Sailing Vegvisirvideo

Cleaning a sailboat - Discovering wounds in the gelcoat

April 19, 2025 · 4 min · 2K views · Puerto Madero

What this video covers

Carlota cleans the hull of Vegvisir while docked at Chiapas Marina, Mexico, to prepare the vessel for the upcoming Pacific season and to identify gelcoat damage.0:30 The cleaning process reveals spider-web cracks and chips across the hull that were previously obscured by dirt and oxidation.1:11 To remove stubborn stains and rust, she applies Fairey descaling and deoxidizing cleaner, followed by a Zadira magic sponge for deep cleaning.1:32 After washing the hull, she uses blue painter's tape to mark every gelcoat imperfection for future repair, noting that while many cracks are small, some could potentially allow water ingress.2:46 She also addresses the transom, where previous paint had cracked due to poor quality, improper catalyst ratios, or application in direct sunlight.3:43 She stripped the transom using 80-grit sandpaper to expose the original gelcoat.3:49 The hull is now prepped and marked for upcoming structural repairs to both horizontal and vertical surfaces.4:08

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