TOPIC: Gelcoat Help!!

Hi gang:
I'm pretty new here but have been reading the site for a while-what a great tool for boat restoration! Thanks for being here!

I recently drug home a '57 Herters Flying Fish(pics to come). The boat is solid and all the harware is there but the overall condition is rough.
The gelcoat, especially on horizontal surfaces, is almost gone. I can see the "pattern" from the cloth showing from under whats left of the original finish. I could use some advice on:

-How to repair
-Any recomendations on specific products to use.

Also, if anyone just happens to have a windshield that would fit this collecting dust under their bed, lemme know!

Thanks very much!

You'll get lots of advice :~)
Those are fantastic boats - very well made and done without wood in the structure - no rotten stringers here !!

One way to go is to sand it down to remove the loose - soft - degraded gelcoat, then lay light - 1.5oz - fiberglass cloth over it onto which you then brush a coat of resin. This provides a second skin that resists future cracking and crazing. You then apply a heavy filler primer such as Duratec which you sand down and repeat till you have the surface you want.

Peter
in Denver Duratec

First, don't be so sure that the gelcoat is 'gone'. My experience having worked on a Fish and totally restored a Rocket is that the gelcoat was never there. Both boats clearly had areas where you could see the cloth pattern under the what little gelcoat was there. These boats were made during the winter by Herter's folks so they didn't get laid off. It's not like they were pro boat builders. What I did on the Rocket was to skim coat it with ultra lite body filler. You can get it at NAPA. It spreads like butter. You'll need to thoroughly sand, clean, then apply. I like to use a painters edge with a metal at least 12-14" long. This allows you to control the laydown very well as you pull the edge toward you. Once hard, sand, fair, and then you can start finishing work.

I can make you a windshield for the Fish. I made one for the Rocket. Do you have the side windshield brackets and center supports?

First, don't be so sure that the gelcoat is 'gone'. My experience having worked on a Fish and totally restored a Rocket is that the gelcoat was never there. Both boats clearly had areas where you could see the cloth pattern under the what little gelcoat was there. These boats were made during the winter by Herter's folks so they didn't get laid off. It's not like they were pro boat builders. What I did on the Rocket was to skim coat it with ultra lite body filler. You can get it at NAPA. It spreads like butter. You'll need to thoroughly sand, clean, then apply. I like to use a painters edger with a metal edge at least 12-14" long. This allows you to control the laydown very well as you pull the edge toward you. Once hard, sand, fair, and then you can start finishing work.

I can make you a windshield for the Fish. I made one for the Rocket. Do you have the side windshield brackets and center supports?

Crosby....nice boat!!

The man (Brian) is GIFTED, I'm tellin' ya!

Thanks Crosby!

Excellent advice...I had thought about a filler but wasn't sure about how well it would adhere to the old glass.

I DO have the side supports for the windshield. There are also 2 others in between the side supports. There is no base moulding or channel for the windshield to seat in.

While I have the ear of someone who has "been there and done that"
here a few Hereters Specific Q's:
-is there a HIN on this boat? Where might it be?
-There is a drain plug in the transom area that goes through the floor. Is the transom itself strong enough to support a plug if I relocate it?
- Any advice on where to find lenses to fit the bow and fin running lights?
-Did you seperate the top (deck) and bottom (hull) during restoration? Because there is no floor, I don't see any reason to do this. Thoughts?

BTW, that is one beautiful boat! Nice work!

Thanks Peter!

Great advice from you and Crosby. Now I just have to decide which way to go with this...

Looks like you did a nice job of laying that cloth down...

If you have the windshield hardware, the rest is a piece of cake. I have plexiglass here the correct length, and I have the tracings of the original windshield that I just need to transfer and then cut the plexi. Windshield gasket (which I may have in the shop) is used at the base. You can see that in the photo of the Rocket. The base gasket needs to be notched to be able to get the center base supports close to the glass.

I did not separate the top from the bottom. Carefully inspect the aluminum support frame and make sure it's in good condition.

As I recall on the Rocket there was a transom drain, which I think I filled as the metal was all rotted and I'd never seen anything like it, and it also had a garboard drain which is more than adequate.

HIN were not typically used in the 50's. Those came later with laws that required them.

Wow...thanks Crosby-if you get a chance, hit me with a price for the windshield off-line. Email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

After reading some of the responses to my post, I'm starting to feel a little better about this project. On the tow-drive home yesterday, I kept looking in the rear view thinking "what the hell have I gotten myself into..."

Thanks Again-

You got yourself into one of the few boats that when restored are worth the time effort and cost. As your first acquisition you did very well!

Peter
in Denver

What have you gotten yourself into? This is your first? Just wait. They're worse than rabbits.

Not the first...but probably the worst. I am glad that I can always see the hidden beauty that lies somewhere in that mess!