Maintenance - Gelcoat cabin top

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Gelcoat cabin top

Printed From: Laser 28 International Class Association
Category: Laser 28 General
Forum Name: Maintenance
Forum Description: All the things to care for your boat
URL: http://www.laser28.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=822
Printed Date: 28 April 2024 at 3:33pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Gelcoat cabin top

Posted By: GIGGITY
Subject: Gelcoat cabin top
Date Posted: 18 July 2019 at 6:42pm

I'm having a lot of cracks show up in what I believe is gelcoat down below especially in the v-birth area. Has anyone just removed that layer and painted the fiberglass? I'm just looking for ways to make the cabin look good.

Replies:

Posted By: Bill Layton
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 9:07am

What is number is your boat?

Posted By: GIGGITY
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 9:10am

It's 103.

Posted By: Bill Layton
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 9:25am

Ok this is one of the early L28's and the interior fairing of the underside of the deck is unknown. I saw this problem on boat # 102 and they sanded out all the cracks and refaired it... it was the fairing and not the glass that cracked. I'm unclear on what they used to fair the underside but this problem happened to 3 of the very early boats. I've never seen any fiberglass cracking, just the fairing. Hope this helps.

Posted By: GIGGITY
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 9:32am

Okay that sounds good. Yeah I didn't see any cracks in the fiberglass. I do have some very soft spots on the deck between the mast and the forward hatch. There is a lot of flexing there so that may be part of the reason it's cracking underneath. Thanks for the help!

Posted By: Bill Layton
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 9:51am

There's a large piece of plywood under the mast deck casting used in the fiberglass sandwich. On some boats this had water get into it and cause delamination. I would suggest a moisture check around that area first before you make other assumptions. But there is some foam in the area you describe. The early decks were indeed more flexible than the later decks so some of this is normal.

Posted By: GIGGITY
Date Posted: 19 July 2019 at 1:14pm

Thanks for that info. I'll get my hands on a moisture meter and check that.