LIFE JACKET DESIGN WINNERS

 

2015 Life Jacket Design Competition Winners Announced

 

Sponsored by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water and the Personal Floatation Device Manufacturers Association (PFDMA), the 2015 Innovation in Life Jacket Design Competition attempted to answer the question: What would a modern life jacket look like if you threw out the rulebook and started with a clean slate?

The goal of the competition was to rethink a 100-year-old design, seek out the newest technologies and design innovations and develop interest in newer, more versatile life jackets. Design entries were judged on the following criteria: innovation, wearability, value/affordability, reliability, versatility and practicality.

A team of five judges from the boating, paddling and life jacket manufacturing industry reviewed nearly 250 contest submissions from as far away as Mongolia and New Zealand, and also asked recreational boaters to vote for their favorite design entry.

Competition Judge and Image Base Vice President Joe Fogarty said, “Whether a commercial enterprise, an individual inventor-entrepreneur, a student or a group of Scouts, the 2015 Life Jacket Design Competition brought forth a lot of creativity. The entries we chose will not only keep us afloat, but showed thoughtfulness, problem solving and practicality.”

Judge Lili Colby, Owner and “chief PFDiva” at paddlesport life jacket manufacturer MTI Adventurewear said, “It was exciting to see that so many of the competitors shared a common goal to create more wearable product for the average recreational boater. Thinking ‘out of the box’ not only meant that the designs need to work, but that they also need to look good and be comfortable to wear. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a number of the finalist’s designs make it to market someday if they can be US Coast Guard approved.”

Winners of the design competition received a share of $15,000 in prize money: $10,000 to First Place, $3,000 to Second Place and $2,000 to Third Place.

Winner Announcement Video:

Here is a breakdown of the three winners:

First Place: Michael Garman – Foam Filled Jacket

Michael Garman of Moseley, Virginia submitted his prototype design that uses two-part expanding foam encased in a comfortable thermal fabric that’s designed to keep the wearer cool. The design uses a smartphone app to submit exact body measurements to the factory where the lifejacket is custom molded, offering a perfect fit right out of the box. A heat reflecting fabric can be used on cold days to help keep the wearer warm – or reversed for hot days that combine with an inner fabric mesh to keep the wearer cool. Accessories such as a rear mounted hydration pack – great for paddlers – and custom pocket choices add versatility. A built-in signal mirror and whistle improve safety.

 

 

 

Second Place: Jimi Beach of Aegis Safety Products – Life Shirt

Jimi Beach of the two-year-young Aegis Safety Products in Orlando, Florida took second place with his brand new, soon-to-market, inflatable floatation “Lifeshirt” that blends affordability with comfort and performance. The “actionwear” design looks similar to a sport shirt and is intended for a range of uses from boating to surfing. Offering automatic or manual inflation, a patented design resists inadvertent inflation from rain or splashes but activates instantly when the user’s head or shoulders submerge. Retail pricing is expected to remain consistent with or lower than other PFDs on the market. Lifeshirt is currently undergoing certification for adults and children in a lightweight performance class of personal floatation devices. LifeShirt is expected to be available Spring 2016.

 

 

Third Place: Jessie Kate Brown – Comfort Flex Life Vest

Jessie Kate Brown of Lafayette, Louisiana submitted a theoretical design for the “Comfort Flex Life Vest,” a comfortable form-fitting design that increases visibility and inspires user confidence. “Relief cuts” on the side add buoyant material while a new hinge point and a lobster tail-like relief cut on the middle of the back of the jacket allow the wearer to easily bend their body, unlike some current vest-style designs which have one-piece backs. A reflective collar, and an athletic spandex shell and liner increase comfort and wearability.

More Design Finalists

All 11 finalists of the Life Jacket Design Competition can be found on the Boat US. 

 

STORY and PICTURES from:

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HOW TO ELIMINATE WATER IN THE GAS TANK Pt 2

 

HOW TO ELIMINATE WATER IN THE GAS TANK  Pt 2

Any work on a fuel system requires the upmost of care and concern for safety. Do not tackle this job if you have the least bit of question. Hire a pro, however an understanding of the process is necessary so you can check the boat over after the first fueling . The boat owner will also want to check the tank are over the first few weeks for possible leaks.

