There's a scientific dictum about using the least injurious method . . .
first. Then following with progressively harsher techniques - IF the first
doesn't work.

What you describe is basically a *hydrolytic* problem. {Ironically, it would
'almost' be better if the holes went ALL THE WAY through}. You don't have a
'back-door vent', so you have to go to a 'strip mine' effect. What I would
suggest is the use of a straight wire brush . . . the HAND POWER kind. {Suck
up your guts, because this won't be pretty!!}. Take the brush, and with
MODERATE pressure, start scrubbing the area. Fore-and-aft, up & down,
circular fashion . . . your choice. What you are doing is opening up the
'pin holes' to small 'troughs'. Plus giving making 'tooth marks' for the
next step.

Brush the entire area, then vacuum, then wipe with denatured alcohol. At
this point there are a number of preparations {'Barrier Coats'} for the cure
of 'boat pox'. Each application lays down about a 5mil coat. A total of
15mils is the usual recommendation. Depending how paranoid you are, you can
follow this schedule - Lay down a couple of thin coats of epoxy, followed by
a fairing coat. Then after fairing, about 3 applications of a Barrier Coat.
Then two coats of your favorite anti-fouling paint. {Now what does that say
about ME !!}

You'll know before that first coat of epoxy goes beyond the 'green' stage
that the holes are plugged.

Regards and Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop
{This is what I DID after the 'Professionals' at the marina sandblasted
through the gelcoat and the first layer of 'glass. Their 'repair' had pin
holes all over . . . they got real ****ed when I made them do it over . . .
3 times !!}

"1088" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Jun 2005 02:17:58 GMT, Mac wrote:

On Wed, 15 Jun 2005 06:51:14 +0000, 1088 wrote:

Still fixing my fixer-upper. I chiseled and sanded the crazing in the
gelcoat, then filled with several different things and the cracks are
covered ok but the tiny, tiny pin-holes will not fill. Many of these
looked like tiny black spots at first. Any attempt to fill them
results in some kind of gassing and the filler just ozzes back out
after a while.
SNIP

Roughly how many spots are there? And how wide are they?

roughly many. (50 - 100?) smaller than a pinhead. I widened some with
a chisel point; I think that worked better so far. I sand and vacuum
then I wipe with acetone. If it's damp out I attack with the heat gun.
After it dries I try and work the filler-du-jour in but it all pumps
back out like the hole is too narrow to let the air out through the
goop.
SNIP