Hey guys FYI, Gel Coat will not properly cure if applied directly over the TotalBoat Thixo Flex Flexible Epoxy Adhesive. You will need some sort of filler/barrier or you will end up with gooey soft mess of gelcoat where it contacts the epoxy.
Who knew? I have been planning on buying a Makita 9031 sander. I clicked on the link here and found it for the best price on google. $30 -$50 less from your link!! Gotta love that. Thanks. JP
I have a little belt sander/ shaper and it has a vacuum attatchment, it's made buy Grizzly Industrial and you can dial the speed down real slow and make hardly any dust. Love that tool. I have an air one to but it's more messy. You can adjust the angle of the belt to different angles also. And it's small and easy to use with 1 hand. It's the cats meow.
Thanks Andy I hope your shoulder is feeling better. You make it look so easy. Great explanation and video. I have been watching your channel for a few years, I dont know how I missed this one up till now, but perfect timing, I have some cracks I have been wanting to get to, and this Thixo Flex, looks like the perfect product. Love all your vids, and send all my boat friends here. Thanks for sharing your immense knowledge 🤟
After having applied a thickened epoxy to a ground out spot I like sometimes use a clear box tape over the area. This spreads the epoxy out and gives good contact especially over a rounded surface. Next day simply peel the tape off and way less sanding. Ever use this trick?
Subscribed! Your my go-to Glass repair Guy. Just got a Nordica 17 and it's one big crack with blisters. But is so cool. All in there are no repairs so I can see anything needing fixing without cleaning out a bad job or product. Thanks much.
This is a great video as are all of you videos. I have an old boat that I enjoy working on myself and fiberglass repair is new to me. I wish that sometimes the video would show the complete project and tell the steps from start to finish. I feel comfortable with fiberglass and resin but I do not have an understanding of how to transition from the epoxy you just laid down to applying the gelcoat. I really do not understand and to transition to the gelcoat step. Thanks for the videos, they are great.
After fairing, how did you finish? Paint or gelcoat. If gelcoat, any primer or did you just spray a couple of coats. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I use a two pack epoxy cartridge gun system for gluing climbing anchors into cliffs. Yes, we always spurt out a couple of big pumps before each glue session and for each new nozzle. We keep that as a sample so we absolutely know that within the hole the glue has gone off. Best practice. You are doing it perfectly. Great explanation as well. Excellent to see you using something to smear the glue into the surface too mate. I was getting agitated in my seat and then just like that you used the stick to smear it in. Awesome.
Is there another video that outlines how this was finished? I will be tackling something similar (lots of stress cracks in a thickly gelcoated deck). I am in Canada, so will be using G-Flex by West System and I am going to try Interlux Brightside. If there are any videos that pertain to my project that could be linked, I would appreciate that. Thank you for continuing to provide such an excellent resource on this fiberglassing world that is so foreign to many of us. Cheers
Interesting fix Andy. Can I assume you intend to paint and not gelcoat over the area? Because sometimes gelcoat won't cure properly over epoxy. The gelcoat you ground out appeares to be very thick not exactly .020-.030" max , probably explains the cracking.( looked like 1/8"). So I agree, that Flexible epoxy is impressive I shall be trying some. We recently did a project with regular total boat epoxy gluing large Phenolic discs for a forming tool , loved it! My guys even took out the blue mixer and cleaned it out, I will watch the mix if we do reuse it. Sorry a rather late comment. Cheers warren
Solid video and demonstration!!! Super helpful! I’ve a high top van 🚐 roof that’s fought with a few tree branches in the front… Gonna give this Thixo flex a try
I'm repainting my upper deck on my 32 Challenger Sailboat and it has a few layers if paint and crazing all over. I'm not looking forward to it. I fix boats for a living so mine need to look good right lol. I love this boat but man lol. Yes grinding out all the cracks and laying down 2 Matt's over the top and then sanding it all down then filling pinholes with duraglass. Then I'm rolling and brushing gelcoat baxk on and aim to sand and polish then redo my non skid, fun times ahead. I started building a building over the top to work under out here in the PNW. today.
