with careful application of acetone. (Acetone is a powerful and extremely
flammable solvent which is available in most paint and hardware stores.)
Stress or “spider cracks” are a common occurrence on the fiberglass boats of even
the most careful skippers. Most of the time, these cracks represent no structural
problem and are limited to the gel coat surface. If you have any doubt about the
seriousness of any crack, consult your dealer. Minor gel coat repairs are not
difficult and a reasonably handy person with a little study and practice can make
adequate cosmetic repairs. Structural fiberglass repairs, however, are best left to
the experts.
If for any reason you desire to apply paint to areas of the boat other than to the
bottom or boot top, seek the advice of qualified personnel at a boat yard in your
area for information about the latest development in chemically-based paints for
fiberglass, and the recommended surface preparation procedure.
2.1-3 Bottom Paints
Your Intrepid Yacht was painted with Dolphinite #9303 Dark Blue anti-fouling
bottom paint before it left the factory. The area under the cradle bulkheads and
keel supports may require additional painting prior to launching. These areas
should be well sanded with 50 grit paper and washed with solvent to remove wax
prior to painting.
In certain geographical areas some bottom paints work much better than others.
If you intend to repaint the bottom of your boat, seek the advice of your dealer or
knowledgeable local boat owners on what brand of bottom paint works well in
your area. Caution: not all bottom paints are chemically compatible. Be sure to
tell your paint dealer what paint is currently on the bottom of your boat to be
certain that you purchase compatible anti-fouling paint. The Dolphinite bottom
paint is a vinyl-resin based vehicle.
2.1-4 Hardware
The deck hardware items on your Intrepid Yacht were engineered for their
intended purposes.
Since many deck hardware items are expected to withstand considerable strains,
they are bolted through the deck and through a back-up reinforcement where
required. The bolts securing these items should be checked frequently to be
certain that they are still tight. Be careful not to over tighten any fastener thereby
causing it to fail or be reduced in strength.
The judicious use of a silicone-type product on sail, genoa, and traveler tracks
works well to keep these running free in a salt air environment. Sheaves should
be disassembled occasionally, washed and well lubricated with a thin oil.
Turnbuckles, stanchions, rails, and other stainless steel hardware will discolor in a
salt air environment. Keeping stainless steel cleaned and polished using a marine
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