Prepping for paint, found minor Crack

[Postma]

I started to somewhat prep my ski for paint and I found this minor crack. The nose has been repaired before (inside and out, outside with T.C. Carbon nose) but my dumba$s somehow sanded threw one part of the fiberglass repair :doh:. The inside of the ski has been reinforced, but what should I do about the crack on the outside? Should I just use some epoxy filler and sand it smooth? Anyone ever use Duraglass, if not whats a good epoxy to use for this?

What is a good way to get fiberglass repairs smoothed out and ready for paint? As I was sanding, I ended up sanding away most of the fiberglass repair before I could get it smooth.

Also should I be sanding all the old paint off all the way to the gel coat or just rough up the old paint with some 400 grit?

 

[jerzyjet]

just rough it up but keep it consistent and a nice uniform dull finish. As for the crack. I dunno what people recommend for outside repairs. Some products are better then others. But the duraglass could work..just spread a nice smooth coat over it and sand before fully dry...just dont sand off to much. Get some other opinions first, im not familiar with marine products, but if it were a car i know all about that.

 

[ski4]

i would sand that back some, then perhaps lay another layer of glass with epoxy to overlap that line, sand smooth, then fair it in with some epoxy and 404 fairing filler

 

[cmeripper26]

If thats just the paint cracked i would sand the area down and hit it with an epoxy fairing compound and sand smooth. If its down to the glass and there is a little glass damage then i would sand the area down around the damaged glass area and build up a thin layer of glass and epoxy resin let it cure then hit it with the fairing and sand smooth. Post some pics of the damage after you sand it down

 

[snowxr]

When you have a crack in the fiberglass, it's probably best to grind down through the gelcoat, and repair the glass with epoxy resin and new fiberglass. It will be stronger than using filler. Once the repair is cured you just have to sand it, which takes patience to get it right. Don't be affraid to skim a thin coating of resin or filler on top to smooth it out and fill pin holes in the sanded glass.

 

[Postma]

I stopped at the marine store yesterday (before I could look at this post) and they recommended that I use Marine-Tex. Good or bad idea?

After I got back I examined the crack a little more, and I am not 100% sure but I think it is just the paint that is chipping off. I was able to use my fingernail to easily chip off a little more paint. I can see fiberglass mat where it is chipped but that doesnt appear damaged. The pictures are of the crack/chip after I chipped a little more of the area.

The last picture is around where the hood goes. I noticed there was some spider web type cracks there as well as in the nose of the ski. Is that something I have to worry about or do you think it is just in the paint? Should I just use some fairing compound to fix this?

Thanks for the help so far!

 

[cmeripper26]

If the glass is real brittle and dry rotted i would sand into it a bit and lay maybe some 6oz. over and air roll it out with epoxy resin then hit it with a skim of fairing. If the glass is in good shape just feather edge around the jagged portion and hit it with a good skim of fairing. Thats how i would handle it

 

[snowxr]

By the looks of your nose there has been at least one, but maybe two repairs done to that hull already. If it were mine I would gring right down into the glass, and repair it with epoxy resin and glass. Anything else would be a band aid IMO.

I was in your shoes last fall, and fixed a nose very much like yours. Now it looks new.