Screwed up my Smart Tab install

The epoxy is setting up nicely. The red tinted epoxy is a bit pink but it still looks pretty good. I'm leaving on business tomorrow so i'll pick it up on Sunday. Should be a little color sanding and DA bufffing and call it good. I'll post pics later.
 
You can gel over MarineTex. Large areas tend to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, but the size you are talking about should be fine. It's been a few years since I've done it, but I seem to recall letting the epoxy cure for about a week to get rid of that waxy feeling that it develops, then sanding (the key is making sure that waxy substance is gone). Did you make sure to bevel the edges of the hole nicely?

Good luck!
 
Beveled nicely with a countersink bit. Depending on how it looks after I sand flush, i might try gelcoating, although given the size and location, I might be making a mountain out of a molehill.
 
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Fixed! I covered the holes with MarineTex, let it cure the used a 5/8" countersink bit to bevel the hole. ThenI mixed up some gel coat and filled the rest of the holes and sanded starting with 600 grit working my up to 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper. I finished off the repair by buffing and polishing the area. Would you believe that in order to color match the red, I had to add blue and to match the white, I had to add brown. Check the before and after pictures.
PS- Yeah I know I reversed the side that the actuator is attached. It gives me a little more room to adjust the angle of the tab if needed. Also, it matches the look for the right side even though the mounting point is about an inch inboard relative to the right tab.

View attachment 19063View attachment 19062
 
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Now, if Spring would finally arrive up here in the PacNW, I'll actually get a chance to get the boat out and try these tabs out.
 
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