Basic Boat Repair - Part One: Fixing Minor Dings and Chips

If you have ever had any chip repair done on your boat , you know it can be very expensive. More than just the repair, if you factor in travel time to and from the shop (usually during the week), then add on time missed from work and you will wish you never ran in to that damn dock.

So unless you have major damage this DIY advice is for you.

Most chips are just minor cosmetics, and for less than the cost of one professional repair you can be on the road to fixing most all your small dings yourself.

What you will need:

A trip to Tap Plastics or a marine supplier (such as West Marine) will get you well on your way

• Glitter flake or gel coat to match your boat*
• Laminating resin (super clear)
• Finish resin (surfboard sandable finish resin)
• MEKP type hardener
• Acetone
• A package of cheap small brushes
• Mixing cups and sticks
• Masking tape

*Note: if you have a new boat you may be able to get your glitter or color gel for free or close to nothing from the boat company. (I have been working in the paint industry for years and you would not believe what glitter flake sell for - It sells by the ounce like crack)

Step 1

• Clean the area to be fixed with a small amount of acetone on a rag.
• Tape off area to avoid unnecessary clean up.

Step 2

• Mix a small amount of resin. Usually less than a half ounce will do for a small chip.
• Add an equal amount of flake or if using a color gel add to match.
• Add a few drops of hardener and you’re in business.
• You want to keep this mixture pretty thick as a filler, so don’t be stingy with the flake after all it’s a freakin’ bass boat.
• The flake will also serve as a good filler, so sometimes only one coat is necessary. If you are using a gel color a few coats may be necessary depending on the depth of the ding. This may require set up of the resin between coats. Avoid drips at all cost as this can show after you are done.
• You will also want to stay below the final finish surface, the reason being that if on the final sanding of the clear finish coat the sandpaper goes into the flake, it will cause dull spots. This is for flake - if it is a solid color repair it can be wet sanded down and finish coated without worry of dullness.
• Time between coats can vary between coats depending on weather conditions and types of resin also the amount of hardener used.

I will cover the next steps in the next segment in a few days