Hi Andy, I have been watching several of your videos with great interest! You have been presenting great information that I haven't been able to find any similar information for RV's. So I have been trying to generalize your information into the nose of my 5th wheel. It is a fiberglass nose with a gel coat. So I had ordered the gel coat with wax and are planning on using that to fill in the groves that I have made. This Total Boat Thixo Flex looks very interesting and perhaps I should be using it. I looked for it on Amazon and found 3 different choices. Not having any experience I am trying to figure out where each would be best used. On a side note your link above for Thixo Flex wouldn't work for me. Thanks for your video's! Keep up the great work. *--Michigan-*-
I wonder if Salt and Tar has stickers? Great channel and story. If you're not following them, they're building a wooden sailboat. I know, it's not glass, but still...it's neat to see the other trades/craftsmen/women living a boating life. Cheers!
One challenge with putting epoxy over gelcoat is that the epoxy is harder than the gelcoat, so when you sand it, the gelcoat abrades more quickly and leaves the epoxy patch higher than the surrounding surface. That's the point of premixed epoxy filler compound - it has fillers that soften it to gelcoat levels. How do you solve this problem with the flexible epoxy? I don't see how the little belt sander can completely avoid the gelcoat, nor can the finishing sanding.
Tape the gelcoat. Use a small smooth scrap of wood & sandpaper for hand sanding, long enough that you can see the contact point instead of your fingertips.
Hey Andy, this video just answered all my questions for fixing stress cracks on my sailboat. Also, when I get my channel up and running, you're getting another sticker! I hope there's still room on the saw.😊
Lifehack: sticky roll for cleaning clothes sometime helps to pull out fiberglass scales and flakes out of skin. Sometimes sticky roll can be replaced with sticky tape. Put stick side on skin, glue, and pull! (just like epilation)
Love all your videos!!! Let's see some fixing the bottom hull of a boat not able to be flipped or a boat that has top cap sandwiched down to the bottom hull!! Please
I have to thanks you so much for your videos .I appreciate your experience and tips I have a C&C 36 sailboat that needs a little bit here and there and oh also ....yes there too ..so thanks keep it up🙏🙏🙏⛵️
ANDY.....the only caveat I would say for your choice of burr bit is to use 2 flute cutters rather than the 4 flute. It appears that yours are high speed steel......use carbide instead as they stay sharp a LOT longer. 2 flute cutters are used for non-ferrous metals and work much better on fiberglass. The 4 flute like you have tend to wear out faster, create more "dust" type dross and plug up the cutter. 2 flute cutters are more like chisels.
Hi Andy. I just love the fact that you've got Sail Life stickers on your band saw. The idea that you and Mads connected, and that you have such a deep respect for one another, is sublime. I found your channel through his, and I am gaining confidence in doing my own projects on my recently purchased 1967 Santana 37 sailboat. With gratitude and respect, Leroy Radford, Seattle, WA
Andy - maybe my imagination but the show appears lighter than usual - yet delivers some of the best advice ever. Great combination and look forward to the next video.
Need to include Danger Marine by Danger Stu, Austraila, good boating repairs as well as mechanics on boat motors, lower units, carb repair, boat handling , etc.
Just found your channel. Love it. I live neat the TotalBoat guys and love to go over there for tips, tricks, and supplies. I can see I need to ramp up my tool crib, too.
I guess by video date you have figured out your tools abilities by long time yourself, but as a tip to those other guys buying or just having bought one. Most power band files is a 5 in one grinder deal. Longside with undersupport, for flat surfacing and making bevels. Longside without undersupport gives smooth curve transitions and bigger outer radiuses. Transition between supported longside and wheel, gives a tighter hardgrind curve. Good for "submission beatings". Etc. The other side - to wheel proximity combo gives smooth transitions from big curve to smaller curve. Straight on wheel is good for inner fillets. Radius of inner fillet can be changed to bigger by angling the tool sideways and/or twisting it clock/counter to groove. Then aim tool for the middle of surfaces´ axis, for fillet grind symmetry. Happy grinding. :)
Andy. You seem to enjoy shaving about as much as I do, which is to say “not much”. Bertram 25’s and Rhodes 19’s however are right up my alley. Keep up the good work.
