Help me remove this oxidation!!!

fromabuick8 · Jun 14, 2010

Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I bought this awesome boat from craigslist and I love it. It's mechanically sound, but I want to restore the paint to some type of shine. It was used in salt water a lot from the previous owner. It is an 89 Baymaster 18' CC.

The bottom beige isn't that bad, but the upper blue is very bad. I tried to get the best pics that I could. It this paint worth salvaging?

Now that you have some pretty decent pictures of the paint, if it's worth trying to restore, I want an opinion on how to restore it from someone that has actually had success in doing so. I ripped off some letter stickers to expose what the paint once looked like.

I am willing to put any amount of labor/waxes/sandpaper into this.

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2054.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2055.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2056.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2057-1.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2058.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2059.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2060.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2066.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2064.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2063.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2062.jpg

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/IMG_2061.jpg

I think you can just go to:

http://s426.photobucket.com/albums/pp344/rhino9/Boat/

If you want the full quality pics leave your email address.

scca vette · Jun 14, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

With some work you might be suprised at just how well it can look again. Here is what I did. I used 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper and a bucket of water. I sanded the area and then used 3M #1 compound and a high speed buffer with a foam pad. It almost looks like new now. If yours is a little worse I would go with a 1000 grit and see if it works a little better. You might have to do a little more buffing with the 1K grit to remove the scratches.

Here is what mine looked like before sanding and buffing

Here is the other side after it was sanded and buffed.

Here is a straight on shot. If you look at the left hand side of the photo you can see a line on the boat where I stopped buffing.

Hope this helps!

SDSeville · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

SCCA Vette, are you serious? That looks unbelievable! How bad was your paint before? I can see the line where you stopped buffing, but can't tell how bad it is. What year is your boat.

warlock73 · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

Forget the witch doctor stuff they sell. I just did this to my 82 Bayliner that has been idle in a field for years when I bought it:
$2.50 can of Bar Keepers Friend from local supermarket. Add to a small tub and add small amounts of water til a paste. Apply with a cotton buffer for drill attachment. Work the trouble areas generously. Wash off with rag and water, let dry and wipe with cotton dish towel. You may have to do a few times. Then wax with Turtle wax. I just did this to mine and I am amazed at the shine. Good luck and happy boating.
PS mine was ****ty looking before. Mines a freshwater boat so I cant say about salt water but worth a try.

scca vette · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

SDSeville said:
SCCA Vette, are you serious? That looks unbelievable! How bad was your paint before? I can see the line where you stopped buffing, but can't tell how bad it is. What year is your boat.

It was pretty much looking like chalk in places. Some areas were worse than others however those areas just required more sanding. The key is to get all the oxidation off the boat with the sandpaper before buffing it. Pick a area on the back or something and do some test areas with different grit paper and see what it is going to take to get through yours.

Here is some more pics that might give you a idea of what mine looked like in areas.

Here is the side where I did a small test area. You can see it in the middle of the photo.

iqxoqlms · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

I too have been down this path. I considered all options. I am pretty sure a PO had used a "witch doctor" solution on my boat at some point in the past. It looked awful!

I wet sanded from 400 to 600, then 1000, then used a heavy cut 3M compound with a 7" buffer. I found I had to spend a lot of time with the 1000 grit before I started buffing to get the sanding scratches out from the heavier paper. But I had scratches and gouges to go along with the oxidation. I buffed a few times and then hit it with 3M Finesse-it. It came out really well (in my humble opinion)...

scca vette · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

iqxoqlms said:
I too have been down this path. I considered all options. I am pretty sure a PO had used a "witch doctor" solution on my boat at some point in the past. It looked awful!

I wet sanded from 400 to 600, then 1000, then used a heavy cut 3M compound with a 7" buffer. I found I had to spend a lot of time with the 1000 grit before I started buffing to get the sanding scratches out from the heavier paper. But I had scratches and gouges to go along with the oxidation. I buffed a few times and then hit it with 3M Finesse-it. It came out really well (in my humble opinion)...

Great job that thing looks NEW!

Islandbrah · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

Now that supreme looks awesome. He did the trick, ELBOW GREASE and many STEPS! I just refinished a 18' flats that was in the same shape as yours and had bottom paint too and it looks like new. Are you sure that's paint? looks like gel coat. If it is gel coat just be careful not to go through. paint you can feather in new gel coat not so easy. just pause between steps and check your work don't get too anxious. don't jump up in grit too fast either.

SDSeville · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

Nice job on that Supreme! That paint looked as bad as my 1986 Searay does now. I was ready to just repaint it, but I will certainly give this a shot. Do you really have to go as course as 400? I am not doubting your results because it looks awesome. However, I have read elsewhere that 1000 is generally course enough.

iqxoqlms · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

I started at 400 on the entire hull. I think the PO had applied some kind of finish rejuvinator and it was built up thick. It looked milky on the surface. Not knowing what they had applied I didn't want to experiment with solvents...so I scuffed it off. I went after many scratches too. Fortunately in the mid-80s they laid the gel coat on heave. I never sanded through the colored gel coat.

Doing that much work with 400 definitely made the work with 600 and 1000 much more intense. My wife, kids and I had Popeye arms for a couple of weeks.

scca vette · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

SDSeville said:
Nice job on that Supreme! That paint looked as bad as my 1986 Searay does now. I was ready to just repaint it, but I will certainly give this a shot. Do you really have to go as course as 400? I am not doubting your results because it looks awesome. However, I have read elsewhere that 1000 is generally course enough.

Going to 400 grit will remove it faster however now you have to get the scrtaches in it down to around 1000 grit before the compound will remove them. It is kind of a push, you will spend less time on each grit (400, 800,1000) however you have to sand 3 different times. If you go with just 1000 grit you will have to sand the area longer with the 1000 grit to cut through all the oxidation however you will only be doing this once. It is a good idea to try a spot and see just what you can do with the lease corse paper possible. After you buff it make sure you get a good coat of wax on the surface. The compound has no protection.

Islandbrah · Jun 15, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

I used a little dawn soap in my spray bottle and kept the surface well lubricated to keep from digging too much and after all the scratches are out the soapy water bubbles get more fine and eventually diminish to almost nothing. I bought a 30 dollar jitterbug and a DA sander from Northern to use with my compressor. Kept my hose in my hand and spray bottle on my hip. cut my time in half. just oil them and if they stop working after you are done who cares.They are cheap. I've resurrected some pretty bad finishes this way. It's all about the gradual steps.

dellsboater · Dec 6, 2010

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

Which works better jitterbug or DA?

Blue2Green · Mar 21, 2011

Re: Help me remove this oxidation!!!

scca vette said:
Great job that thing looks NEW!

That is a beautiful restore job, I would swear it was new.

Help me remove this oxidation!!!

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