waddycall
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Ive recently bought a great little surf kayak that’s a bit rough around the edges. It’s not that old but is been well used. It’s an epoxy laminate construction which the manufacturer calls Spec 3 XTech -
The previous owner has done a lot of repair to the gel coat with a flowcoat and as he pointed out the gel coat looks really thin. when I bought it there was a load of foam glued in around the seat area which was too tight s fit for me so I pulled it all out and took lots of bits of gel coat with it. It now looks like this -
I asked the manufacturer what gel coat to use and they recommended the epoxy compatible gel coat ECF sell which is Crystic 252pa. I spoke to ECF and they couldn’t recommend anything but as I’m keen to get it on the water I bought it anyway.
ive just sanded off the old gel coat in the seat pan and put in a coat of the 252pa with 12% pigment, 2% wax in styrene and 2% MEKP catalyst. This is a bit thin in places so needs a second coat but according to Scott Bader you shouldn’t double coat the 252Pa as it won’t bond with itself. I put the resin on with a brush and hoped I could get it a bit thicker so i could cut it back after one coat and polish it but that’s not the case.
before I go any further it would be good to hear from anyone who’s experienced in repairing gelcoat/flow coat over Epoxy laminates. As far as I’m aware the original gel coat is epoxy so the only polyester in it is what I’m putting on.
i need to do the upright bit behind the seat next so need to get the technique right on this bit first.
Id prefer to keep to gelcoat/flowcoat but if it comes to it I could always use an epoxy filler and epoxy paint over the top.
cheers
The previous owner has done a lot of repair to the gel coat with a flowcoat and as he pointed out the gel coat looks really thin. when I bought it there was a load of foam glued in around the seat area which was too tight s fit for me so I pulled it all out and took lots of bits of gel coat with it. It now looks like this -
I asked the manufacturer what gel coat to use and they recommended the epoxy compatible gel coat ECF sell which is Crystic 252pa. I spoke to ECF and they couldn’t recommend anything but as I’m keen to get it on the water I bought it anyway.
ive just sanded off the old gel coat in the seat pan and put in a coat of the 252pa with 12% pigment, 2% wax in styrene and 2% MEKP catalyst. This is a bit thin in places so needs a second coat but according to Scott Bader you shouldn’t double coat the 252Pa as it won’t bond with itself. I put the resin on with a brush and hoped I could get it a bit thicker so i could cut it back after one coat and polish it but that’s not the case.
before I go any further it would be good to hear from anyone who’s experienced in repairing gelcoat/flow coat over Epoxy laminates. As far as I’m aware the original gel coat is epoxy so the only polyester in it is what I’m putting on.
i need to do the upright bit behind the seat next so need to get the technique right on this bit first.
Id prefer to keep to gelcoat/flowcoat but if it comes to it I could always use an epoxy filler and epoxy paint over the top.
cheers
