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Author Topic:   Gel Coat Restoration: Various Methods

endus posted 09-24-2014 02:38 PM ET (US)
I have a history of obsessive auto detailing and I just got to polishing the boat. I bought 3M general gel coat polish. My boat isn't too bad, so I didn't get the more aggressive varieties.
I have the typical Makita 9227c rotary buffer and started with a foam pad. I only use foam on cars, but I found it wasn't aggressive enough for the gel coat. I switched to a lamb's wool pad, and that did the job pretty quickly. I'm not exactly polishing my mega-yacht or gaudy cigarette boat, so I don't really feel the need to do a less aggressive round of polishing to get a better shine.
We're trying to get the name applied to it in the next week or so so I didn't hit it with wax yet, but, when I do, I'll use the Collinite marine wax. I know Collinite from the auto side as a ridiculously durable paste wax, and I don't feel a great need to experiment with anything else on the boat.
I haven't wet sanded gel coat, so I don't know how dangerous that is. I wouldn't wet sand a large area purely from a labor perspective. The wool pad cuts pretty well, and will be much easier and faster.
Back when I worked on boats as a teenager we'd hit stains with a little acetone as well. That can work, though you definitely need to be careful.
Binkster posted 09-25-2014 11:38 AM ET (US)
As far wetsanding, it would most certainly be dangerous to you, not the boat, if you used an electric powered sander or buffer.
rich
jimh posted 09-27-2014 10:09 AM ET (US)
[Separated from another discussion which was trying to discuss six topics in one thead.]
jimh posted 09-27-2014 10:15 AM ET (US)
There is a great deal of prior discussion on the methods for restoring gel coat finish to a gloss surface. The amount of abrasion initially needed generally depends on the condition of the surface that is to be restored. When wet sanding methods are used, the grit of the sandpaper is generally very fine, typically 600 or higher grit. Whether or not wet sanding is the best initial step in restoration of the surface appearance of gel coat is best determined by the present surface condition. Generally gel coat polish compounds contains some oils that help to restore the luster of the gel coat. For more advice, search the archives. A lot of prior discussion exists.
endus posted 10-02-2014 01:05 PM ET (US)
Absolutely agree Jim. Most of the flaws on my new-to-me boat were just superficial surface issues. If you have more severe stains or physical damage wet sanding may be the way to go.
As far as the oils in Marine polish, the improved appearance given by oils are usually very short lived. Glaze is an auto detailing product used to fill swirl marks and reduce their appearance. Most cheap automotive polishes contain oil too. I personally use polish (Menzerna) that doesn't contain any oil so I can see when the car is actually swirl free rather than "swirl free for the next month".
I don't think it would be as much of an issue for marine applications where the requirements for a "shiny" finish aren't nearly as high as with automotive paint, but YMMV.
Now if I could just get the damn stains out of the nonskid... :)
saumon posted 10-03-2014 09:04 AM ET (US)
Re: stains out of the nonskid (which could also worth a separate topic!)
According to these tests ( http://www.boatingmag.com/gear/boatinglab-tests-deck-cleaners ), a common household product, Soft Scrub with Bleach, seems to be the ticket. At $4 a bottle, it's cheap to try.
endus posted 10-03-2014 09:51 AM ET (US)
Man I forgot about softscrub...thats what I used to use back in the day. I'll grab some of that and give it a shot, thanks!
jimh posted 10-03-2014 12:34 PM ET (US)
Regarding the amount of abrasion to use in restoration of luster of a gel coat finish, it is also generally recognized that a progression of abrasions will be used. The amount of abrasion is progressively decreased as the surface of the gel coat is smoothed and its luster restored. I don't know of a particular schedule of abrasives that must be used, as the initial abrasive will depend on the existing surface condition. But generally the work goes faster if a progressively lower abrasive is used, working towards the final abrasive level, which will be very low in abrasion. Avoid using an abrasive that is more coarse than the present surface condition, unless you wish to remove more of the gel coat than necessary. Try to use a progression of abrasives so that the less abrasive material in use can remove any variations in the surface left by the previous abrasive used.
Binkster posted 10-04-2014 01:36 PM ET (US)
What generally works for me is first washing the hull with a strong detergent, sand out any stains with 500 wet sanding, then wet sand with 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, and finally 4000 grit Abralon sanding pads. Then a cople of coats of macguires carnuba wax polished with a buffing wheel and you're back to new.