Andy, Getting ready to do some gelcoat spider cracking repair. Have you heard of mixing Marine Polyester Gel Paste 60/40 with the right color gelcoat? The paste is clear so the gelcoat color comes through and it just needs sanding/polishing.
If you wanted to do this kind of repair but didn't want to paint over it, would you just use standard polyester gelcoat, or some sort of gelcoat putty? I'm talking about isolated, minor crack fixes, not a boat makeover. Great vid by the way.
Great video! Question is can I gelcoat over this product? Typically you should not gelcoat over epoxy. Can one use a primer over the Total Boat Thixo and gelcoat over the top of the epoxy repair? Id like to use this product to repair a non skid deck. I'd like to use gelcoat to mimic the existing non skid deck . I learned how to do this watching Andy's other videos.
Andy! I look forward to every show you do. Keep up the great work!.... I have one request.... can you do a show about flake gel coat repair... example: bass boat gelcoat with all the flake... maybe I would appreciate that a whole bunch
Andy I bought a 1988 2855 Ciera sunbridge Bayliner it has a gajillion cracks above the rub rail all over around the windows an oddball spots thousands of them I'm assuming it's an absolute huge job to fix without laying glass over the whole upper deck do you think that flexible epoxy can fix the majority of them
Love your videos and have learned a lot. Just wondering what you finished this boat with. In researching products for filling cracks, i read that you can't tell coat over epoxy. It's this correct? If so, can you use the total boat paint you used on the small boat restore over the epoxy? Seems it would be difficult to cover such a dark looking area on a traditional "beige" O'Day. Thanks for your thoughts.
I have the same crackling thing going on in the cockpit of my sailboat. Inspiration!!!! I'm going to order some of that wiggly epoxy and give it a shot. Of course, now that means i have to repaint the boat....
Hi Andy, I'm a composite technician based in Australia and i just started using a 'power file' and a vacuum where possible instead of a grinder and it's great so thanks for the tip.
I also meant to ask how can I purchase products from TotalBoat and you get credit for it. I have been watching your videos for a year now and getting ready to TRY and sand and paint my 1996 2300SR Maxum , so will buying a lot of stuff based on your recommendations.
What are the final steps for the repair? Faring compound and gel coat? I have a crack on my Beneteau 37 at the bow where the elevated deck meets the foredeck. Would this be a good method for fixing that type of crack?
How can you fix thin cracks and spider cracks on a textured non-slip gel coated surfaces without ruining it? I'm referring to the non-slip surface on the bow part of one of my hobie cat 16 hauls.
Thanks for the great tip on those cracks. I guess I will give it a try on my boat project. I've got a lot of fiberglassing coming up on my TH-cam channel as well.... So I'm trying to pick up as many great tricks from you as I possibly can... I will refer to your channel many times I guess. Thank you... What you are doing is really great stuff. Best regards Jarle
The reason that radius matches is because it's the same tool used to create the radius when it was built, or at least that's how I've seen the guy's do it at sunseeker etc.
Andy you're up early and working on a Sunday? Ahh the tireless work of a TH-cam boat working sensation! What? Shaving? Haven't touched a razor in 6 years! That sander does seem to be your favorite sanding tool, too bad they don't make a dust collector/ hose connector for it. Yeah first comment!
I believe the term you were trying to describe is BRITTLE. While still a tenacious adhesive, it is more brittle than the flexible properties of the alternatives.
