishBumpTV]

We would use a filler for damage that went deeper than this did. Also gelcoat is harder, and a better water barrier than most fillers in my opinion. Hope this helps answer your question. I appreciate you watching and commenting!

[@FishBumpTV]

Glad you are enjoying them! Thanks for watching!

[@101Brewster]

Really am enjoying your videos. I have a 2003 Keywest that I need to do the same thing to. I am having a hard time to get the white gelcoat to match close enough for satisfaction. I have tried to mix up about an ounce a few times, but just can't get close enough. You wouldn't have any ideas on what color pigments to go with to get me close would you? A quart of the key west white is way to expensive for what little I need. You are doing an awesome job on the quality of work and information. Thanks

[@FishBumpTV]

@@101Brewster Glad you are enjoying the vids! I hope they are helping you guys. It seems like the early 2000 key west's are a strong off white. Many times base white needs more red pigment than you would think. Along with some yellow and black. You can mix test batches and just put little dabs on the hull without mekp until you close. I plan on doing a gelcoat color matching video very soon. Thanks for watching!

[@Rabbit.760]

Your tutorial is like beautiful music to my ears... i swear to god everyone else is so confusing because they focus on the video and themselves more than the simplicity of the application presented to beginners. Or they just wanna sell multiple products for their company. It makes me so mad, that if they were in my presence, i could see myself getting violent 😅

[@FishBumpTV]

Thank you very much, glad you are enjoying the videos! I appreciate your feedback on what we are doing right!

[@brettjohnson988]

Man, my gelcoat is so watery it would just fall off a surface like that. Just bought some thickener.

[@arnoldsnodgrass2953]

I’m pretty sure if I sanded new gelcoat, I’d immediately go straight through to the fibreglass 🤣🤣

[@FishBumpTV]

It just takes a little practice! Thanks for watching!

[@cristobalroman16]

First

[@1957cajun]

Dangit!