There is more than one way to clean up a contaminated fuel tank, however the best way to really remove debris and water out of the fuel tank, is to hire the services of a fuel scrubber. Have you ever seen a portable fuel scrubber machine? What the scrubber does is it pulls the contaminated fuel from the tank though one line, runs the contaminated fuel thru multiple filters, and returns clean fuel to the tank through a second line. By doing this it moves the fuel completely around the tank and cleans the tank and the fuel at the same time. This is a service that works on diesel or gas. Bad diesel will become a burnable fuel again and gas will clean up and by adding octane booster you burn off the cleaned gas.

If you know of, or can find the services of a fuel scrubber it is a good idea to have them service your vessel at least every two or three years (depending on the running hours) to clean the tank(s). Beware: Full scrubber services, if you have an older boat with a aluminium fuel tank (as the machine cycles the fuel) will remove corrosion and occasionally open small leaks in the  fuel tank. Be sure to have the company who sets up the scrubber, and provides the scrubbing service complete the removal of the sender unit at the fuel tank. The service technician should follow all the safety precautions I outline below and be the only person on the boat while the scrubber is hooked up.

The scrubber machine is portable and can be transported to the dock next to your boat. The machine will run for hours (the time that it needs to run is dictated by the volume and condition of the fuel) to complete the tank and fuel cleaning job.

 

So what if there is no scrubber available?

You will have to work with a manual vacuum pump and draw all the contaminated fuel out of the fuel tank to be disposed of in a responsible way (follow the local disposal laws). The way to do this is to remove the fuel sender from the fuel tank in question, and use this opening for your vacuum access. NOTE: ALL BOAT MANUFACTURERS ARE TO ALLOW AN ACCESS POINT FOR THE FUEL TANK SENDER Before you just undo the sender and remove it there are several steps you must take.

Make sure that there is no one on the boat before you start and keep the boat free of others until you are finished and tested.

1- Disconnect all the batteries on the boat

2- Make sure the shore power is disconnected at the dock

3- Make sure the area you are working in is well ventilated

4- Be sure you have the correct tool to undo the sender screws, the sender screws may require a clean up with a wire brush first as corrosion is not uncommon

5-Do not loose any of the sender screws and if you do or there are screws that are to corroded to reuse you must replace with the correct hardware. do not attempt to replace with any old screw as this is an area were you do not want leaks.

6-Have a correct replacement gasket for the sender on hand to reinstall.

7-When you remove the sender make a note on the direction the float arm faces

8-You must replace the sender facing exactly the same direction otherwise the fuel gauge will receive an unreliable signal.

9-If your are replacing the sender the measurements of the old sender are necessary for the gauge to work properly.

10-Once the sender is replaced and you add fuel be sure to make sure you have no leaks in the tank or the sender seat.

11- verify that you fuel gauge is working correctly

12- Anytime you open up the fuel tank you should mark your initials in the rub rail on the transom, this is a warning that the fuel system has been tampered with after the original install.

 Use only a manual vacuum pump do not use any power pumps or pumps that require a power source . The spark or heat created by any power source can ignite! The fumes from even bad gas are explosive! I recommend that you hire a professional to do this work as the risk of an accident is high.
 

When using the manual vacuum to remove all the fuel (you will need): To transport the fuel to a recycle location in certified gas cans for correct disposal at an authorized fuel recycle location. Once the fuel is removed you can take your time with the manual vacuum and remove as much debris from the tank as you can reach. Quite often there are two lengths of hose with the manual vacuum kit so you can reach along way into the tank. Once you have cleared out the fuel tank as much as possible you will need to reinstall the fuel sender. It is a must that the gasket on the sender be replaced. Boaters can buy these gaskets at your local marine parts store. (If the sender is corroded go ahead and replace it.)

Boaters will want to keep at least two spare filters on board after the cleaning fuel tank, as loose debris that you did not clean out will now be floating in the fuel. The filter will catch this debris and protect the motor. If you do not have an in line canister filter you will need to install one before you start to feed the motor with gas from the recently cleaned fuel tank.

After a self service fuel tank clean out you will also want to add fuel conditioner, not fuel stabilizer. The conditioner helps the motor burn raggedy fuel and suspends particles so the new fuel filter will collect it up without the debris getting to the motor
.

Please remember to keep an eye on the tank for the first few weeks after a cleaning to be sure that no weak spots in the fuel tank have opened up.

