Detailing and Gelcoat Repair - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Repairs/Mods
  Detailing and Gelcoat Repair

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Detailing and Gelcoat Repair

kamie posted 04-15-2004 12:15 AM ET (US)
Before I break out the polisher and the sandpaper I have a final couple of questions.
Here are the threads I am using for guidance in addition to the reference section.
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000680.html
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000063.html
1. For the detailing part of the task I have areas of the hull totally unoxidized. I am going to assume that if I start with the Meguires #44 and that doesn’t seem to be doing the trick move to medium rubbing compound. If that works, great then move back to the Meguires and complete the product list. Is it realistic to think the oxidized gelcoat will come back to the original color?

2. For the small nicks, I assume that following most of the Spectrum patch instructions will be fine. Clean well with acetone, rough up the area slightly, mix and apply the patch, let set 2-4 hours or overnight. It seems that I should swap over and follow LHG’s suggestion and start with 400, not 200 per Spectrum's info and work my way up to 1500. Finishing with rubbing compound, Meguires #44 and so on.

3. Now for the big one. The big one is where the gelcoat has been rubbed off. It seems that around the main spot the gelcoat has been pushed up. Something like what you do to play dough if you push something it at an angle where you get a gouge not really a chip and that pushed up section. I am assuming that I treat this as one extended repair. Fill the big gouge and all the smaller ones around it, then following the same sanding procedure as in #2 just sand the entire area down. ( I hope I can get better pictures of what’s going on here, if it’s not clear)

My plan was to do the Meguires and/or rubbing compound over the entire hull. Once that was done, do the gelcoat repair and finally do both the Finesse-It II a then wax the entire boat.
Anything I missed or steps I should do differently?
Thanks for all the help

jimh posted 04-15-2004 07:11 AM ET (US)
One of these fine spring weekends I will get the boat from the storage shed and try this myself! Until then, I think I would offer the untested advice of perhaps doing the gel coat repairs first, sanding them fair, and trying out my polishing technique in those areas.
kamie posted 04-15-2004 08:38 AM ET (US)
I would agree but I have the time and no gelcoat patch. So the best use of the time seemed to be; do the cleaning and buffing over the majority of the hull that needs it and when the gelcoat arrives commence with the patching process. thankfully lots more of the hull needs the cleaning and buffing than needs the patching.
Disco Stu posted 04-16-2004 03:40 PM ET (US)
If you do the repairs first I suggest buffing out an area around the repair before mixing the color. I don't imagine this is as much of an issue with white gel coat repairs, but I know that with the older blue interiors you will have to mix in some white to get the color to match properly and you'll want that to match the freshly buffed gel coat.
Perhaps I should start a new thread, but it's on topic: Can any one point me to a thread or provide information on applying get-coat over marine-tex or other epoxy repair? Is that a bad idea? do I have to prep the surface somehow?
kamie posted 04-24-2004 01:06 AM ET (US)
Well, to round this out for any that are interested. It took me 3 days to detail the outside of the hull. Had to go to 3M heavy duty rubbing compound and do it twice but she looks pretty good. She is almost Desert Tan all over. If you stand just right you can see the original name but for the most part you can't even tell. I got the patch kit which was very easy to work with. I can tell where she is patched but I think most folks would be hard pressed to find them. So tomorrow I take a quick trip to Whalertowne for caulk for the interior after which it's time to put her new name and new whaler stickers on. Then all that is left is to wax the hull and redo the caulk. At least for now. The interior needs as much rubbing compound as the outside but for now I think it's time to get her in the water and get some use out of her. Besides I need to get her off the trailer so I can start fixing that before the tea party.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Detailing and Gelcoat Repair
kamie	posted 04-15-2004 12:15 AM ET (US) Before I break out the polisher and the sandpaper I have a final couple of questions. Here are the threads I am using for guidance in addition to the reference section. http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000680.html http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/000063.html 1. For the detailing part of the task I have areas of the hull totally unoxidized. I am going to assume that if I start with the Meguires #44 and that doesn’t seem to be doing the trick move to medium rubbing compound. If that works, great then move back to the Meguires and complete the product list. Is it realistic to think the oxidized gelcoat will come back to the original color? 2. For the small nicks, I assume that following most of the Spectrum patch instructions will be fine. Clean well with acetone, rough up the area slightly, mix and apply the patch, let set 2-4 hours or overnight. It seems that I should swap over and follow LHG’s suggestion and start with 400, not 200 per Spectrum's info and work my way up to 1500. Finishing with rubbing compound, Meguires #44 and so on. 3. Now for the big one. The big one is where the gelcoat has been rubbed off. It seems that around the main spot the gelcoat has been pushed up. Something like what you do to play dough if you push something it at an angle where you get a gouge not really a chip and that pushed up section. I am assuming that I treat this as one extended repair. Fill the big gouge and all the smaller ones around it, then following the same sanding procedure as in #2 just sand the entire area down. ( I hope I can get better pictures of what’s going on here, if it’s not clear) My plan was to do the Meguires and/or rubbing compound over the entire hull. Once that was done, do the gelcoat repair and finally do both the Finesse-It II a then wax the entire boat. Anything I missed or steps I should do differently? Thanks for all the help
jimh	posted 04-15-2004 07:11 AM ET (US) One of these fine spring weekends I will get the boat from the storage shed and try this myself! Until then, I think I would offer the untested advice of perhaps doing the gel coat repairs first, sanding them fair, and trying out my polishing technique in those areas.
kamie	posted 04-15-2004 08:38 AM ET (US) I would agree but I have the time and no gelcoat patch. So the best use of the time seemed to be; do the cleaning and buffing over the majority of the hull that needs it and when the gelcoat arrives commence with the patching process. thankfully lots more of the hull needs the cleaning and buffing than needs the patching.
Disco Stu	posted 04-16-2004 03:40 PM ET (US) If you do the repairs first I suggest buffing out an area around the repair before mixing the color. I don't imagine this is as much of an issue with white gel coat repairs, but I know that with the older blue interiors you will have to mix in some white to get the color to match properly and you'll want that to match the freshly buffed gel coat. Perhaps I should start a new thread, but it's on topic: Can any one point me to a thread or provide information on applying get-coat over marine-tex or other epoxy repair? Is that a bad idea? do I have to prep the surface somehow?
kamie	posted 04-24-2004 01:06 AM ET (US) Well, to round this out for any that are interested. It took me 3 days to detail the outside of the hull. Had to go to 3M heavy duty rubbing compound and do it twice but she looks pretty good. She is almost Desert Tan all over. If you stand just right you can see the original name but for the most part you can't even tell. I got the patch kit which was very easy to work with. I can tell where she is patched but I think most folks would be hard pressed to find them. So tomorrow I take a quick trip to Whalertowne for caulk for the interior after which it's time to put her new name and new whaler stickers on. Then all that is left is to wax the hull and redo the caulk. At least for now. The interior needs as much rubbing compound as the outside but for now I think it's time to get her in the water and get some use out of her. Besides I need to get her off the trailer so I can start fixing that before the tea party.