www.iFourWinns.com

I would vote for blowing off the repairs this year and do it in the offseason. That way if you get other nicks or scratches this summer you won't freak out. The best thing to happen for me when I bought my first boat was to get that first scratch out of the way - then I wasn't so anxious or anal about it and I could actually relax and enjoy it.

I had some repair done on my boat a few years ago. The damage was my fault as well as new docks that had exposed metal edges. I filed a claim with insurance. After my deductible, the insurance paid the balance. I then made a claim with the marina for the deductible based on the dock situation. They paid that as well. So all was covered in my case with no out of pocket cost. It may be different in your case.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Gelcoat repairs, like breast implants, are probably best left to the pros so you get satisfactory results. In both cases, your boat will end looking better.

Noticed you are in TN - what lake do you go to?

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'06 Horizon 210

I am from the "leave it as is since you are going to do it again" group. Think of it as an excuse to tell the story and maybe educate somebody else so they won't make the same bonehead move. Every scratch on my boat (that I've done) is like a hieroglyphic (they all tell a story!) Once it gets real bad have it fixed or just before you are selling.... That reminds me I haven't heard back from my fibreglass contact about repairing my gel!

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

yeah i would like to leave it alone but it annoys me everytime i look at it. i have full coverage with progressive so i will make a claim an see what they say an then go from there. i'm actually not in TN the boat was a repo i'am in the hampton roads, va area an take the boat mainly on the potomac northern part. anyone from the hampton roads area that knows of a good gelcoat repair shop?

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2006 horizon 210
1998 yamaha gp1200
2000 Tundra
1989 Honda civic (aka brown betty)

well insurance covers it! thank god for full coverage!

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2006 horizon 210
1998 yamaha gp1200
2000 Tundra
1989 Honda civic (aka brown betty)

Well said!!

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Jeff

'14 Cruisers 380 Express "Simon Sez"
Merc 8.2 Mag MPI 380
DTS B3X, (x2) Axius Premier


(SOLD)
'08 V318
Merc 350 Mag MPI 300
DTS Seacore, B3 (x2)

By far the best advice

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

I agree on it feeling better after you get that first scratch out of the way.

I learned my lesson about boat lifts the hard way too. In windy choppy weather be sure the lift is up just high enough to hold the boat slightly until you get it going up. In my defense it was a rental spot I was using for the first time.

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2005 Horizon 210, 5.7L Volvo