An interview with chemical engineer and marine product developer, Dr. Sergio Vitomir.
How did you get into boating?
I first started sailing a Hobie Cat in Switzerland on Lake Geneva when I was in university. When I moved to Canada I bought another 18’ Hobie Cat which I stored at Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver and I would sail between Jericho Beach across Burrard Inlet to Point Atkinson and back, my Hobie Cat had no motor. After that I bought my first proper sailing boat with a motor, a Catalina 25. I kept that boat at Reed Point Marina in Port Moody, BC. Then I upgraded to a bigger sailboat made in the UK, a Westerly Pentland 32 (Westerly Marine closed in the 1980’s). I joined Deep Cove Yacht Club and tried racing with this boat but it was more of a cruising boat and not adequate for racing. So I decided to buy a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35, a newer French made boat that was designed for both cruising and racing. That’s the boat I still have today and her name is Matilda. She is also moored at Reed Point Marina and is the subject of all my initial product testing.
How did you come to develop marine products?
I got into marine products a number of years ago working with Propspeed on the development and improvement of propeller coatings. After that I moved into anti-fouling, and worked on alternatives to current toxic products, inventing an anti-fouling system that was non-hazardous and non-regulated. I also developed a Sunbrella and boat deck treatment product that would kill green algae and prevent growth during the winter season. This product was designed so you could just spray and go (no scrub or rinse required) and it was both non-toxic and marine safe.
Why did you develop the Boatsmartz Gel Coat Repair Kit?
I developed my own Gel Coat Repair Kit because pretty much all boats develop cracks in gelcoat over time and the products that I purchased from various countries for filling hairline cracks on my boats proved not to work. The products I tried wouldn’t even go into the crack or they’d wash off almost immediately. None of them were a permanent solution. I decided to make the gelcoat crack filler for my own boat and then had so many people asking for the product that I decided to manufacture it for others to buy.
Let’s talk about cracks. What is a hairline crack? How do hairline cracks occur?
A hairline crack is a crack that develops in the vinyl ester/polyester (gelcoat) due to shrinkage, flexing of the boat. Gelcoat is a top layer, under which is fiberglass. Your boat is designed to flex in the water however fiberglass flexes easier than gelcoat, which is more brittle. As a result your gelcoat cracks because of these dissimilar flexing properties.
Is a hairline crack in the gelcoat or the fiberglass?
The crack is in the gelcoat but it exposes the fiberglass. When your fiberglass is exposed it collects a build up of salt and dirt which leads to extension of the cracks. The salt crystals that are in the crack expand and compress over time due to the changes in air humidity. These changes within the crack advance and enlarge the crack over time.
Can you break down the science behind your Gel Coat Repair system and why it works?
Yes, my system works because it is designed to be flexible after curing. It is also chemically compatible (adhesion-wise) with both the fiberglass and gelcoat materials. Once cured it is UV resistant, chemical resistant and fully waterproof. My product is designed to penetrate deep into the hairline crack and cure inside the crack, as well as on the surface. And because my product is fully compatible with the chemical composition of fiberglass and gelcoat it creates a stable bond that won’t be rejected like acrylic products.
How did you formulate it so it would work under the waterline?
My product is one of the only products I know of to work below the waterline. This is because of the nature of how it cures and the strong chemical bond that is formed with both the fiberglass and gelcoat. This bond prevents water from being able to penetrate the crack once it’s filled and cured.
How come it takes 24 hours to cure?
Slower curing is very important because it allows for the liquid sealant to properly come in contact with the cavity of the crack. It also provides for adequate time for curing inside and outside the crack. Full curing of the filler is very important, having only the surface cure is not good enough. Acrylics will dry faster, however this means the crack filler doesn’t cure properly under the surface. As a result there’s very poor adhesion inside the crack. Faster curing products also make it much more difficult for the boat owner to fill the crack properly because the product starts drying before it can make proper contact with the fiberglass and gelcoat inside the crack.
How come it only comes in white?
I made my gelcoat repair product white because most boats are white and the majority of gelcoat on boats is white. It can be pigmented by the boat owner, if they want, by using oil paint pigments from specialized stores such as Natural Pigments.
Do you have a dream boat?
Yes, I do. My dream boat is a new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410.