what's best to fill in minor chips at bottom of boat

[petersfield]

Just wondering what is best to fill in small chips in the hull of my boat! I don't want water saturating into the fiberglass. My boat is red do they sell red fillers? thanks

[Blizz]

If they're small use gelcoat and try to color match

[BoatsR4Me]

We have had pretty good luck with gelcoat repair kits from the marine supply stores. Color matching can be a challenge, and if so, the manufacturer may have a closer match. I am not an expert, but I would assume surface gelcoat nicks and scratches would not allow water to penetrate to the glass.

[petersfield]

most are small one looks like it is showing fibreglass that is the one I am worring about!thanks

[Mark]

The simplest is Bondo if it is where no one will ever see it. It cures pink and ready for sanding in 10 minutes and it is available at Canadian Tire. Gelcoat is trickier to work with, especially upside down. It doesn't cure well if exposed to air. Try Joh-Mar Fiberglass in Transcona, he has metal flake and clear and maybe red gel he might sell you. Not a bad guy for a biker dude. Also Hawk Automotive Fiberglass on Archibald would probably have red gel.

[cooperider]

Just use some red gelcoat, prep the area with some sand paper. And brush it into the chip just like you were using one of those brush touch up kits on your cars paint job. When it is cured you can sand it so that it is even with the rest of the gel. Then polish, its that easy. No primer, no bondo, just fill it with gel. If you don't get it full the first time then, ad some more until its full.

Alright guys, I'm gonna give you a little tip. Take a deck of cards, and when you do a spot repair like that, tape a playing card down onto the repair. It will trick the gelcoat into cureing just like it was in the mold. NO PVA, NO WAX PAPER, for something that small just use a regular playing card. I am not making this up, and your not gonna find it in any repair book. Its an insider secret, I'm just tired of seeing people end up working any harder than they have to.

Here's another tip, Mike at Checkmate can sell you a small bottle of the gel you need to make the repair, and it should be very close match for what you need.

[petersfield]

thanks for the info guy's that is awsome!