Gel coat that POPs off like that is usually a defect from when the boat was made in the mold , air pockets are left when the glass was laid in ontop of the gel coat, most are on corners, but sometimes they happen on other areas, and sometimes the person or persons that laid the glass in the mold were drunk, stupid, or in experienced ( insert your fav description here )
Sometimes the defect is found withing the warranty period , sometimes it's 5 yrs or more down the road, almost every boat made from glass has this issue, most never know it! But the unlucky ones as your self find theirs eventually.
You have a few options, all involve some sanding and or grinding, first if you can access the spot easily, you need to sand around the spot and the spot , tapering it from the center of the spot back about 4 inches surrounding the place that the gel coat popped off of.
Then you can repair fresh gelcoat, or patch with epoxy resin, epoxy resin is water proof, and will keep the water from getting into the boat.. but if you do this alone it will be ugly, but is the least amount of work and skill needed.
You can buy white gel coat at boaters world if they still have any left, but its about 40 per quart over there but its $30 off or at least it was on Monday, when I was there.
You can buy it much cheaper at Kick Shaw on Hixson Pike, if they have any they are in the phone book, and they sell it in quarts and pints.
You can use a roller to put gel coat on... BUT , you must wipe the spot down with wax and grease remover b4 you do either one.. and b4 you sand the spot.. like I said you can use a roller with gel coat, lowes home depot etc .. has roller lowest nap you can get, or a foam roller that is made for laquers etc any thing else the gelcoat will eat quick!
On the Gelcoat, if you roll new on, dont gob it on roll just slightly bast the area where you sanded .. then using wax paper, gently lay that over the patch shinny side toward the patch, gently smooth it over the area, dont leave any creases etc if you do they will be there when cures.
then put some masking tape around the edges in a few spots to hold it in place. wait at least 8 hrs before you remove the wax paper.
You must use catalyst with gelcoat its called MEKP, you can get it at kickshaw too.. they will tell you how much to put in, if you ask.. ps gelcoat and polyester resin has a shelf life of 6 months to 1 year, the stuff at boaters world may be out of date.. there is a date code on the bottom of can, check it with the manufacture b4 you buy it!!!!!!!!! The date code wont make much sense , but manufacture can tell you if it is good or bad.
Epoxy resin to fix is about the same, as the gelcoat as far as applying it, boaters world carries some, I bought most of what they had Monday, it aint cheap, but its good stuff they carry MAS brand.. do some research at MAS website before you use it .. you need to mix it EXACTLY or it wont cure correctly. you can then paint with a bottom paint available at boaters world, or leave it bare with just the epoxy, it wont hurt anything will just be ugly
If you decide you cant or dont want to tackle this job.. bring the boat by the shop and I can fix, I can fix it the right way .. or patch it like I told you how above.. I cant give estimate without seeing it but you can figure on min of 300 if I do it the right way.. and 100 plus materials if I just patch it to make do.
Let me know if I can be of any further assistance ..
Later
