Fairing is more than just fixing dings and dents for cosmetic reasons. It entails everything from filling surface scratches in gelcoat, seamlessly repairing osmosis blisters on a hull, reshaping the leading edge of a keel, making a hull repair disappear, or smoothing the hull to get the fastest underwater profile.
A fairing compound contains resin—either epoxy, polyester, or vinyl ester, and each resin is designed for different purposes. Before deciding on a fairing compound, think about whether the faired area is above or below the waterline, and how you plan to finish the faired surface. Will you be finishing with primer, barrier coat, topcoat, or gelcoat? The answers to these questions determine the type of resin required in the fairing compound.
The key to successful fairing is to use a fairing compound that contains the appropriate resin and thickening agents to do the job properly. The fairing compound needs to bond to the substrate being faired, and the finishing material (such as primer, paint, or gelcoat) needs to bond to the faired surface.
Some manufacturers make high-build epoxy fairing primers that can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed over the prepared surface, which can be either the substrate (if imperfections are not too deep), or atop sanded and cleaned fairing compound. In addition, there are single-component surfacing putty fairing compounds that are not epoxy or polyester resin based. This type of fast-drying surfacing putty is used above the waterline to fill fastener holes and shallow gouges and to fair minor imperfections in fiberglass or bare wood prior to painting.
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