Cracks and chips in fiberglass boats are inevitable and they’re one of the biggest causes of frustrations for boat owners because they detract from the appearance of the boat and they’re also often very difficult or very expensive to repair.
With the huge cost of professional fiberglass boat chip repair, many boat owners decide to either leave the damage as is, or perform the repairs themselves.
When they do that, they often find that the repairs fall out, or they look awful and they end up spending up to $100 or more on a long grocery list of repair ingredients that they really don’t need.
Using the ‘traditional’ method of repair, many websites recommend that the following items are required.
While this is one solution, it is messy, costly, open to error and the end result is often a repair that looks terrible and doesn’t last.
The truth is you don’t need that.
Common fiberglass boat chip repair blunders
Here are the common mistakes that people make when repairing gelcoat damage, along with a much simpler, much more affordable, and much more effective solution.
Mistake #1: Using Resins that Shrink, Don’t Stick, or Flex
This is a major issue that a lot of DIY repairers face. They buy a DIY gelcoat repair product, spend hours meticulously performing the repair and two weeks later when they take the boat out, the repair has popped out and it’s time to start again.
This happens all the time.
The challenge with a lot of gelcoat repair resins is that it’s difficult to find one that delivers structural grade adhesion and at the same time can flex as a boat moves.
That’s why It’s important to use a gelcoat repair solution that is a structural grade adhesive with the capacity to bond to both polyester resin and gelcoat, glass fibre, metal, wood and glass.
MagicEzy 9 Second Chip Fix uses a nano-technology-based formula that offers the same level of structural adhesion and flexibility required for resins in steel bridge girder construction so it has superior sticking ability, it flexes even when the boat is pounding through waves, and has advanced levels of durability.
Better still, there’s no need to mix together a precise concoction of toxic resins together then add a colorant. It’s an easy to use one part solution that not only fixes chips, nicks gouges and cracks, it’s also pre-colored (available in 14 colors) so you can repair the damage in seconds.
Mistake #2: Not Allowing for Shrinkage
Many resins shrink by as much as 5% to 8% which further compounds the stress on joints. This can cause further stress cracks to appear. It also means that there is often a noticeable slump or divot in the damaged area so multiple coats are often required over a number of weeks.
9 Second Chip Fix’s nanotechnology formula offers minimal shrinkage. Overfilling the area on the first application and then applying a second coat two hours later is all that is needed.
Mistake #3: Inaccurate Blending of Multi-Part Resins
To achieve properties such as minimum shrinkage, maximum adhesion, maximum durability and flexibility, requires a precise chemical formula.
The trouble with using multi-part resins is that if the boat owner isn’t precise with the quantities mixed, the durability of the solution and therefore the quality of the repair is compromised. That’s one of the main reasons why people experience issues like repairs popping out or further cracks.
The other issue that compromises the integrity of the repair solution is mixing in colorants. As soon as a colorant is added, it dilutes the adhesion of the resin.
MagicEzy 9 Second Chip Fix is a one-part solution that is pre-colored so there’s no need to add color. Its precise nanotechnology formula was designed to offer the precise blend of adhesion strength, flexibility, and durability.
MagicEzy 9 Second Chip Fix is sold in 50 countries and through hundreds of marine retailers and hardware stores. It is also available on Amazon.com. Order your tube today!