SeaDoo 3D Manual page 341

In case of fractures which have not penetrated
past the gelcoat layer, the repair concerns the gel-
coat only. If flex cracking or impact are evident,
then additional reinforcement may be necessary.
This subject will be covered in COMPOUND
FRACTURES.
PREPARING THE SURFACES
Small Fractures
Open the cracks up with a sharp triangular can
opener or preferably a carbide tipped die grinder.
The V groove will provide a good bonding area
for the gelcoat. With 220-grit sandpaper, sand the
sides of the notched out areas.
Numerous Fractures
Using a grinder with a 24-grit disk, remove the gel-
coat. Sand the area edge with 220-grit sandpaper.
FILLING THE REPAIR AREA
Small Fractures
Refer to the same procedure as in the AIR BUB-
BLES.
Numerous Fractures Over Large Surface:
Prepare the area for spray application of liquid gel-
coat. Wipe down the surface with acetone. Mask
the area off to protect the watercraft from over-
spray.
Mix the needed quantity of gelcoat and catalyst ac-
cording to suppliers recommendations. The gel-
coat can be thinned with acetone up to 10%. If it
needs more consistency you can add cabosil.
Make sure that the air supply is free of oil, dirt and
water.
Test spray the gelcoat mixture on paper to verify
its consistency and pattern. You may have to ap-
ply 5 or 6 coats to cover the area properly. Over-
lap each coat further than the last, leaving at least
30 seconds between passes. Avoid trying to coat
the surface with only a few heavy coats, this will
not allow the gelcoat to dry properly.
Apply a coat of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to seal off
the air and protect the gelcoat surface from dust.
PVA speeds up the curing process because gel-
coat will not cure properly when exposed to air.
smr2005-069
SANDING
Wash the polyvinyl alcohol off with water. De-
pending on the size of the area repaired, you can
either block sand as per previous procedure or you
may use an air sander. Sand the surface down
with progressively finer grits of sandpaper until the
desired finish is achieved.
BUFFING AND WAXING
Buff the surface using a heavy duty polisher with
a buffing pad. Make sure the pad is free of dirt
or you may damage the gelcoat. Carefully begin
buffing with a white medium compound. Finish
off using a fine compound. While buffing, pay
close attention to avoid overheating the surface.
Compound Fractures
Possible causes:
– Thickness of fiberglass laminate.
– Direct result of impact.
Compound fractures are those that have gone
past the gelcoated surface and in through the lay-
ers of fiberglass laminate. Two types of repairs
have to be performed. The first is to restore the
structural integrity of the damaged area. Fracture
types can vary from a simple crack to a large
hole. Usually, fiberglass reinforcement becomes
necessary, especially if the fracture can be at-
tributed to weakness. The final part of the repair
is the gelcoating, which cannot be done until the
interior and exterior laminate surfaces have been
repaired.
Outside
Remove the damaged gelcoat and fiberglass with
a 24-grit disk using a power sander. Grind out-
ward at least 2 inches from the fracture to allow
the patch to bond to strong material. Cut enough
pieces of fiberglass mat necessary to build up the
area. The pieces should be cut so they overlap
each other by at least a half inch. For a smoother
finish, the last layer should be fiberglass cloth. If
the fracture is small enough all you may have to
do is fill the area with an epoxy filler.
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Section 11 HULL/BODY
Subsection 01 (GTI SERIES)
331