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?

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?

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


Thanks in advance.