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Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided
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CAMPION 705iBR REVIEW TAKE A LOOK

 

 

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CAMPION 705iBR REVIEW / USED BOAT

The boat we tested was a low hours 2007 boat which was unmolested (non modified) and what I would consider in as expected condition ( this means that the boat is in very typical condition for its age, Boat Nut even had to change some ignition parts as I knew when I started the Campion that the boat was not performing the way it should), This was no dealer trade, Thanks NICK

 

The 705iBR is a sleek design which definitely appeals to the younger buyer. It provides comfortable seating for four or five in the aft cockpit. With a really nice size platform extension on the back that is low enough to the water to actually use. This design of boat provides all the benefits of a sporty runabout with both a small cabin and a bow rider. Boat Nut calls this a Transformer!

 

My two co- testers on this ride were both under thirty and really liked this boat a lot. The layout with the two bucket seats and long aft corner seats allows the riders plenty of room and nice views thru the windshield and over the side decks. The test boat had a snap down carpet kit, a factory bimini complete with encloser and travel cover ( the travel cover did not require dropping bimini to install). The helm is well laid out and has full gauge package. Along with easy to access and well labeled switches for all the accessories our test boat was born with.

 

I liked the timeless design that Campion employed here with large curves and white frame windshield. This is one of those boats that will not look ten years old today. Campion 705iBR  has a nice beam to length ratio and feels very safe and comfortable with a deep floor, with the feel that you should enter and exit over the back. There is however one problem with all of these over the back access boats . Campion seems to have forgot how high a traffic area this boats transom area would become, providing no hard steps to the cockpit (to step in and down). What this does is the aft port and starboard cushions become sacrificial. I know that they can be flipped to step on the cushion backs but most boat owners do not do this.

 Buy the way for a boat with a 5.7 Liter Motor, a Bravo 3 drive and silent choice exhaust its quite quiet. With the exhaust selection thru the drive this is a quite boat even after six years. You can hold a comfortable conversation in the cockpit and talk over the window to the bow without having to be loud. At speed with the thru hull exhaust open that big platform keeps that rumble every boater likes to hear far enough back and down that you are not overtaken by the engine sound. You don't even need to have the stereo melting the speakers to hear the music you love! I mean the idea of silent choice is to create that sporty rumble. This boat does this almost perfectly. Not over powering at all!

If builders would go back and review their line up ten years after construction and delivery, they would learn a thing or two to apply to new boat construction. On a whole this is a great boat in its category.

When I first get to a used boat there are several factors that I immediately begin to assess, and a series of questions that I refer to with the owner. Here is what they are:

 FAST ASSESSMENT LIST:

 What type of boat am I looking at (not all boats fit neatly into one of the so called designated groups). The Campion 705iBR is one of these boats, its not a bow rider and not a cuddy.

Has the boat been highly modified ( has someone added accessories that were not factory installed). This can change the center of gravity and balance creating a horrible riding boat, not at all the way the factory intended.

What original accessories have been changed do to product failures

How has the original gel coat finish stood the test of time

How has the upholstery and balance of the finish products held up

Check out below the hatches for mildew and mold, really I am looking for all the safety gear this is a dead give away as to whether the boat is being used

Do a complete inspection of the motor and running gear for maintenance and corrosion.

 

OWNERS QUESTIONS:

 How long have you owned the boat, a test of honesty

How many hours has the current owner put on the boat

How many hours in total does the boat have (if they know)

How many hours does the motor have (if they know) Do not trust an hour meter

Maintenance records and is the original owners manual on boat

If the boat will fit a trailer (or came with a trailer) is there a trailer with the boat, look at the trailer

Any history of damage or insurance claims to the vessel or propulsion system

How do you like the boat (current owner)

 

Boat Nuts test boat is a red and white 2007 Campion 705iBR. When I say this boat is unmolested I mean it. The former owner (original owner had done nothing but change the oil in 5 years). This is a typical low hour used boat purchase. No trailer and  the boat just as it was born at Campion, we had to change plugs, wires, cap, and timing advance module for test.

Here is a list of what original equipment had broken down in the first 5 years:

Battery
Stereo ( this boat had one of those unreliable oversized Clarion units which makes replacement in the factory cut out a pain in the ass)
 Light bulbs
Travel cover had shrunk
Canvas (red bimini) will require replacement within 2 years
Red gel coat had faded badly
Back jump seats on both the port and starboard had stitching issues from being stepped on and they are long seat bases
White finish on window frame is starting to fail
The silent choice works randomly ( this is not uncommon, they require service and the magnetic switches in the engine compartment are infamous for not lasting long)

Once the mechanical maintenance was complete this is a strong running boat, fast out of the hole. The bow hardly rises at all through the power up cycle. Once on plane and the trim dialed in this is a fast boat for the engine package. Very little trim adjustment is required for a very flat run. This boat is a comfortable boat to drive and easy to control at an idle when leaving or coming back to the dock. We tested this boat with a half a tank of fuel and as much fresh water as the tank holds. The Campion 705iBR is solid in the turns and does not feel like it wants to pitch you out in a turn. The current owner is under 30 he has had this boat for 1 year and plans to keep it.

