Defective gelcoat? Chipping/flaking. - Fiberglass RV
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Old 04-02-2016, 04:45 PM   #1
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Name: Marcia
Trailer: '00 Burro 17' WB
Seattle, WA
Posts: 70
Defective gelcoat? Chipping/flaking.

Gelcoat advice needed. Finally uncovered our '00 Burro for a Spring check since rain is holding off for a couple days. We have owned it for a little over a year. I got up on the ladder to take a look at the roof and found to my dismay that a large section (2' × 2') of the gelcoat seemed to be cracking and in various stages of chipping off. It appears the PO had slathered a thin skim coat of silicone sealer over the entire area and called it done. I was able to rub off the remaining silicone with my hands, but now I'm at a loss on how to repair such a large section.

Should I sand it all down and do a layer of FG, sand and Bondo? ....? Very little experience so I am unsure how to proceed. Is this defective gelcoat? Might this be caused by something structurally wrong that I need to fix? It doesn't seem to flow in a pattern or along a line - just a big area. No other spot on the Burro is like this.

Advice appreciated.

//Marcia in Seattle
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Old 04-02-2016, 05:14 PM   #2
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I would inquire at a local boat repair shop. They have tons of experience with fibreglass and gel coat. They would probably know the cause and this would probably be an easy repair for them. Let them know silicon was applied over the damage so they prep the surface properly.
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Old 04-02-2016, 05:47 PM   #3
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Name: Jack L
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The silicone that the previous owner applied will make the repair more difficult. The gel coat failure could have been from a prior repair.
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Old 04-02-2016, 07:14 PM   #4
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R U Sure that ain't paint?
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Old 04-03-2016, 07:15 AM   #5
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Looks like paint flaking to me too.


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Old 04-03-2016, 07:20 AM   #6
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I see damage right down to the fiberglass strands, pits. Because it's on a flat surface and the roof, repairing the damage shouldn't be too hard or noticeable. Getting every single bit of the silicone off ( ) will be imperative.
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Old 04-03-2016, 08:14 AM   #7
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Trailer: 1973 13' Boler
Ontario
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You're on the right track. Sand, fg, then a bit of bondo. Easy fix. Finish with primer and paint.
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Old 04-04-2016, 11:20 AM   #8
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Name: Marcia
Trailer: '00 Burro 17' WB
Seattle, WA
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Thank you for the input. After I've prepped the area, can I just do Bondo, or should I be laying down a layer of fg mat first? The area doesn't feel soft, so I don't think structural reinforcement is needed, but is there benefit to adding mat, not just Bondo alone?
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Old 04-04-2016, 01:15 PM   #9
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You don't need mat for that type of repair. Bondo makes a product that has fiberglass in the putty. It works great on jobs like this and will be a strong repair. You can sand it down smooth and paint w/o having to use body filler.

Bondo® Glass Reinforced Filler, 1.37 lbs, 00277
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