Gelcoat - how far gone is too far gone (Indicators)

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  Gelcoat - how far gone is too far gone (Indicators)

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Author Topic:   Gelcoat - how far gone is too far gone (Indicators)

Buckda posted 07-27-2010 11:34 AM ET (US)
I have a "new to me" 25' Outrage Cuddy. It is a 1983 model and has lived in Florida.
This spring, when I purchased the boat and dragged it north, I worked on the exterior hull with two rounds of heavy rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound, a cleaner wax and then a good solid wax. It looks very good - But the starting point was just a very hazy/oxidized finish.
I'm getting ready to do the top of the Cuddy, which is a mixture of textures (traditional diamond/non-skid up front, then a smooth section followed by more non-skid and a clear section and topped with a different patter of non-skid). The boat had some mildew on it when I got it, and that is all cleared off, but the gelcoat appears to have many very small pinholes in it. I'm thinking that this may require a bit of wet sanding.
Here's the question: How far gone is too far gone - requiring me to spray new gelcoat?

Blackduck posted 07-27-2010 11:43 AM ET (US)
When you sand thru to the laminate.
Jeff posted 07-27-2010 12:13 PM ET (US)
It all depends on how picky you are and what you can live with. I would think after seeing your boat in person that you should be able to get the boat to a place you would be happy with.
Would it look new? No.
Would it look respectable and something to be proud of? Yes.
Until the gel coat is crazed like an alligator, or just plane gone you would be amazed at what you can do to restore the look of the gel coat.
contender posted 07-27-2010 12:37 PM ET (US)
I heard one time that normal life for fiberglass is about 25 years, after that needs to be gel-coated again. Yes you will have exceptions but 25 years is the average. I think the biggest problem is the sun esp. in South Fla. Down here your boat needs to be covered or in a garage or at least keep wax on it. I do not know about the boats up north and how they fare with the snow and ice, but every-time I see a picture of one from up north they seem to look pretty good. I just redid my whaler and its 35 years old, but kept inside all of its life, still the gel-coat was cracking everywhere. I sanded down the entire boat(inside and out) and sprayed it with awl-grip. and now I'm having second thoughts, it looks great but I think new gel coat would have been the way to go. (tried to keep costs down, have to many other expenses and a lot of honey do's). Anyway we will see....take care
peteydawg posted 07-27-2010 03:07 PM ET (US)
Nothing wrong with awlgrip....especially when done by someone who uses just awlgrip!
Tohsgib posted 07-28-2010 10:50 AM ET (US)
Hit her with some 600 grit wetsand and she will be fine. Pinholes aint gonna kill anyone and will probably sand out. I never heard the 25 year stuff, I usually hear that nobody actually knows how long it will last or what its half life is in a dump. My 1981 and my 1976 Whalers both have wonderfull gelcoat and live in FL.
DeeVee posted 07-29-2010 12:15 AM ET (US)
The gelcoat of my 1966 Sakonnet was in really nice condition for a 40 year old boat. While I owned the boat(over 15 years) it was always garaged when not in use.
The boat had been ridden hard at some point in its life, so there were the usual scars from hard knocks (like flaws in fine leather), but considering that, I was always amazed at how well the gelcoat had held up over the decades.
Doug Vazquez
elaelap posted 07-31-2010 11:12 AM ET (US)
I am sometimes amazed at the high quality of prose at this boating website. Example:
"...the usual scars from hard knocks (like flaws in fine leather)..."
Tony
DeeVee posted 08-01-2010 03:10 PM ET (US)
Tony,
I wish I could take credit for the "flaws in fine leather" quote, but must admit that I read it somewhere, sometime, long ago.
Doug

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Author	Topic: Gelcoat - how far gone is too far gone (Indicators)
Buckda	posted 07-27-2010 11:34 AM ET (US) I have a "new to me" 25' Outrage Cuddy. It is a 1983 model and has lived in Florida. This spring, when I purchased the boat and dragged it north, I worked on the exterior hull with two rounds of heavy rubbing compound, followed by polishing compound, a cleaner wax and then a good solid wax. It looks very good - But the starting point was just a very hazy/oxidized finish. I'm getting ready to do the top of the Cuddy, which is a mixture of textures (traditional diamond/non-skid up front, then a smooth section followed by more non-skid and a clear section and topped with a different patter of non-skid). The boat had some mildew on it when I got it, and that is all cleared off, but the gelcoat appears to have many very small pinholes in it. I'm thinking that this may require a bit of wet sanding. Here's the question: How far gone is too far gone - requiring me to spray new gelcoat?
Blackduck	posted 07-27-2010 11:43 AM ET (US) When you sand thru to the laminate.
Jeff	posted 07-27-2010 12:13 PM ET (US) It all depends on how picky you are and what you can live with. I would think after seeing your boat in person that you should be able to get the boat to a place you would be happy with. Would it look new? No. Would it look respectable and something to be proud of? Yes. Until the gel coat is crazed like an alligator, or just plane gone you would be amazed at what you can do to restore the look of the gel coat.
contender	posted 07-27-2010 12:37 PM ET (US) I heard one time that normal life for fiberglass is about 25 years, after that needs to be gel-coated again. Yes you will have exceptions but 25 years is the average. I think the biggest problem is the sun esp. in South Fla. Down here your boat needs to be covered or in a garage or at least keep wax on it. I do not know about the boats up north and how they fare with the snow and ice, but every-time I see a picture of one from up north they seem to look pretty good. I just redid my whaler and its 35 years old, but kept inside all of its life, still the gel-coat was cracking everywhere. I sanded down the entire boat(inside and out) and sprayed it with awl-grip. and now I'm having second thoughts, it looks great but I think new gel coat would have been the way to go. (tried to keep costs down, have to many other expenses and a lot of honey do's). Anyway we will see....take care
peteydawg	posted 07-27-2010 03:07 PM ET (US) Nothing wrong with awlgrip....especially when done by someone who uses just awlgrip!
Tohsgib	posted 07-28-2010 10:50 AM ET (US) Hit her with some 600 grit wetsand and she will be fine. Pinholes aint gonna kill anyone and will probably sand out. I never heard the 25 year stuff, I usually hear that nobody actually knows how long it will last or what its half life is in a dump. My 1981 and my 1976 Whalers both have wonderfull gelcoat and live in FL.
DeeVee	posted 07-29-2010 12:15 AM ET (US) The gelcoat of my 1966 Sakonnet was in really nice condition for a 40 year old boat. While I owned the boat(over 15 years) it was always garaged when not in use. The boat had been ridden hard at some point in its life, so there were the usual scars from hard knocks (like flaws in fine leather), but considering that, I was always amazed at how well the gelcoat had held up over the decades. Doug Vazquez
elaelap	posted 07-31-2010 11:12 AM ET (US) I am sometimes amazed at the high quality of prose at this boating website. Example: "...the usual scars from hard knocks (like flaws in fine leather)..." Tony
DeeVee	posted 08-01-2010 03:10 PM ET (US) Tony, I wish I could take credit for the "flaws in fine leather" quote, but must admit that I read it somewhere, sometime, long ago. Doug