Hey man love the videos and asking for a suggestion 4 the show can you create a serious on rc fiberglass boats on how to repair and how to blueprint the hulls on them as your videos are the most helpful I have found on here for trouble shooting and as the rc racing boats are usually very thin fiberglass or very thin carbon fiber to keep down on weight so there are probably some tricks that are needed for those kind of repairs that no one shows on youtube and as good as you are at explaining things it would be helpful as all heck as rc guys that do make some similar vids leave alot of steps out because they are used to doing them but not used to making vids about how to like you do just a think, would be awesome if you did so I feel like I could learn alot about how to from you 4 these boats as I have learned alot already watching your vids
Ok I'm totally rebuilding a 86 ChrisCraft Scorpion 210 question after all my fiberglassing is done should I bilge paint in the open areas before I put the deck down? Thank you for your show and all the helpful information.
This is perfect. My Chris Craft Commander is relatively crack free, the cracks it does have are exactly what you’re going after in this video. It’s good to know I probably don’t have to get into as large of a repair.
Thanks for sharing this. I remember watching this months ago. I just hauled out for annual antifoul and noticed the gelcoat on my sun damaged transom had developed cracks. I'm going to try this method to fix it.
A guy hit my Donzi in the side and couple days latter I found a spider crack not deep just gelcoat and the cracks ran 360% and you could barley feel them with finger nail and the damage did not cause any deep cracks just hair lines. What is the best way to fill them. My plane was to get house of color for a repair kit with the gel coat same color and over fill each crack and sand and buff. Does this sound good to you ?
With it being so close to the repair you've done already on the toe rail radius.. would it have been just as easy to have combined the two repairs and glass it when u glassed the radius the 1st time?
I think you will find that the reason for the cracks is that the original gel-coat has been applied too thick. This usually happens in areas of the mould like edges and corners etc, as the area shown in this video. As you know the gel-coat can't flex as well as the resin/fibre laminate and the older the gel-coat gets, the more brittle it becomes as it cures over the years. The solution is to either beef up the laminate to stop the flex or shave down/thin out the old gel- coat. Forget the epoxy its total overkill and a waste if time.
![How To Fix Boat Gelcoat Spider Cracks, Hairline Cracks, and Crazing [MATERIALS LIST👇] | BoatUS](/img/n.gif)
Hey guys FYI, Gel Coat will not properly cure if applied directly over the TotalBoat Thixo Flex Flexible Epoxy Adhesive. You will need some sort of filler/barrier or you will end up with gooey soft mess of gelcoat where it contacts the epoxy.
I am very impressed with the flexible epoxy, bur what is the next step of your protocol? Paint? Gelcoat? Fibreglass?
Who knew? I have been planning on buying a Makita 9031 sander. I clicked on the link here and found it for the best price on google. $30 -$50 less from your link!! Gotta love that. Thanks. JP
I have a little belt sander/ shaper and it has a vacuum attatchment, it's made buy Grizzly Industrial and you can dial the speed down real slow and make hardly any dust. Love that tool. I have an air one to but it's more messy. You can adjust the angle of the belt to different angles also. And it's small and easy to use with 1 hand. It's the cats meow.
I have a lot to do on a boat and this video was very informative.👌
Thanks Andy I hope your shoulder is feeling better.
You make it look so easy. Great explanation and video. I have been watching your channel for a few years, I dont know how I missed this one up till now, but perfect timing, I have some cracks I have been wanting to get to, and this Thixo Flex, looks like the perfect product.
Love all your vids, and send all my boat friends here. Thanks for sharing your immense knowledge
🤟
I have been using this process since I watched a couple years ago and I’m at a rv marine dealership finger’s crossed no comebacks
Would love to see it being finished to match!!! Hopefully in a video coming! Great you tube videos keep it up! Very professional!!
After having applied a thickened epoxy to a ground out spot I like sometimes use a clear box tape over the area. This spreads the epoxy out and gives good contact especially over a rounded surface. Next day simply peel the tape off and way less sanding. Ever use this trick?
peel ply is meant for this as well
@@boatcrafterscollective peel ply leaves a dimpled surface clear packing tape work great almost no sanding
Great video Andy. Stress cracks are the bane of my two second hand boats. Thank you and keep the informative videos coming.
What would you use if you want to cover with gelcoat?