For me here is what I don't like:

The cabin is a token space and to small for use at all it would just collect stuff, as a lockable storage area it great except that all that stuff will block the walk thru passage to the bow.

The cabin and the bow rider area are okay for kids but adults probably will not use either as both are too small.

Not enough fixed systems to allow this boat to fall into an overnighter category, so NO having a beer at anchor.

The molded platform with the extension takes up too much valuable deck space

The sunken storage lockers in the platform stay wet all the time

Needs a decent step to the cock pit floor from either the swim platform area or deck sides so the seats don't get abused

The red color gel is crap it fades and chalks too quick

The rear canvas access is a pain as they split the aft panel in two so in the rain the whole back seat gets wet

Builders need to provide more cleats for lines and fenders at the dock (not just Campion)

 

* Would I buy One*

 The answer is yes, however this boat would only be an option if I had a small young family. That is the home for this boat, the small cabin would be great for one or two small kids who tire of the day early or require a bathroom while out. The boat has the sporty appeal that will deliver for many years. With silent choice you can create the rumble of a performance boat when you want the attention. All in all a great day boat for a small family who wants to enjoy tubing, the beach and day cruising.

At 50 no way I would buy this boat I am not interested in the discomfort this cabin sets up for whole boat usage.  I would rather a cuddy if I have to put up with an annoying space up front.

The Campion 705iBR will take you were you need to go and back in relative comfort even in a 3 foot chop all day as long as you don't over speed ( you must set your speed to go with the wave speed to not beat yourself or your boat up) the water conditions. It feels safe and solid.



The three regrets the current owner has are: 1- Doesn't have a trailer  2- Wishes that he would have know how the boat should have ran before he bought it  3- No original owners manual ( too many boaters take these packages home and loose them find a safe place to store on boat)

Our used reviews do not include prices or fixed data such as speed or noise decibel levels as boats over 3 years of age can very in weight, load, accessories and much more. Boat Nut simply gives you the best opinion possible of the boat we were able to test, as we create more data Boat Nut will provide more detailed data. We suggest that if you are looking at a used boat you contact our reader information personal at 4164187433 or boatnutmedia@gmail.com and we can give you guide lines to base your decision on.   Thanks Boat Nut Editor 2016

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided

THE ART OF FIBERGLASS REPAIR PART 1

                                        

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THE ART OF FIBERGLASS REPAIR

 all the mysteries that surround this topic.

The first question  you need to ask yourself is what is a fiberglass repair? There are three different interpretations of fiberglass repairs. First there is cosmetic gel coat repair, second is a gel coat repair that require fiberglass material repairs behind to fill a hole of some kind, Third type is structural repair were there is damage to a stringer or bulkhead, this is usually more than do it yourself.

Before you consider gel coat repairs you need to understand how the boat is manufactured. The boat is made in reverse of what you see, out side in. The gel coat is sprayed in the mold first and is backed by different layers of fiberglass mat and roving, cored in the center before more fiberglass materials are added, this is what you see inside the boat.

The gel coat layer is the colored resin layer you see, under the gel coat in the next layer is dark pink in color. The core or the next layer is generally either a light pink color, or a wood core made of balsa which is solidly saturated with resin. This information is important when you are assessing the type of cosmetic repair you have.

When you are looking at the damaged area, you are looking to see if the damage continues through the gel coat layer and into the pink layer below. If you see the pink layer then you know that you must fill this repair first. If the damage does not have pink at the bottom then you will complete the repair as a scratch. There is are exceptions to this rule and that is if the gel is exceptionally thick and if you do not fill it there will be a large sanding dip in the surface. There are occasions were this dip will be better than trying to match the color. This is particularly true in the case of an older vessel were matching the faded color will be difficult.

