Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

Good morning fellow boaters, this may seem like a dumb question but this is my 1st boat that wasn't aluminum. My 1989 Four Winns 17 ft open bow needs polished. The blue stripe is somewhat faded and i'm wondering if its possible to use rubbing compound and polish to restore some of the color. Can a guy use a buffer to help without burning it. I thank you in advance for any help you can throw my way.

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

WELCOME! I used 3M heavy duty rubbing compound. It seemed to work well. If compounding doesn't work, your next step may be to wet sand. What ever you do, you will have to keep it waxed to slow re-oxidation.

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

tlaccopp said:

Can a guy use a buffer to help without burning it.

Click to expand...

A rotary buffer is the ONLY way you can resto gelcoat.

You might "burn" radi if your not careful.

Use 3m Imperial with a Wool bonnet pad and press like hell to get out heavy oxidation ( yes 3m super duty is needed for neglected gel surfaces ).

Most times your trying to remove crap coatings that have failed off of the gel than actually de-oxidizing it..

Im gonna say this one more time .. DO NOT WAX GELCOAT !!! In fact Do NOT apply anything to gelcoat period.

If your not up to the task of "rubbing/buffing" gel then you need a pro that does not use anything other then a pad and some compound that does not have Petrol or Silicates in it.

All your going to do is Burn that crap on and/or into the gel .. then your boned to wetsanding and buffing that crap off !

Not saying this is your ill .. but it probably is .

YD.

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

Yacht Dr. said:

A rotary buffer is the ONLY way you can resto gelcoat.

You might "burn" radi if your not careful.

Use 3m Imperial with a Wool bonnet pad and press like hell to get out heavy oxidation ( yes 3m super duty is needed for neglected gel surfaces ).

Most times your trying to remove crap coatings that have failed off of the gel than actually de-oxidizing it..

Im gonna say this one more time .. DO NOT WAX GELCOAT !!! In fact Do NOT apply anything to gelcoat period.

If your not up to the task of "rubbing/buffing" gel then you need a pro that does not use anything other then a pad and some compound that does not have Petrol or Silicates in it.

All your going to do is Burn that crap on and/or into the gel .. then your boned to wetsanding and buffing that crap off !

Not saying this is your ill .. but it probably is .

YD.

Click to expand...

Sorry about saying to wax.

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

Dad got the family into boating as a past time. Finally got nice a project 20 ft four winns outboard year ago. She is very nice on water power wise. but needs TLC. previous owner did not give enough. I want to change her from crusty crab to bikini bottom lol ..... I test a small area on my boat. 3m product hand waxed learned school of hard knocks that was no no. recently bought rotary type of polish. So do the compound first ? correct what exactly is wet sand

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

Hey Yacht,

Pardon the possibly dumb question here. I had a faded red stripe that I used a mild compound and wax on. Seemed to work ok. I now give it a quick wax/polish every few weeks and it looks pretty good. Whats up with not waxing thing mentioned above?

Thanks

Re: Trying to figure out how to restore the color on my Four Winns

Gentleman, please start your own threads.