Service

Gelcoat Repair

Gelcoat repaired and brought back to a shine

Gelcoat is your hull's protective outer skin. Chips, scratches and cracks let water reach the laminate underneath, and sun and salt turn the surface dull and chalky. We repair the damage, match the colour and restore the shine – on yachts, motorboats and RIBs anywhere in Malta and Gozo.

What's included

01
Chips, scratches & gouges
Damaged gelcoat is cleaned out, filled with new gelcoat or filler, then sanded and polished to blend in with the surface around it.
02
Cracks & star-crazing
We open up and fill cracks. If they go into the laminate, we repair the fibreglass underneath first so they don't come back.
03
Oxidised, dull gelcoat
Machine compounding and polishing remove oxidation and fine scratches, then a wax or sealant protects the restored finish.

Is your gelcoat chipped, cracked or chalky?

Get in touch with our experienced team. Send us a photo and we'll tell you whether it needs a repair, a polish or both.

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Why choose MMR

Colour matched
We tint the repair gelcoat to your hull, so the repair blends in rather than standing out.
Fixed at the cause
Cracks that keep coming back usually point to movement or damage underneath. We check and fix the cause, not just the surface.
Repair and polish together
We can repair the damage and polish the whole hull in the same visit, so the finish matches everywhere.

Brands we work with

Why gelcoat damage matters

Gelcoat is thin, hard and waterproof. Once it chips or cracks, water can reach the fibreglass underneath, and over time that leads to bigger repairs. Sun, salt and Saharan dust also break down the surface, turning a glossy hull chalky and faded. Read how salt water damages gelcoat.

How we repair gelcoat

Clean and inspect. We degrease the area and check whether the damage stops at the gelcoat or reaches the laminate.
Prepare. Chips and cracks are opened up and bevelled so the repair has edges to bond to.
Fill. New gelcoat, tinted to match your hull, or a filler for deeper damage.
Sand and polish. Wet-sanding through finer grits, then compounding and polishing until the repair blends in.

Restoring dull, oxidised gelcoat

Faded gelcoat can usually be saved. We compound from coarse to fine with the Dulon system – starting at Ultra Strong 13 for badly weathered gelcoat – then protect the finish with wax or the long-lasting Dulon 1&2. Read can a dull hull be saved?

What affects the price?

The number and size of the repairs, whether colour-matching is needed, whether the laminate underneath needs repairing, and how much of the hull needs polishing. Send us photos for a quote.

Where we work

Gelcoat repairs above the waterline can usually be done at your berth – in Msida, Ta' Xbiex, Gżira, the Grand Harbour, Portomaso, Marsaxlokk, St Paul's Bay, Mellieħa, Gozo or anywhere else in Malta. Damage below the waterline is repaired on the hard, at any yard.

Related services

Damage deeper than the gelcoat? See epoxy & fibreglass repairs. Blisters below the waterline? See boat osmosis treatment. Just want the shine back? See cleaning & polishing.

Questions

Can gelcoat be repaired so it doesn't show?

Small chips and scratches can usually be made almost invisible with colour-matched gelcoat and polishing. Older, faded hulls are harder to match exactly, so we often polish the area around the repair too.

What causes star cracks in gelcoat?

Star-crazing usually comes from an impact or from the hull flexing around fittings and stress points. If the cause isn't fixed, the cracks come back.

Is a chipped gelcoat a problem below the waterline?

Yes – it lets water reach the laminate. Have chips below the waterline repaired at your next haul-out.

Can oxidised gelcoat be restored?

In most cases, yes. Compounding removes the chalky top layer and polishing brings back the gloss. Very thin or badly damaged gelcoat may need painting instead.

Can you repair gelcoat at my berth?

Above the waterline, usually yes. Below the waterline, the boat needs to be out of the water.

The products we use