You can google the Abralon sanding pads.
rich

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Author	Topic: Gel Coat Restoration: Various Methods
endus	posted 09-24-2014 02:38 PM ET (US) I have a history of obsessive auto detailing and I just got to polishing the boat. I bought 3M general gel coat polish. My boat isn't too bad, so I didn't get the more aggressive varieties. I have the typical Makita 9227c rotary buffer and started with a foam pad. I only use foam on cars, but I found it wasn't aggressive enough for the gel coat. I switched to a lamb's wool pad, and that did the job pretty quickly. I'm not exactly polishing my mega-yacht or gaudy cigarette boat, so I don't really feel the need to do a less aggressive round of polishing to get a better shine. We're trying to get the name applied to it in the next week or so so I didn't hit it with wax yet, but, when I do, I'll use the Collinite marine wax. I know Collinite from the auto side as a ridiculously durable paste wax, and I don't feel a great need to experiment with anything else on the boat. I haven't wet sanded gel coat, so I don't know how dangerous that is. I wouldn't wet sand a large area purely from a labor perspective. The wool pad cuts pretty well, and will be much easier and faster. Back when I worked on boats as a teenager we'd hit stains with a little acetone as well. That can work, though you definitely need to be careful.
Binkster	posted 09-25-2014 11:38 AM ET (US) As far wetsanding, it would most certainly be dangerous to you, not the boat, if you used an electric powered sander or buffer. rich
jimh	posted 09-27-2014 10:09 AM ET (US) [Separated from another discussion which was trying to discuss six topics in one thead.]
jimh	posted 09-27-2014 10:15 AM ET (US) There is a great deal of prior discussion on the methods for restoring gel coat finish to a gloss surface. The amount of abrasion initially needed generally depends on the condition of the surface that is to be restored. When wet sanding methods are used, the grit of the sandpaper is generally very fine, typically 600 or higher grit. Whether or not wet sanding is the best initial step in restoration of the surface appearance of gel coat is best determined by the present surface condition. Generally gel coat polish compounds contains some oils that help to restore the luster of the gel coat. For more advice, search the archives. A lot of prior discussion exists.
endus	posted 10-02-2014 01:05 PM ET (US) Absolutely agree Jim. Most of the flaws on my new-to-me boat were just superficial surface issues. If you have more severe stains or physical damage wet sanding may be the way to go. As far as the oils in Marine polish, the improved appearance given by oils are usually very short lived. Glaze is an auto detailing product used to fill swirl marks and reduce their appearance. Most cheap automotive polishes contain oil too. I personally use polish (Menzerna) that doesn't contain any oil so I can see when the car is actually swirl free rather than "swirl free for the next month". I don't think it would be as much of an issue for marine applications where the requirements for a "shiny" finish aren't nearly as high as with automotive paint, but YMMV. Now if I could just get the damn stains out of the nonskid... :)
saumon	posted 10-03-2014 09:04 AM ET (US) Re: stains out of the nonskid (which could also worth a separate topic!) According to these tests ( http://www.boatingmag.com/gear/boatinglab-tests-deck-cleaners ), a common household product, Soft Scrub with Bleach, seems to be the ticket. At $4 a bottle, it's cheap to try.
endus	posted 10-03-2014 09:51 AM ET (US) Man I forgot about softscrub...thats what I used to use back in the day. I'll grab some of that and give it a shot, thanks!
jimh	posted 10-03-2014 12:34 PM ET (US) Regarding the amount of abrasion to use in restoration of luster of a gel coat finish, it is also generally recognized that a progression of abrasions will be used. The amount of abrasion is progressively decreased as the surface of the gel coat is smoothed and its luster restored. I don't know of a particular schedule of abrasives that must be used, as the initial abrasive will depend on the existing surface condition. But generally the work goes faster if a progressively lower abrasive is used, working towards the final abrasive level, which will be very low in abrasion. Avoid using an abrasive that is more coarse than the present surface condition, unless you wish to remove more of the gel coat than necessary. Try to use a progression of abrasives so that the less abrasive material in use can remove any variations in the surface left by the previous abrasive used.
Binkster	posted 10-04-2014 01:36 PM ET (US) What generally works for me is first washing the hull with a strong detergent, sand out any stains with 500 wet sanding, then wet sand with 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, and finally 4000 grit Abralon sanding pads. Then a cople of coats of macguires carnuba wax polished with a buffing wheel and you're back to new. You can google the Abralon sanding pads. rich