Roy is right about the tape tip, I have done several gel repairs too and you don't want a big lump of gel to try and sand out because you will inevitably end up with low spots around the hump. Gel sets pretty hard and the tape gives you a good near-flat starting point.
You can do this! I was intimidated the first time but found that it worked well and my repairs to the pad of my 03 turned out to be invisible once completed.
Biggest problem I see for you is the color match--gel darkens with time with UV exposure, so even a factory-pack might not match perfectly.
While on the subject, I used to carry boat fenders for fore and aft, all types of crap to protect the boat at the dock, being so paranoid of dock damage. Then every rally I'd go to, people would just idle up to a dock and tie off with NOTHING protecting the boat, and they would never seem to get scratches. Meanwhile, I was getting them all the time!
I finally came to the conclusion that in most cases, boat fenders are more likely to inflict scratches and damage than just letting the rub rail hit. Provided the rub rail is at the same level as the dock. Our boats love to slip UNDER the dock sides, wreaking all kinds of havoc. I now view the rub rail (rubber part) as completely expendable/disposable.
The worst times were at two restaurants in the CA delta--Giusti's and Garlic Brothers. My Grandsport was tied up at Giusti's with every dock fender known to man, but the aft end slipped under the dock rail and the idiots who installed the dock tiedowns (the big "t" things) had left about 6" of 1/4"x20 threaded rod UNDER the sides of the dock, carving neat little seismic curly Q's in the perfect red and black gel on the wings. PISSED me OFF!!:mad
Same type of event at Garlic Brothers. Slipped under the dock rails and they had used angle-iron underneath. Carved up the white gel on my SS real nice.
The delta seems to be the worst place for this type of crap. Most of the docks in TN and other lakes I've been to don't have "boat eating" docks and slips...
Oh yeah...saw the last page...Nice work!!
You can do this! I was intimidated the first time but found that it worked well and my repairs to the pad of my 03 turned out to be invisible once completed.
Biggest problem I see for you is the color match--gel darkens with time with UV exposure, so even a factory-pack might not match perfectly.
While on the subject, I used to carry boat fenders for fore and aft, all types of crap to protect the boat at the dock, being so paranoid of dock damage. Then every rally I'd go to, people would just idle up to a dock and tie off with NOTHING protecting the boat, and they would never seem to get scratches. Meanwhile, I was getting them all the time!
I finally came to the conclusion that in most cases, boat fenders are more likely to inflict scratches and damage than just letting the rub rail hit. Provided the rub rail is at the same level as the dock. Our boats love to slip UNDER the dock sides, wreaking all kinds of havoc. I now view the rub rail (rubber part) as completely expendable/disposable.
The worst times were at two restaurants in the CA delta--Giusti's and Garlic Brothers. My Grandsport was tied up at Giusti's with every dock fender known to man, but the aft end slipped under the dock rail and the idiots who installed the dock tiedowns (the big "t" things) had left about 6" of 1/4"x20 threaded rod UNDER the sides of the dock, carving neat little seismic curly Q's in the perfect red and black gel on the wings. PISSED me OFF!!:mad
Same type of event at Garlic Brothers. Slipped under the dock rails and they had used angle-iron underneath. Carved up the white gel on my SS real nice.
The delta seems to be the worst place for this type of crap. Most of the docks in TN and other lakes I've been to don't have "boat eating" docks and slips...
Oh yeah...saw the last page...Nice work!!
Last edited:
