o 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. BoatUS has discovered that many owners shy away from gelcoat repairs thinking they’re complicated and difficult. But with the