You are helping me restore my 1991 keywest 1700 sportsman. Thanks for sharing your skills and knowledge.
Subscribed! Your my go-to Glass repair Guy. Just got a Nordica 17 and it's one big crack with blisters. But is so cool. All in there are no repairs so I can see anything needing fixing without cleaning out a bad job or product. Thanks much.
This is a great video as are all of you videos. I have an old boat that I enjoy working on myself and fiberglass repair is new to me. I wish that sometimes the video would show the complete project and tell the steps from start to finish. I feel comfortable with fiberglass and resin but I do not have an understanding of how to transition from the epoxy you just laid down to applying the gelcoat. I really do not understand and to transition to the gelcoat step. Thanks for the videos, they are great.
Thank you.
After fairing, how did you finish? Paint or gelcoat. If gelcoat, any primer or did you just spray a couple of coats. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
It is awesome to watch a craftsman at work. You make it look easy. I know it takes time to perfect any craft. You have mastered yours.
15:40 good material 👍
I use a two pack epoxy cartridge gun system for gluing climbing anchors into cliffs. Yes, we always spurt out a couple of big pumps before each glue session and for each new nozzle. We keep that as a sample so we absolutely know that within the hole the glue has gone off. Best practice. You are doing it perfectly. Great explanation as well. Excellent to see you using something to smear the glue into the surface too mate. I was getting agitated in my seat and then just like that you used the stick to smear it in. Awesome.
Is there another video that outlines how this was finished? I will be tackling something similar (lots of stress cracks in a thickly gelcoated deck). I am in Canada, so will be using G-Flex by West System and I am going to try Interlux Brightside. If there are any videos that pertain to my project that could be linked, I would appreciate that.
Thank you for continuing to provide such an excellent resource on this fiberglassing world that is so foreign to many of us.
Cheers
Interesting fix Andy. Can I assume you intend to paint and not gelcoat over the area? Because sometimes gelcoat won't cure properly over epoxy.
The gelcoat you ground out appeares to be very thick not exactly .020-.030" max , probably explains the cracking.( looked like 1/8").
So I agree, that Flexible epoxy is impressive I shall be trying some.
We recently did a project with regular total boat epoxy gluing large Phenolic discs for a forming tool , loved it! My guys even took out the blue mixer and cleaned it out, I will watch the mix if we do reuse it.
Sorry a rather late comment. Cheers warren
You sir, are a legend. You’ve likely saved my boat. Thank you.
Solid video and demonstration!!! Super helpful! I’ve a high top van 🚐 roof that’s fought with a few tree branches in the front… Gonna give this Thixo flex a try
Gonna scan the rest of your videos to see how ya painted over it!
I'm repainting my upper deck on my 32 Challenger Sailboat and it has a few layers if paint and crazing all over. I'm not looking forward to it. I fix boats for a living so mine need to look good right lol. I love this boat but man lol. Yes grinding out all the cracks and laying down 2 Matt's over the top and then sanding it all down then filling pinholes with duraglass. Then I'm rolling and brushing gelcoat baxk on and aim to sand and polish then redo my non skid, fun times ahead. I started building a building over the top to work under out here in the PNW. today.
eEery episode is a a fine lesson.Prep for the repairs needed on my macgregor 26 from when I almost lost the boat on On Lake Erie this past summer.
So how did yoiu finish these cracks off? is there another video?
awesome bandsaw Andy. redoing the non-skid on my 22 year old Waterman using your video as my guide. coming out great so far!
Great product for those small cracks! Sands pretty easy as well. B.G . Bermuda.
Time for Andy!! Yeah!!
Hi Andy, I have been watching several of your videos with great interest! You have been presenting great information that I haven't been able to find any similar information for RV's. So I have been trying to generalize your information into the nose of my 5th wheel. It is a fiberglass nose with a gel coat. So I had ordered the gel coat with wax and are planning on using that to fill in the groves that I have made. This Total Boat Thixo Flex looks very interesting and perhaps I should be using it. I looked for it on Amazon and found 3 different choices. Not having any experience I am trying to figure out where each would be best used. On a side note your link above for Thixo Flex wouldn't work for me. Thanks for your video's! Keep up the great work. *--Michigan-*-
I wonder if Salt and Tar has stickers? Great channel and story. If you're not following them, they're building a wooden sailboat. I know, it's not glass, but still...it's neat to see the other trades/craftsmen/women living a boating life. Cheers!
