Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Solittle · Aug 26, 2002

Yesterday I spent 4 hours cleaning and light compounding one side of my 23' CC with 3M Marine Fiberglass Cleaner/Wax using a 5" polishing bonnet on my electric drill. Came out not great but OK+ - boat is 14 yrs old. I then applied Meguiars Premium Marine Wax with a clean wash cloth and let sit for a few minutes per the directions. I then took a clean cotton T shirt for buffing. Looked like crap - streaks all over - no "deep shine" etc. I then hit it with the buffer on the drill with little effect. I called Meguiars today and they said that my problem was that I did not use a foam applicator to apply the wax and that I should use a terry cloth towel for the final. I haven't tried this yet (some rain when I got home) and while I have hopes, their advice makes no sense. A real downer to spend a hot Sunday afternoon trying to bring some life back to the finish and at the end of the day it looks worse than when I started. What are your thoughts????

crab bait · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

MAN,,, THAT'S AWLFUL..!!! that's ashame & i do feel for you.. i know what you mean about what meguires told you.. it don't make any sense.. but do as they say,, maybe it'll work cause of some sorta science.. meguires & 3m products are supposed to be top notch.. let us know how things turn out

wdriii · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Hi SoLittle- I have a 22 yr old Starcraft that I recently bought where the gelcoat (red metal flake) was in real sorry shape. I tried several waxes looking for one that would at least help. None worked. Neither did polishing compound nor extra fine grit wet sanding. I decided to take drastic measures. First I used MEK (available at hdwe stores) and wiped the entire boat down with it to remove all old wax, oil, grease and the like. Then I bought a kit of Vertglas (a three step process to give your gelcoat a whole new outer surface) and did the complete boat in about a day and a half. You can read about Vertglas at: http://www.lovettmarine.com/files/vertglas.htm The boat looks wonderful!! I am not going to tell you that it looks brand new because it isn't and doesn't. The gelcoat does have a bright and high gloss finish now. The kit is expensive (~$70) but with the results that I got, it was money well spent. If you decide to go this route, be sure and follow the directions closely. Any old wax, oil or gas stains, dirt and the like will really screw up the application. The directions did not call for the MEK - that was a touch that I added to make sure that I got rid of all the old residue. If you would like to see before and after pics, shoot me an email address. Good luck with your boat. Bill

nebraska_woody · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Bill, My name is Matt, and I have had the same type of results as the original writer of this question did with his boat. I have an 89 Cajun fish/ski boat with the same (or I think it's the same)type and color with metal flakes of finish you have on your boat. I would be interested in seeing the before and after pictures of your boat as to maybe see the light at the end of the tunnel for mine. Mine is faded enough that it's showing where all the stickers and such were located at when i pulled them off. I have like a clearcoat (I think) over the top of my red metal flake paint. did yours have the same? if you would/could send a pic or two of yours, that would be awsome. my email is mafutu@yahoo.com Thanks in advance.

wdriii · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Hi Matt- My boat at one time had the clear gelcoat over the red metal flake but the clear coat was pretty much gone. Wherever there were old decals, the old clear gelcoat was still somewhat intact making for a discoloration between those spots and the rest of the finish. Can't help that - those are some of the "blemishes" that I spoke of. However, the Vertglas brought back enough of the original coloring to where those decal areas don't stick out like a sore thumb. They are there but much more subdued than before. I will take a couple of "after" pics tomorrow and will send them to you along with a "before". (I just finished applying the finish tonight and it was too dark to take a photo.) It may take me a day or two to post them to you but I will get it done. Bill

nebraska_woody · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Bill, Hey, thanks for the reply on that. I am in no hurry, as I wont be doing anything like that to the boat till i have time to keep it out of the water long enough. as soon as mine gets out of the shop, i'm going to be using it as much as I can before it gets too cold out around here. we dont have much time for the boating season anymore. I think that will be a good winter project for me. Your boat sounds exactly what my boat has now... patches of a deep clear fishing from under the stickers and the exposed paint thin enough that rubbing my hand over the paint, I can actually feel and have some of the metal flakes to come up on my hand. Was yours this bad? Mine may need some tender loving care this winter, but it's better than paying new boat prices, that's for sure. Looking forward to the final results, so I can plan my finish project as well.

wdriii · Aug 26, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Matt: Yep, you described mine perfectly. When I rubbed my hand over the gelcoat it felt like sandpaper. No more!! Now it is as smooth as a baby's, uh, well, you get the idea. Bill

BigBabyLou · Aug 27, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Bill, can you please CC me on the email with the pictures? I would love to see the results of your work. I myself have an older boat ('89 cruiser) and am thinking about restoring the finish. Thanks in advance Lou

flashback · Aug 27, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Solittle, I don,t know much about those metal flake finishes but I can tell you the best way I have found to shine up conventional gelcoat is with a Black and Decker Buffmaster with an 8 inch lambswool bonnet and use 3M heavy duty rubbing compound. Make sure the surface is clean first, then buff but keep moving as the 3m stuff is strong and cuts fast. if you end up with swirl marks go back over it with a waffle pad and some 3m finese.......... then hand wax. you can only do this a few times as it does take off a couple of mills of gel........ d

A. Souphound · Aug 28, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

I am in the process of completing a gelcoat restoration on a 23 year old Sea Ray. Boat was stored in open shed, hull sides and stern exposed to Eastern & Western Sun for over ten years. The following is the process I used; (1) watersanded hull using 600 wet/dry until oxidation was removed, and got a clean waterbreak. (2) Compounded with Simoniz Heavy Duty for Fiberglass, using 10" buffer. (3) Compounded with Turtlewax Auto 'Clearcoat'until high gloss, and no swirls or streaks. (Used hand held orbital sander type machine with toweling in place of sandpaper) (4) Waxed with Starbrite Premium Marine Polish with Teflon, polished with buffer and by hand. Lot of work, but finished product is worth it.

redlabel · Aug 28, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Just started a restoration project myself on a 90 Cajun fish & ski. It is the silver/gray over red metal-flake color. Where the Trolling motor was mounted the paint looked great. I applied McGuires color restorer and followed directions. Then applied the McGuires polish ... you can't tell where the motor had been mounted! I have only applied to that small portion so far since you have to apply in the shade and my shade doesn't arrive until about 7pm, but if it works that well all over, I will definately recommend this product!

Alrobot · Aug 28, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

So what your saying is: you guys wash and wax your boats. Living in California I am not sure when I will have a week or two of down time on the boat. I am "in the same boat" with you guys, my 76 Galaxie has a brown with gold flake stripe on it. I bet it looked good in the 70's, bell bottoms, disco ball's. Bell bottoms are making a comeback out here, maybe one day so will the paint on my Galaxie. I have tried Flitz polish with not a whole lot of luck, of course it was all by hand. I think I am gonna get one of those 6" buffers from Wal-Mart and go at. www.flitz.com Al...

wdriii · Aug 28, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

BBLou: Sorry for the delay - was out of town for a couple of days. I'll be glad to forward the before-after pic to you. If your email address is available through the forum, I haven't figured out how to get it. For now you best post it to me. Bill

BigBabyLou · Aug 29, 2002

Re: Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Bill, here's my email address: BigBabyLou@yahoo.com. Don't feel bad, I haven't figured it out yet either

It's supposed to be doable. Heck, life's full of surprises. ;-) Thanks ahead for the pics! Lou

Bringing Life Back to Gelcoat

Fleet Admiral

Captain

Cadet

Seaman

Cadet

Seaman

Cadet

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Rear Admiral

Recruit

Cadet

Petty Officer 2nd Class

Cadet

Petty Officer 2nd Class