Surface scratches can be buffed out of gelcoat with polishing compound, but deep scratches must be filled. When the gelcoat surrounding a scratch is in good condition, the filler of choice is gelcoat paste, which provides both filler and finish in a single application–but not a single step. Because the surface of the cured paste will be uneven, sanding and polishing are required to smooth the repair and blend it with the rest of the hull. Except for color matching, gelcoat repairs are easy and straightforward. Few things are more disheartening to the boat owner than staring at the fuzzy edge of broken fiberglass. However, the reparability of fiberglass is one of its best characteristics. The most horrifying hole in a fiberglass hull is quickly healed with a bit of glass fabric, a supply of resin, and equal parts skill and care. And the repair is less patch than craft–a new piece of skin indistinguishable from the old. Fiberglass lay-up is nothing more than layers of glass fabric saturated with polyester (or epoxy) resin, yet most boat owners imagine a self-applied repair as only slightly more durable than a wet Band-Aid. This is a false concern. Follow a few simple rules and your lay-up will be just as durable as the rest of the boat.