Great stuff, can you point to the video where you did the finishing up with the gelcoat etc.?
One challenge with putting epoxy over gelcoat is that the epoxy is harder than the gelcoat, so when you sand it, the gelcoat abrades more quickly and leaves the epoxy patch higher than the surrounding surface. That's the point of premixed epoxy filler compound - it has fillers that soften it to gelcoat levels. How do you solve this problem with the flexible epoxy? I don't see how the little belt sander can completely avoid the gelcoat, nor can the finishing sanding.
Tape the gelcoat. Use a small smooth scrap of wood & sandpaper for hand sanding, long enough that you can see the contact point instead of your fingertips.
Hey Andy, this video just answered all my questions for fixing stress cracks on my sailboat. Also, when I get my channel up and running, you're getting another sticker! I hope there's still room on the saw.😊
Lifehack: sticky roll for cleaning clothes sometime helps to pull out fiberglass scales and flakes out of skin. Sometimes sticky roll can be replaced with sticky tape. Put stick side on skin, glue, and pull! (just like epilation)
Thanks for taking the time to make these videos. You are a fiberglass god!
That thixo flex may work well for bedding stringers
Love all your videos!!! Let's see some fixing the bottom hull of a boat not able to be flipped or a boat that has top cap sandwiched down to the bottom hull!! Please
I have to thanks you so much for your videos .I appreciate your experience and tips I have a C&C 36 sailboat that needs a little bit here and there and oh also ....yes there too ..so thanks keep it up🙏🙏🙏⛵️
Couldn’t you have used total boats fairing mixture or the 5:1 mixture perhaps with some silica?
Have used mixing nozzles for Space Flight polymer work, and stopped using them. They work most of the time, but not all the time.
Vtguii
n3o29828
OK - I am sold! I will be using Thixo for my mast step FG and wood replacement on my sailboat... THX Andy for the great demo!
ANDY.....the only caveat I would say for your choice of burr bit is to use 2 flute cutters rather than the 4 flute. It appears that yours are high speed steel......use carbide instead as they stay sharp a LOT longer. 2 flute cutters are used for non-ferrous metals and work much better on fiberglass. The 4 flute like you have tend to wear out faster, create more "dust" type dross and plug up the cutter. 2 flute cutters are more like chisels.
Hi Andy. I just love the fact that you've got Sail Life stickers on your band saw. The idea that you and Mads connected, and that you have such a deep respect for one another, is sublime. I found your channel through his, and I am gaining confidence in doing my own projects on my recently purchased 1967 Santana 37 sailboat.
With gratitude and respect, Leroy Radford, Seattle, WA
Andy - maybe my imagination but the show appears lighter than usual - yet delivers some of the best advice ever. Great combination and look forward to the next video.
Beyond the excellent work you do I am extremely impressed by the cleanliness of your workshop.
I am waiting for the next step after you filled the cracks.
Need to include Danger Marine by Danger Stu, Austraila, good boating repairs as well as mechanics on boat motors, lower units, carb repair, boat handling , etc.
Excellent video Thank you.
Just found your channel. Love it. I live neat the TotalBoat guys and love to go over there for tips, tricks, and supplies. I can see I need to ramp up my tool crib, too.
I guess by video date you have figured out your tools abilities by long time yourself, but as a tip to those other guys buying or just having bought one. Most power band files is a 5 in one grinder deal.
Longside with undersupport, for flat surfacing and making bevels.
Longside without undersupport gives smooth curve transitions and bigger outer radiuses.
Transition between supported longside and wheel, gives a tighter hardgrind curve. Good for "submission beatings". Etc.
