Gel Coat Repair

[RobS]

Prior to the Albin I had a Pursuit. I needed to repair a few nicks in the gel coat and tried Spectrum Color’s Patch Paste and was extremely satisfied with the results. I had a few nicks in the gel coat on the Albin and went on Spectrum’s website and Albin is not listed.

So I called Spectrum and they said that they continually send out mailings to the boat builders which include a request for a small sample of the gelcoat color. What a surprise – Albin was one of the builders that chose not to return the info and the gel coat colors to Spectrum.

One of my options was to send in a sample of my gel coat and they would make it custom. However, this would require a few hundred dollar purchase of much more than I needed, I think it was a gallon.

My other option was to check the list of boat builders that the gel coat was available for and find the closest match. This winter I installed my autopilot display head where my wiper smitch was and relocated my wiper switch under the starboard window, in front of the throttle control. So I had a nice square of the white gel coat to keep with me in my search.

After checking several boats I found a very close match on a friends 2007 Century center console that has a blue hull with white topsides and interior.

I ordered the 2 ounce jar of Spectrum’s Patch Past known as 2003-2009, NEW WHITE LVOC: CENTURY.

I planned on completing a repair in the transom box first and then decide if the color match was close enough to repair a nick on the gunnel. Turns out the color match is perfect. I think my topsides are known as Oyster White.

Attached is a picture I took while completing one of the repairs to show the color match. The arrow points to the area under repair. I figured if I took the picture after I was totally done sanding and polishing you may not see it at all.

The website is http://www.spectrumcolor.com

[RicM]

Looks good Rob. Now if I could figure out how to match the grey non-skid......

[RobS]

Looks good Rob. Now if I could figure out how to match the grey non-skid......

Thanks and thanks for the reminder. I have a few small chips in the grey non-skid on my swim platform, similar to your cockpit floor. I am going to take one of my hatches to the Benjamin Moore store and get a quart of Iron Clad mixed to match. At least a dap of grey in the chips will look better than the black chips until at which time I decide to ever repaint the platform...

[RobS]

Ric,

Thanks for the kick in the butt. Matched up the grey on one of my hatches at the BM paint store. Used my knife to remove any loose materials and then filled in a few dime sized chips in the swim platform with Bondo fiberglass short-stranded filler. The grey color is right-on. Just did a few dabs of paint over the filler.

[RicM]

Rob,

Looks good, There is a product they are selling at Jamestown Distributers that is actual reverse molds of different no-skid patterns. you fill with epoxy resin then press a sheet of the material over the filler and it makes the 3D texture in the material to match your no-skid. Might have to investigate that, I just had another one open up. I think someone is dropping bank sinkers when fishing. You should package up 6 oz bottles of the grey paint and sell them at the rendezvous for $12 each.

[RobS]

Yes, for anything more than small chip repairs the texture and finish will certainly be an issue. I wonder if the grey on all of our boats is actually all an exact match, remember - we're talkin' Albin here......

[Tuxedo]

Albin's dealer rep at the time advised me to use a paint roller as the gel coat hardened to match the texture of the non-skid.

Also, in the mid - late 90's they were using Cooks Gel Coat. Most boats came with a can of whatever colors the boat was.