The other visual cues are cracks leaving the repair area or perhaps the damage is a group of stress cracks, this type of repair requires filling and finishing to complete. The last type of repair would be a hole were you must replace the structure first with fiberglass materials.These  types of repairs will be covered in two other posts . One specific to stress cracks and the other will be holes and punctures.

So lets go over how to repair a gel coat scratch and chip. In the case of scratches that do not require filling simply follow the sanding and finishing procedures.

The first thing you will need to assemble are your tools for the job. You will need a small trowel (do not go and buy one from the hardware store if you can go to an art supply store and pick up a oil painting trowel).The next tool will be a rotor such as a dremel, with a bit a small file design works the best. A must have is a quality sanding block. The dremel, bit, and sanding block can be purchased at Canadian Tire. while you are there pick up some 120, 400, 600, 1200 wet and dry sand paper along with some white cloth rags. You will need to source a Pre Val sprayer, dust mask,  fitted rubber gloves, small 2 inch disposable paint brush, and a multiple speed polisher with a quality wool polishing pad.

Sourcing materials is the tricky issue, for the gel coat I recommend you order from Spectrum Color, they supply color match to match almost every make and model, they have a list on their web site. For brand new boats go back to your dealer and order a quart of match gel coat for your boat, you will need the hull ID number. Do not go to your local supplier for  any old white base gel and try to tint the gel coat to match unless you really have to. The quality of this gel coat and cost for custom tinting is not worth it and usually wont be a really nice match. If you are completing repairs below the water line were you have anti foul then you can use base white gel coat. You will also need a small can of styrene, a small amount of cabosil, a small container of Patch Aid (speed patch), 3 or 4 mixing cups, catalyst, aqua buff 1000 white compound, masking tape and masking paper.

Once you have all your tools and supplies its time to go to work, First mix your gel coat like a can of paint. Open the can and test the match gel coat to the boat, the way to do this is to clean an area with compound take a small sample of the gel coat out of the can place an uncatalyzed dot it in the area you have cleaned, get a piece of cigarette saran wrap the package wrap material, Get some spit on a clean finger and place a dot next to your gel coat sample spot do not mix the two materials, Place the saran wrap over the whole area and gently rub so the wet area and the sample blend this will show you what the edges of the repair will look like. You should not see a difference between the wet area and the gel coat sample. If you are satisfied with the match we will move on to the actual repair.

You will need to prepare the area for your fill. Set up your Dremel and open up the void area that you need to fill up (remove just enough material to remove any contamination or loose material). Do not go any deeper than the existing damage. In an area 6/2/1 in other words for every inch of damage you will need to prepare an area 6 inches long. Take the 120 sand paper and remove the shine inside of the expanded 6 inch area. Wipe the area with acetone damp rag occasionally, all shine must be gone from this area. When your finished with this step clean the area with acetone thoroughly, then apply masking tape around your area you need to fill, leave a 2 mm space around the void you are going to fill. Now you will need to mix some gel coat paste to fill the void, take a mix bucket and pour in a measured amount of gel coat that you think will be enough to fill the void. If you have more than one repair you can make a larger amount and store it (for a day with a cover), Remove enough fill mix only what you will need for each repair area at a time. On a mix board (such as a piece of card board)place the determined amount of gel coat you will need, mix in 50 percent per volume of Patch Aid (speed patch), mix evenly, then you will start to add cabosil powder mix until you get the consistency of peanut butter. The gel coat paste will need to be catalyzed to cure add 2 per cent per volume and mix well. You now have approximately ten minutes of working time to make you fill.

The next step is to slightly over fill the void, use the masking tape you placed around the void as your guide. Once the fill is evenly pulled slightly thicker across the masking tape immediately remove the masking tape gently, this should leave a nice clean looking fill slightly larger than your void. You will have to allow this area to cure. This is easy to visually assess due to the fact that the Patch Aid(speed patch) you have added will allow the gel coat to cure with a flat hard surface. This is were you get out your buffer for the first time, with a dry pad (no compound) give the fill a short buff. The reason for this is that gel coat shrinks when it  heats up while curing. The heat from the buffer will preshrink the repair area, if you don't do this the gel fill will shrink later when you are buffing to get the shiny finish you are trying to achieve. Once this is done install some 120 sand paper on the sanding block. Now on 45 degree crossing angles start to sand down the fill (all sanding should be done this way) this should not take long. For fills on a radius or in odd area you may need to create a custom sand block out of doweling, be inventive.