The other side - to wheel proximity combo gives smooth transitions from big curve to smaller curve.
Straight on wheel is good for inner fillets. Radius of inner fillet can be changed to bigger by angling the tool sideways and/or twisting it clock/counter to groove. Then aim tool for the middle of surfaces´ axis, for fillet grind symmetry.
Happy grinding. :)
Hello Andy, any updates on how this worked out long term?
I see you using this topside, will it work below the waterline?
I was impressed also with the flex in the filler ,Wow also ! thanks !
Andy. You seem to enjoy shaving about as much as I do, which is to say “not much”. Bertram 25’s and Rhodes 19’s however are right up my alley. Keep up the good work.
Andy, Getting ready to do some gelcoat spider cracking repair. Have you heard of mixing Marine Polyester Gel Paste 60/40 with the right color gelcoat? The paste is clear so the gelcoat color comes through and it just needs sanding/polishing.
If you wanted to do this kind of repair but didn't want to paint over it, would you just use standard polyester gelcoat, or some sort of gelcoat putty? I'm talking about isolated, minor crack fixes, not a boat makeover. Great vid by the way.
Thanks for the great video's it's has inspired me to start up some fiberglass work on my boat.
Greetings from Denmark 🇩🇰
G R E A T ! ! ! No dust !
Andy, I can't find this stuff anywhere! It shows as unavailable from Totalboat and everywhere else I have checked. Bumming me out!
Great video! Question is can I gelcoat over this product? Typically you should not gelcoat over epoxy. Can one use a primer over the Total Boat Thixo and gelcoat over the top of the epoxy repair? Id like to use this product to repair a non skid deck. I'd like to use gelcoat to mimic the existing non skid deck . I learned how to do this watching Andy's other videos.
I would love to see a reply to this question.
Andy! I look forward to every show you do. Keep up the great work!.... I have one request.... can you do a show about flake gel coat repair... example: bass boat gelcoat with all the flake... maybe I would appreciate that a whole bunch
I'll keep my eye open for that kind of project :-)
Awesome!!
Could the repair have been just grinding out the crack and then using gelcoat to fill and finish? What made this require an epoxy instead? Thanks!
Juan Marquez , because the gelcoat will crack again as it's the same inflexible material as before.
Do you plan to Gel coat over this Thixo Flex?
Andy I bought a 1988 2855 Ciera sunbridge Bayliner it has a gajillion cracks above the rub rail all over around the windows an oddball spots thousands of them I'm assuming it's an absolute huge job to fix without laying glass over the whole upper deck do you think that flexible epoxy can fix the majority of them
Love your videos and have learned a lot. Just wondering what you finished this boat with. In researching products for filling cracks, i read that you can't tell coat over epoxy. It's this correct?
If so, can you use the total boat paint you used on the small boat restore over the epoxy? Seems it would be difficult to cover such a dark looking area on a traditional "beige" O'Day. Thanks for your thoughts.
I have the same crackling thing going on in the cockpit of my sailboat. Inspiration!!!! I'm going to order some of that wiggly epoxy and give it a shot. Of course, now that means i have to repaint the boat....
Andy, very nice tricks there with the fiberglass. Thank you for sharing.
Great video guy. nice to see the work and ideas.
Can you gel coat over the epoxy?
Hi Andy, I'm a composite technician based in Australia and i just started using a 'power file' and a vacuum where possible instead of a grinder and it's great so thanks for the tip.
I also meant to ask how can I purchase products from TotalBoat and you get credit for it. I have been watching your videos for a year now and getting ready to TRY and sand and paint my 1996 2300SR Maxum , so will buying a lot of stuff based on your recommendations.
What are the final steps for the repair? Faring compound and gel coat? I have a crack on my Beneteau 37 at the bow where the elevated deck meets the foredeck. Would this be a good method for fixing that type of crack?
How can you fix thin cracks and spider cracks on a textured non-slip gel coated surfaces without ruining it?
I'm referring to the non-slip surface on the bow part of one of my hobie cat 16 hauls.
