It's important to understand what gelcoat is. Gelcoat is the first thing sprayed into a female mold when a boat is built, usually to a thickness of .5 to 1 mm. Depending on the method of construction, layers of chopped mat and fiberglass cloth are then built up on top to form the hull, deck, and other molded parts. When the parts are taken out of the mold, it's the smooth, now outside layer of gelcoat that you see. Gelcoat doesn't fully cure when it's exposed to air, but because one side is against the mold and the other is covered by fiberglass and resin, air is excluded, and the gelcoat cures to form an impervious barrier between the water and laminate.
No matter how careful you are, fiberglass boats collect dings and gouges over time. Many of these are minor and limited to the gelcoat — that smooth, shiny outer layer of the fiberglass layup. Shallow scratches can often be wet sanded and buffed out. But when larger cracks and gouges form, they need to be filled. In most cases, scratches in gelcoat are purely cosmetic and don't affect the underlying integrity of the actual fiberglass, but you'll still want to address them to prevent moisture from migrating into the laminate as well as to preserve the appearance of the boat.
Our certified technicians know every trick on the book to make sure all of our repairs are finished properly, always doing our best to hide the broken area after we are done. Do it yourselves videos and cheap tools and materials will not cut it. Let our profesional technicians do the job right for you.