"Stanley Barthfarkle" wrote in message
gy.com...
Hi all,

I'm wet sanding the scratches on the hull of my 19' fiberglass hull
(mostly
on the underside along the keel) and I've noticed that a few of the deeper
gouges have gone all the way through the gel coat, showing the charcoal
gray
of the fiberglass underneath.

My first question is- what is the best way to fill the gouges and deeper
scratches, and what coating should I put on the repair to help it last?
Would some sort of barrier coat be tough enough to withstand occasional
beaching?

There's nothing you can paint on that'll work, however, 3M makes a plastic
sheeting that aircraft use on their nose radomes that is tough as all hell.
I'd give it a try, but I bet it's not cheap.

I've also heard about a PVC "keel guard" product that looks interesting,
albeit a bit expensive.. Any thoughts from those who have experience with
this product? Can it be applied over existing gouges, or should repairs be
made first?
You should always repair the damages first.

Lastly, how does one check to make sure that water has not penetrated into
the fiberglass layer?

A moisture meter, check with a surveyor, he should have one.