| The greatest improvement made in boating in the | | | | discoloring of the gelcoat, you can normally |
| last hundred years is the development of | | | | restore the color and the shine with a good |
| fiberglass and various other composite materials | | | | marine polish (available at any boat supply store - |
| used to build a modern recreational boat. It does | | | | or from one of the many online marine suppliers), |
| not rot like wood, it does not warp or split and, if | | | | When applying this polish, be certain to wipe off all |
| properly maintained, will last its owner for a very, | | | | of the polish, particularly around cleats and fittings |
| very long time! | | | | on the hull. |
| To fully understand how to care for a fiberglass | | | | Deck ScratchesDo not permit passengers on your |
| boat, you should need to know a little about how | | | | boat to walk around on your gelcoat decks with |
| fiberglass boat hulls are made. Generally speaking, | | | | street shoes! Permit only deck shoes or tennis |
| at the beginning of the day that your boat was | | | | shoes with a softer sole to prevent scratching |
| made, the resins and exterior finish (the gelcoat) | | | | the surface by grinding in dirt particles. The kind |
| were stored in drums or large vats and the actual | | | | of scratched can be very difficult to remove by |
| fiberglass was stored in large rolls, not unlike rolls | | | | polishing. |
| for carpet. Boat builders have large molds for | | | | Docking Be certain that, when docking your boat, |
| each model of boat that they make and are | | | | you provide for protection against the sides of |
| usually comprised or two or more individual molds | | | | your boat coming into direct contact with the |
| to fabricate the major components of a boat. | | | | dock, posts, or other hardware components. |
| There is usually one mold for the hull and one for | | | | What looks like gentle rocking of the boat up |
| the deck and there may also be a liner mold. In | | | | against the dock can actually be doing severe |
| any event, after the molds are thoroughly cleaned | | | | damage to the gelcoat finish of the boat. Boat |
| and polished, they are sprayed with a paint-like | | | | dealers call this "dock rash" and will depreciate |
| substance called gelcoat which will harden and | | | | your boat accordingly when its time to trade the |
| become the exterior, colored surface of the boat. | | | | boat in on a new one. Inexpensive plastic |
| (Most people are surprised to learn that the first | | | | bumpers are available to hang over the side of |
| thing the builder does in building a boat is to 'paint | | | | your boat to cushion it and to keep the hull from |
| it' and then to build the boat within the paint job!). | | | | ever contacting the dock. It only stands to reason |
| Once the gelcoat has hardened, the mold is | | | | that a very hard object such as a dock piling will |
| sprayed with a chemical to bond the gelcoat to | | | | damage a relatively 'soft' surface such as gelcoat |
| the fiberglass in such a way that the texture of | | | | - if they are permitted to scrape against one |
| the fiberglass cloth 'roving' will not show through | | | | another. |
| the finished product. The mold is then covered | | | | Repairing Scratches If the scratches on your |
| with layers of fiberglass cloth and sprayed with a | | | | fiberglass boat are of the same color as the boat, |
| chemical resin to bond and harden the structure | | | | that means that they are 'in the gelcoat'. These |
| of the fiberglass. Several layers of fiberglass are | | | | types of damage can usually be 'rubbed' out with |
| applied with emphasis on corners, structural | | | | polish or rubbing compound. Great care must be |
| supports, engine mounts, etc. After this dries, the | | | | taken not to rub too deep into the gelcoat as this |
| hull is 'popped' from the mold and joined with the | | | | would cause further and bigger damage than the |
| liner and or deck components which are built | | | | scratch that you are seeking to remove. Go at it |
| separately. | | | | slowly. If a scratch is all the way through the |
| The exterior finish of a fiberglass boat is called | | | | gelcoat (usually white in color and having the |
| gelcoat and it is usually less than 1/8" thick. This | | | | texture of a lemon peel), the scratch is too deep |
| surface is the one you, the boatowner, will be | | | | for rubbing compound or polish. This level of |
| most concerned with during the life of the boat.. | | | | damage should be referred to a professional |
| If you permit the boat to sit out in the sun for | | | | fiberglass expert who has the tools, equipment, |
| extended periods, the sun will bleach out the | | | | and skills to match the gelcoat color and repair |
| pigment or coloring of the gelcoat and will greatly | | | | the damage. |
| dull the shine that you saw on the showroom | | | | With a little care and preventive maintenance, the |
| floor. Obviously, it is a good idea to prevent such | | | | fiberglass hull and decks of your boat should |
| discoloration if possible by keeping the boat in a | | | | outlast you! To meticulously prevent scratches |
| shady, covered storage area. If that's not | | | | and damage to the hull of your boat is to ensure, |
| possible, it's a good idea to periodically apply a | | | | in the best way possible, that your boat will |
| good marine wax or polish to the surface to | | | | maintain the highest possible trade-in value. Of |
| protect the gelcoat. | | | | course, it also keeps the boat better looking and |
| Discoloration In the event of sun damage or | | | | more fun to drive and enjoy. Have a great cruise! |