How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

golf101

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
182
As shown in the photo, I've got some scuff marks from docking. How do I get rid of these? Thanks much.
 

Attachments

  • photo.JPG
    photo.JPG
    68.8 KB · Views: 2

Rocky_Road

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
1,798
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

This may depend upon if these are on top of your black gelcoat, or gouged into the gelcoat.
 

golf101

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
182
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Not sure, but I suspect gouged into.
 

Rocky_Road

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
1,798
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Not sure, but I suspect gouged into.

Then it will depend upon how fussy you are about your boat.

Many here will tell you to get a gelcoat repair kit and fill the gouges. You will have to do some finish sanding and polishing to make the repair seamless. Be prepared for a fair amount on elbow grease....

If this were mine, I would do what I did for the black hull of my PWC. I went to Pep Boys and picked up a bottle of Turtle Wax black colored liquid car polish. Put it on...towel rubbed it when it dried...and my scratches were all but disappeared.

Happy boating!
 

Home Cookin'

Fleet Admiral
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
9,715
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

If it's on top, acetone. If its inside, black magic marker.
 

golf101

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
182
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

This is probably a really stupid question, but, being well known for those, I'm going to ask anyway. How can I tell whether it's just on top of the gelcoat or gouged into it?
 

JAL51974

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 26, 2005
Messages
593
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

a gouge is very evident when the fiberglass layer is seen through the scratch, I have several on mine from incidents docking when I first started. Yours look more like surface scratches. Joe
 

dockwrecker

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 10, 2006
Messages
1,392
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Looks like vinyl residue to me, I use Goof Off or mineral spirits and rewax.
 

Rocky_Road

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
1,798
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

a gouge is very evident when the fiberglass layer is seen through the scratch, I have several on mine from incidents docking when I first started. Yours look more like surface scratches. Joe

I agree with you, Joe.

What I can tell from the picture is just cosmetic...not anything to worry about, except his pride (and joy)!

Happy boating!
 

seaman-recruit

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
91
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

+1 on using acetone for surface marks - works great.
 

golf101

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
182
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Will acetone hurt the gelcoat? Seems like a pretty strong solvent.
 

marcoalza

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 22, 2010
Messages
643
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

I've removed quite a few scuff marks and scratches by simply using a good polish.
Deeper ones I have got rid of by lightly using a rubbing compound and then polish.

Difficult to tell but yours don't look too deep.

Good luck and use them fenders next time!
 

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,036
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

I use the purple stuff cleaner to get scuffs off.
 

golf101

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jan 18, 2009
Messages
182
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Chris: What's the purple stuff?
 

DuckHunterJon

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 19, 2010
Messages
1,082
Re: How to get rid of scuff marks on boat hull

Acetone won't hurt gelcoat. Not sure about a corvet? If that's corvette - they are painted fiberglass, and I would expect the acetone could do bad things to the paint. But it's a different animal from gelcoat.
 
Top