Sea-doo 2003 GTI LE RFI, Shop Manual

Page: 728 / 779

Section 16 HULL/BODY
Subsection 02 (ADJUSTMENT AND REPAIR)
SMR2003-046_16_02A.FM
16-02-43
Minor Gelcoat Fractures
Possible causes:
– Flexing of fiberglass laminate.
– Gelcoat thickness.
– Direct result of impact.
In case of fractures which have not penetrated
past the gelcoat layer, the repair concerns the
gelcoat only. If flex cracking or impact are evident,
then additional reinforcement may be necessary.
This subject will be covered in
Compound Frac-
tures .
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
gelcoat. Sand the area edge with 220-grit sandpa-
per.
FILLING THE REPAIR AREA
Small Fractures
Refer to the same procedure as in the AIR BUBBLES.
Numerous Fractures Over Large Surface:
Prepare the area for spray application of liquid
gelcoat. Wipe down the surface with acetone.
Mask the area off to protect the watercraft from
overspray.
Mix the needed quantity of gelcoat and catalyst
according to suppliers recommendations. The
gelcoat 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 apply
5 or 6 coats to cover the area properly. Overlap
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
gelcoat will not cure properly when exposed to air.
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 de-
sired 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 buff-
ing with a white medium compound. Finish off us-
ing a fine compound. While buffing, pay close at-
tention 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 neces-
sary, especially if the fracture can be attributed 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 outward
at least 2 inches from the fracture to allow the
patch to bond to strong material. Cut enough piec-
es of fiberglass mat necessary to build up the area.
The pieces should be cut so they overlap each oth-
er 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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