Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

To: Polishing Guru's

Been reading on how to bring back the shine on my 1992 Cobalt 222. It is slightly oxidized and has a light white haze on the sides and has a water line that I want to get rid of. Since this is my baby I want to really shine her up and make her look new.

1. I am going to use 1000 to 2000 wet sandpaper as the first step to cut the oxidations.

*****IS IT OKAY TO USE AN ORBITAL POLISHER TO SAND?******

2. Then Mequires One Step Compound No.67 applied with Porter Cable orbital polisher.

3. Then polish with Meguiar's Polish No.45 applied with Porter Cable orbital polisher.

4. Then Meguiar's Wax no 63 applied with Porter Cable orbital polisher.

This is my first boat and detailing job so I want to double check before I get too excited and waste a lot of energy and time doing it wrong.

I have tried the vaseline and it just didn't bring back enough of the original shine.
Most of the haze is on the sides and the interior and top gel coat look great and have plenty of shine.

Thanks for any suggestions or other products techniques to use.

Jolly Roger

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

I would try an area with the polisher only before I resorted to wet sanding. Depending on how bad the oxidation is this may be enough. As for using an orbital polisher to sand, they do make pneumatic wet sanders, but electric is an absolute no-no. I used Meguiar's oxidation remover and a buffer only on mine and it came out pretty good. You can see it here.

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

having done 3 boats now i dont know about being a guru or not but would offer this up for you to consider.

as 109 suggested. try polish first. keep pad clean and don't let polish dry on applaction-polishing pad. if gel c starts to haze get off the gell coat. wipe gel c with a clean grit free cloth or pad and start over or move over.

if this dosnt cut the fading, or plugs the cutting pad, to the point all your getting done is cleaning the pad then you would want to move up to (i think the proper term is) color sanding.

when i color sand i like to do the same as above with the polishing step. start with a high grit and move to a corser grit. if pluging paper is a problem, move from 2000 to lower grit. after you establish how aggressive you need to be the real work starts. work off 2x2 ft squares 3x3 or what ever you can do and finish off comfortabley before moving.
if color sanding move from corse to fine and KEEP the area your working FLOOED with water. either from a good hand squirt bottle or a hose with one of the new mist setting.

to polish i like to keep a coarse stiff hand brush to run across my cutting pads to keep clean and take the glaze off them, if you do glaze one. then sooner or latter you will have to clean a pad. i use a squirt of dish soap, work it in and spray off with a hose. then spin out with polisher.

i have 2 polishers and have to say my favorite is my older german made porter cable 7" variable speed. it is faster and more aggressive than my new porter cable 7424XP. the 7424 is a good choice for a beginner because it works slower so less chance of over heating pad and burning or glazing your finish. you can wright a book on this.
in a nut shell this, and what others can add will get you started.

i will add i have tried Meguiar's compounds and waxs and they work fine.

that said i like the 3M gel coat restorer wax for boats
it give as good of results as Meguiars and dosnt take as many steps-- faster and easier--IMHO

i then finish off with tree wax marine wax. very high carnuba content

if you have already bought or just trust Meguiars it good stuff just passing on what worked for me

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

Tried the Meguiar's oxidation remover and it didn't do much.
So I started sanding and did a test patch with 1500 and it appears that it does remove the oxidation but it looks dulled. How do I get that shine back????

Jolly Roger

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

no mater what grit you color sand with your going to have to polish with your buffer when done.


2000 will work better and leave small scratches if it dosnt plug to bad. would want to go over withe 2000 any way.
buff with a fine compound.

this is one reason i like the 3M. not sure what compound they mix in it but i have had better luck than the other brands and it dosnt seem to be a sensitive to different cutting pads. works with wool pads or the easy to find gray foam pads.
if your dead set on meguiars the try to find the meguiars brand maroon corse cutting pad to use

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

i think you are going to have to start waaay more agressive than a 2000.

the buffing pad on your polisher is equivelant to a 1700.

i would start at 800 dry and work up to 1500. than at 1500, use the mop on the polisher to make it cobalt shiney again. (dry, no compounds) then after .....wax it.

dont stay in a spot too long or you will get the gellcoat hot.

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

i get opps point but rember. if you have never done this and dont have a feel for it you can do more damage then good in a hurry.

you can always get more aggressive as you gain a touch and feel for what your doing.


start light and you can alway go heavy.

start heavy and at best you'll never know how much extra you took that you didnt need to
at worst you mess up and go threw the gel coat or cut in some scratches it takes forever to polish out.


by the by here is the tree wax i would recommend you consider on sale here on i-boats

it stands up to the sun and weather better than any thing i have tried.


http://www.iboats.com/CRC-Four-Seas...1698292--**********.051339576--view_id.685794

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

109jb said:

I would try an area with the polisher only before I resorted to wet sanding. Depending on how bad the oxidation is this may be enough. As for using an orbital polisher to sand, they do make pneumatic wet sanders, but electric is an absolute no-no. I used Meguiar's oxidation remover and a buffer only on mine and it came out pretty good. You can see it here.

Click to expand...

Why not electric sanders? I just now thought about this and all body shops use pneumatic sanders. Do electric sanders vibrate to much or ...... or .......? I really don't know the difference but I would like to. I own a ton of electric sanders, but I have no pneumatic ones. Looks like I need a good reason to buy one!

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

Water and electrical brushes don't play well together, even though most buffers are double insulated you should have GFI protection and be carefull not to get water directly into it.

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

a70eliminator said:

Water and electrical brushes don't play well together, even though most buffers are double insulated you should have GFI protection and be carefull not to get water directly into it.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. If I am sanding the hull in order to repaint, not wet sanding, is it okay to use an electric sander? Once I get to 400 grit and up, I will wet sand by hand.
I have read where a lot of people have bought new air compressors in order to keep up with the demand of their air tools. I think its time to retire mine and upgrade. It's 20+ years old and oil less and starting to make funny sounds. I have more than got my money's worth out of it. Time to start watching the sales ads I guess. Any recommendations?

Re: Is this proper Technique for Gel Coat Restoration?

Sorry can't be much help on the sanding technique except with the strakes on a boat hull horizontal sanding motions seem like the way to go.