REPAIR OF SMALL CRACKS AND HOLES

1. Rough up gel coat around damaged area (to approximately 1"-1 1/2" from damage).

2. Cut pieces of carbon or glass fiber cloth to shape. A typical repair will use 2-3 layers of carbon or 3-4 layers of glass. Cut the first piece about 1" bigger than the damaged area and each successive piece about 1/4" larger than the first piece.

3. Mix resin. Paint a coat of resin on damaged area. Apply cloth patches starting with smallest piece, saturate each piece as it's applied. Don't use too much resin. Don't work in direct sunlight.

4. Stretch and tape plastic film firmly over repair (this will smooth and compact the patch).

5. When resin has hardened remove plastic and sand down high spots and edges, don't remove too much material.

6. Do final smoothing and faring with auto body putty. Sand to 220 grit sandpaper prior to painting.

7. Paint with catalyzed gelcoat using a spray gun or preval sprayer (available through hardware stores).

8. Once this has hardened, then you're into the final smoothing. Be very careful in this stage. You want to sand enough away that the blend line where the new gelcoat meets the old is not visible, but you don't want to sand enough away that you remove all the new gelcoat.

9. Wet sand to 1000 grit. 10. Buff with rubbing compound then wax.