Recently bought a boat trying to get the shine back.

jws123

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Jul 24, 2016
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Recently picked up a 1992 century antigua 235 basically when i got it it was sitting outside un covered for years moss and mold all over. Power washed and bleached it now its white as a ghost and looks good but i am trying to get it to shine up a bit its dull. I have tried a few cleaner/polishes/waxes but it seams like i wipe it on it looks good it drys i wipe it off and it goes back dull like its not sticking to the fiberglass or something.. never had a boat this bad Any suggestions? would using like a compound help?
 

racerone

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Dec 28, 2013
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Pick a spot.-------Use 1200 wet / dry paper to get rid of the layer of oxidized gelcoat.--------Polish the stuff that is now exposed.
 

roffey

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Nov 22, 2012
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X2... what he said. You will be amazed how much it will come back. You will have to wax and polish regularly, you may want to investigate putting a coat of clear coat..
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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Any suggestions? would using like a compound help?

wetsand at 800 grit, then 1200, then buff with a buffing machine. first pass using Aquabuff or similar. then second pass using Finesse It.

you will need a big jar of elbow grease.
 

jws123

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Jul 24, 2016
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OK thanks for the info and what kind of clear coat would i use if it came down to it?
 

jimmbo

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I would speak with a Paint Company, one that specializes with Fiberglass Car Bodies. in the 70s one of our glass boats was sprayed with an 2 part Epoxy Paint. Very glossy and very thin, held up very well.
 

Blind Date

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Mar 5, 2014
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Do not clear coat it without trying a good compound buff first. Most of my 1979 CVX18 I brought back with nothing more than that. Couple places I wet sanded. I always recommend not going anymore aggressive than you have to to get the results you want.

Clear coat as a last result, worst thing you can do unless the gelcoat s completely gone. You can see how bad my '79 CVX18 was when I got it. It came back. Those pictures are close to 10 years old, still has the same shine.

79cvx18dash-1.jpg


79cvx18bow-1.jpg



cvx182-1.jpg


79cvx18comparo-1.jpg


cvx181-1.jpg




f2e917004b03418c0cdcbbd4e0cb1bd5.jpg
 
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jws123

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Jul 24, 2016
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sanding helped its all smooth now un like before but it appears there is just nothing left can it be re gel coated? or is it better to shoot clear?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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you can re-gel coat if needed. would help if you posted pictures.
 

roffey

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I did not think you could re gel-coat as it is part of the process unlike clear coat that is sprayed on last., or so I thought. It was my impression when making a boat they start with a wax release coating in the mold, then gel-coat and color, then fiberglass and next stringers and such. I am likely wrong tho so feel free to correct me. I know there is a product ti fix broken gel-coat like cracks but did not think you could re gel-coat a hull, interesting....
 
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JimS123

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I did not think you could re gel-coat as it is part of the process unlike clear coat that is sprayed on last., or so I thought. It was my impression when making a boat they start with a wax release coating in the mold, then gel-coat and color, then fiberglass and next stringers and such. I am likely wrong tho so feel free to correct me. I know there is a product ti fix broken gel-coat like cracks but did not think you could re gel-coat a hull, interesting....

Your description of boat building procedure is correct. Original true gelcoat cures in the absence of oxygen, thus the hull must stay in the mold long enough for that to happen.

However, boats can be re-gelcoated, but I would guess the chemistry of the material must be somewhat different.

I have only seen 2 boats re-gelcoated. Both were done by the original boat manufacturer, and both looked worse after the re-do than they did before. However, that was a long time ago, so possibly the technology has improved.
 

roffey

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I have minor scratches on my boat, dock rash. I took a rattle can of automotive clear coat and sprayed the scratches then use rubbing compound followed by wax. It looks to have worked but only time will tell. If this were my boat I would just wax it. A good day for me is washing and waxing my boat or truck with my favorite beverage in hand. On my lake there is a beach only accessible by boat. I nose the boat up on the sand, turn the radio on and break out some elbow grease.
 

Blind Date

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Mar 5, 2014
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I have never sanded my 1972 sailboat hull once. I don't need to keep removing the gel coat. Just used this or something like it:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/COSTACOAT-3...pe!34689!US!-1

Same stuff as Poli Glow. If you want to save money just wipe it with Mop & Glo. Some swear by these types of products others claim it's the worst thing you can do to your boat. Everyone in my MN Classic Glastron Club brings back faded/oxidized gelcote on their old boats the same way I did mine.

You couldn't pay me to put a product like Costacoat on any of my boats but to each their own. The gelcote on my 1983 CVX16 came back better than my 18 with nothing more than a compound buff.

 
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porscheguy

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Jan 17, 2013
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Your description of boat building procedure is correct. Original true gelcoat cures in the absence of oxygen, thus the hull must stay in the mold long enough for that to happen.

However, boats can be re-gelcoated, but I would guess the chemistry of the material must be somewhat different.

I have only seen 2 boats re-gelcoated. Both were done by the original boat manufacturer, and both looked worse after the re-do than they did before. However, that was a long time ago, so possibly the technology has improved.

All polyester resins only cure in the absence of oxygen. There’s really no difference between what you can buy versus what the builders use.

Now because the builder sprays into a mold and works from the outside in, the gel coat is sealed between the mold on one side and the fiberglass/resin laminate on the other. The only surface which would then have an issue with fully curing in the inner most layer which is the final layer to go into the mold. To seal it, you’ve got a few options. You can add a surfacing was additive to the final resin that is applied. You can use PVA release agent (poly vinyl alcohol), or you could use peel ply film.

Remember gel coat is just thickened, pigmented resin.

As long as you don’t sand through the gel coat, you should be able to lightly sand and buff it back to its original shine.
 

Blind Date

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I have only seen 2 boats re-gelcoated. Both were done by the original boat manufacturer, and both looked worse after the re-do than they did before.

The thing about re-gel coating a boat is all the wet sanding(labor) required to take out the orange peel. It doesn't lay down like paint. Not an issue when they are laid up in a female mold as a new boat. Shipwreck in MN redid this CV16 a number of years back. That's gel coat not paint. It's done all the time and the results are fabulous!

 

DouglasW

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Apr 20, 2018
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wow, that stuff is expensive but it must work well or you would not post it. How often go you apply it and how long does it last?

It saved my sailboat from a being real embarrassment 3 years ago. The boat had been in the water in Florida for 5 years with little use. First I had to remove all the stains from the hull with Mary Kate. The gel coat was as flat as you could imagine and a few spot had worn through to the color underneath over the years. I applied the cleaner first that came with the kit. That was very easy. The rest was simple and easy too, just use a cloth to spread on the "wax", let it dry and do the next coat, 6 coats for a near-new look. Each coat took only about 20 minutes to dry in the Florida heat. I used two quarts for the hull above the water line and most of the deck areas. Warning: Do not apply to any areas where you walk, it is slippery. I have reapplied two coats just last year. It is possible to put it on too thick and it will run if you try to add too much.

I did not want to sand or buff off the gel coat. Eventually, you will have nothing left. I have used it on the topsides of my Mariah boat also. I see absolutely no problems with it. If you really want to remove it, they do sell a remover.

But, basically, you may be able to accomplish almost the same thing by using a commercial floor wax that dries hard for far less cost.
 
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