When you have everything sanded nice and it feels right when you run your hand or straight edge on the fill you are ready to spray. It is not unusual to have to complete two fill procedures to get the surface correct. If you have sanded outside of your preparation area this do not panic , Take a rag with acetone and clean your whole repair area. If you fail to do this you will end up with a dark halo around the repair. In another new mix cup pour in some gel coat enough to cover the area that has been sanded down. Too the gel coat you placed in the cup add 50 percent Patch Aid (speed patch)and mix evenly. Quite often this provides a sprayable gel coat, however some gel coats are thicker than others so you may need to add a very small amount of styrene to your mix to reduce the mix. The gel coat should be just runny enough that if you use a tongue depressor as a stir stick when you remove the tongue depressor the gel coat should leave a nice even film that you can barely see through. Put this mix aside and finish preping the spray area. Mask off 2 inches inside the sanding area not right along the edge and cover around the area with masking paper. Clean the area again and again, If it is a little cool out below 55 degrees then take a heat gun or blow dryer and preheat the repair area on the boat. Pour the gel coat in the mix bucket into the Pre Vail jar and add 2 percent catalyste to the gel coat and mix evenly. Now install the sprayer top and get ready to spray on an area of your masking paper (do not turn the Pre Vail sprayer on its side or upside down). If the gel coat is too thin it will run away fast, add a little of your color match gel coat out off the can mix in and try again .If the gel coat is to thick it will spray in globs, you need to add more styrene and try again. When the gel coat is right then begin with a light coat over the fill area first, focus here then make the spray area larger and larger with every coat covering the previous coat, but do not spray all the way to the masking tape you do not want a hard edge to sand out. Try to get 6 to 8 coats on the boat don't be afraid to put on more if you feel it is necessary to do so. If you are spraying colored gel be sure to feather the edges really well (no thick edges of the spray area). It is fine after the spray sits for 5 minutes to give the area a little warmth not "heat" from a blow dryer or heat gun.

This spray area will take a half an hour or so to cure, again the area will get dull and hard when cured. Remove the tape and paper after the gel coat has cured. Take a dull pencil and pencil the whole area down and  then give the area a rub down with your finger, this will give you a guide so you can see your sanding progress. If the area is really bumpy you can start with a 120 grit sandpaper on your sanding block but only until the bumps are gone. Apply pencil again and change the sand paper to 400 wet  and dry paper. With a water bottle handy spray the whole sanded area down( if you add a little bit of dish soap to the water in the bottle the sand paper will last longer) and begin with sanding with the 400 grit sand paper on your block, Once all the pencil is gone you will re peat the process again with 600 grit and 1200 grit sandpapers on your sanding block. Not everyone gets this the first time in one go, if you really do not like what you see sand the area and spray again.

Once the area is completely sanded with 1200 sand paper its time to polish the area. With your paint brush lay a thin coat of compound on the area turn the buffer to the lowest speed and with the pad flat begin to polish, let the machine do the work do not try pushing hard on the machine( you will find that the pad needs to pick up some compound to work well, this is called seasoning the pad). You are trying to generate heat but not to much! just a nice warm surface. Re peat as required until you achieve the finish you desire. This is a job of patience if you are not a patient personality,  hire someone who is because if you rush you will waste the materials and the time. Do not try to complete gel coat repairs if it is raining or has rained and it is still wet all over the boat. Pick a nice dry sunny day the results will speak for themselves

One tip polish the boat first if this the plan you get the best repairs on a clean boat, always wash the boat first and let it dry before doing any repairs. Be patient and start with a small area in an less visible area first to get a feel for the materials.

READ ART OF FIBERGLASS REPAIR PART 2  STRESS CRACKS

http://boatnutmedia.blogspot.ca/2015/03/fiberglass-repair-part-2.html

 

READ ART OF FIBERGLASS REPAIR PART 3 HOLES

http://boatnutmedia.blogspot.ca/2015/12/holes-in-my-boat-fiberglass-part-3-how.html

To guarantee access to all of  Boat Nut Magazine articles, pictures and featured services visit the official Boat Nut Magazine ©™ website. Be sure to reply to the Boat Nut Association registration on our site for the latest Boat Nut weekly and monthly news letters and opportunities.

http://boatnutmagazine.com/

Copyright 2015 © Boat Nut Media, Toronto, Ontario. All rights reserved. No part of this information/publications may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, magnetic, or other record, without prior agreement and written permission of the publisher, Boat Nuts Media ©™ No liability is assumed with respect to the information provided.