Thanks for the great tip on those cracks. I guess I will give it a try on my boat project. I've got a lot of fiberglassing coming up on my TH-cam channel as well.... So I'm trying to pick up as many great tricks from you as I possibly can... I will refer to your channel many times I guess. Thank you... What you are doing is really great stuff. Best regards Jarle
The reason that radius matches is because it's the same tool used to create the radius when it was built, or at least that's how I've seen the guy's do it at sunseeker etc.
can you apply gel coat over this? are you going to finish this project and match the color?
Wow Thixo yeah !!
Very clever mate
Good job
Nice very informative
Do you have a vedio replacing stringers in a 20 ' boat
Such informative & well-presented content that you've kept up for years now - great to learn and follow along as life progresses for you!
Andy you're up early and working on a Sunday? Ahh the tireless work of a TH-cam boat working sensation! What? Shaving? Haven't touched a razor in 6 years! That sander does seem to be your favorite sanding tool, too bad they don't make a dust collector/ hose connector for it. Yeah first comment!
Technically there is a port on the back to hook up a collection bag or vacuum but I can't really say it's effective :-/
One of your best videos Andy, imo. 😉👍
I believe the term you were trying to describe is BRITTLE. While still a tenacious adhesive, it is more brittle than the flexible properties of the alternatives.
Is the next step gelcoat?
I have not been through your entire video catalog yet ,,, but how did the stress crack repairs hold up using the two part tub epoxy ?
Thanks for the tips Andy. That is one of this summers projects on our big boat. I was wondering how I was going to tackle them.
Hey man love the videos and asking for a suggestion 4 the show can you create a serious on rc fiberglass boats on how to repair and how to blueprint the hulls on them as your videos are the most helpful I have found on here for trouble shooting and as the rc racing boats are usually very thin fiberglass or very thin carbon fiber to keep down on weight so there are probably some tricks that are needed for those kind of repairs that no one shows on youtube and as good as you are at explaining things it would be helpful as all heck as rc guys that do make some similar vids leave alot of steps out because they are used to doing them but not used to making vids about how to like you do just a think, would be awesome if you did so I feel like I could learn alot about how to from you 4 these boats as I have learned alot already watching your vids
I meant series not serious stupid auto correct
Nice bandsaw!
Ok I'm totally rebuilding a 86 ChrisCraft Scorpion 210 question after all my fiberglassing is done should I bilge paint in the open areas before I put the deck down? Thank you for your show and all the helpful information.
Cool technique! Looks like a good solution for the cracks I hope to get around to this Spring. Thank you!
Awesome repair with the flexible epoxy. Thank you!
Pretty awesome how it can bend so far and still not snap!
This is perfect. My Chris Craft Commander is relatively crack free, the cracks it does have are exactly what you’re going after in this video. It’s good to know I probably don’t have to get into as large of a repair.
Thanks for sharing this. I remember watching this months ago. I just hauled out for annual antifoul and noticed the gelcoat on my sun damaged transom had developed cracks. I'm going to try this method to fix it.
A guy hit my Donzi in the side and couple days latter I found a spider crack not deep just gelcoat and the cracks ran 360% and you could barley feel them with finger nail and the damage did not cause any deep cracks just hair lines. What is the best way to fill them. My plane was to get house of color for a repair kit with the gel coat same color and over fill each crack and sand and buff. Does this sound good to you ?
Great videos, are the mixing tubes cleanable or just throw them away?
With it being so close to the repair you've done already on the toe rail radius.. would it have been just as easy to have combined the two repairs and glass it when u glassed the radius the 1st time?
I think you will find that the reason for the cracks is that the original gel-coat has been applied too thick. This usually happens in areas of the mould like edges and corners etc, as the area shown in this video. As you know the gel-coat can't flex as well as the resin/fibre laminate and the older the gel-coat gets, the more brittle it becomes as it cures over the years. The solution is to either beef up the laminate to stop the flex or shave down/thin out the old gel- coat. Forget the epoxy its total overkill and a waste if time.