aallen wrote:My roof has got some crazing--the gel coat you talk about-What is it and how is it applied.Mine has not been painted so what surface treatment is needed.
Tony,
Don't be in a hurry to paint yours. The standard gellcoat covering (which is the shiny layer top surface) of the glass fibre is very durable to all the weather conditions, even if it has cracks and crazing. Mine has plenty and it's fully watertight, even in extreme conditions such as golf ball sized hailstones and 3 inches of snow.
With a good polish (not too abrasive) and wax it'll last for years more.
In order to properly repair stars and crazing in the gellcoat requires major surgery and removal of the gellcoat right back down to the fibre underneath and then rebuilding. My GRP guy really did not recommend it when I asked him to 'fix' mine. He said it would end up looking like a patchwork quilt because he'd never be able to match up exactly the colour of the sun bleached GRP. He said he could get it close but you'd still see the repairs.
From experience, I'd wash it with a good car shampoo, polish it with a good car polish, then get some expensive car wax on it. Then sit in it when it's raining and see if it's leaking. Unless you've got a really badly cracked roof I'd safely say it should be watertight.
Painting wise, once it's done, it's done and it'll need maintaining. Also, if you sell it on it will never be the right colour for the new owner. I know of one for sale at the moment with a dark blue roof, which suits the current owners requirements, but it's putting potential buyers off.