Need advise

[502hunter]

I am looking at an older fiberglass boat but when I went to check it out obviously its oxidized however when I put my arms on the side of the boat to look into it, I broke out do to fiberglass particles coming off. My question is what is the easiest way for a beginning DIY person to fix a problem like this. Is this clear coat or gel coat that has worn off? Thanks in advance for any input

 

[pauloman]

Re: Need advise

I once got a free kayak because of that.

bush a coat of slightly solvent thinned epoxy over it and then (sand if needed) paint with hardware store enamel

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need advise

You don't need anything more than a coat of paint, find something cheap in a color you like and go for it.

It's a common issue.

Read it again, are you saying the outside surface, as in the gel coat made you itch, or the inside that looked like raw glass and was unpainted?

Typically you will have no reaction from touching a gel coated surface, but it's not uncommon for it to happen on a surface with no coating.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Need advise

yep, you can polish, wax or paint it

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Need advise

Epoxy will work, but might have difficulty getting paint to adhere. Consider using automotive body putty to cosmetically fill and shape if will be painting. You can make it look pretty sharp with a good paint job. Prep is the key, as usual.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Need advise

Wash it good, then give it a few coats of Vaseline, leaving it dry in between. The Vaseline will clean it completely as you remove the excess, and restore the shine, & color completely by absorbing into the surface, & restoring the silicon, color, & shine to like new! Once completely dry, you can polish or wax over it to preserve the finish.

This is no gimmick! Here's a couple of before, & after pix of my son-in-laws boat that I brought back, it's an 89' Bayliner 19'

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advise

Epoxy will work, but might have difficulty getting paint to adhere. Consider using automotive body putty to cosmetically fill and shape if will be painting. You can make it look pretty sharp with a good paint job. Prep is the key, as usual.

Never had any issues with paint adhering to epoxy repairs as long as you sand and prime just like any other surface.

Wash it good, then give it a few coats of Vaseline, leaving it dry in between. The Vaseline will clean it completely as you remove the excess, and restore the shine, & color completely by absorbing into the surface, & restoring the silicon, color, & shine to like new! Once completely dry, you can polish or wax over it to preserve the finish.

The "Vaseline Gimmick" has been discussed "Ad Infinitum" here on the forum and is generally NOT recommended as a good practice for restoring a Gelcoat finish. You can do an Advanced Search and search Thread Titles Only and you'll understand more about the subject.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need advise

The gel coat wouldn't be what's causing an itching problem, there are no fibers in the gel coat to irritate the skin. If there had been any sanding done on raw glass some of the dust may have landed on that surface, or his arms came in contact with the deteriorated surface on the inside that had some fibers exposed.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advise

If and when the Gelcoat needs to be repaired, whoever is doing the repair will have a very difficult time with the repairs due to the vaseline totally being absorbed into the pores of the gelcoat. As stated, it's been discussed a LOT here on the forum by the PRO's In the Know and they all agree it's a temporary fix at best. http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...ine-other-shining-agents-gel-coat-426603.html It does give a nice shine and appearance but it's not good for the boat's finish in the long run. I guess it's what you're looking for...Quick and easy or long term... Like I say... It's your boat and your free to do as you see fit.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Need advise

If and when the Gelcoat needs to be repaired, whoever is doing the repair will have a very difficult time with the repairs due to the vaseline totally being absorbed into the pores of the gelcoat. As stated, it's been discussed a LOT here on the forum by the PRO's In the Know and they all agree it's a temporary fix at best. http://forums.iboats.com/boat-resto...ine-other-shining-agents-gel-coat-426603.html It does give a nice shine and appearance but it's not good for the boat's finish in the long run. I guess it's what you're looking for...Quick and easy or long term... Like I say... It's your boat and your free to do as you see fit.

My way is easier then slopping paint or epoxy over it, good luck with getting a decent finish. Plus you preserve the original color, and it's just as durable when completed, and you wax/polish over it.

If, & When the gelcoat needs to be repaired, you're gonna be painting to match, and using a wax/polish stripper on the finish 1st, as any body shop would do, so it really won't matter!

 

[zool]

Re: Need advise

My way is easier then slopping paint or epoxy over it, good luck with getting a decent finish. Plus you preserve the original color, and it's just as durable when completed, and you wax/polish over it.

If, & When the gelcoat needs to be repaired, you're gonna be painting to match, and using a wax/polish stripper on the finish 1st, as any body shop would do, so it really won't matter!

I have mixed opinions on this subject. As a refinisher, any contaminate in the pores of the substrate can be fatal. Sealants can be the devil, because you can never be sure its all removed. Armoral on steering wheel wraps cause a lot of problems, for example.

Wax and grease removers do a good job, if applied correctly, but aren't a cure all. I for one, would have reservations prepping a substrate which was treated with a petroleum jelly product.

On the other hand, as a layman, any affordable method to achieve a reasonable shine to colored oxidized gel, would be welcome. Most people don't have the ability or facilities, to re-gel or re-coat a hull properly, so this is a viable option.

In the end, IMO, this is just another case of and average DIY fix, that complicates the professional fix...Usually the two cross paths, but rarely the authors....

Also, and not meant as any disrespect, but the name shadow would most likely be unaceptable to the new owner...and a refinish would be inevitable.

 

[502hunter]

Re: Need advise

It is the tops of the sides of the boat, the actual inside doesn't seem to be that bad as where the inside isn't in as much constant contact with the sun as the top of the sides are. I'm assuming that years of being weathered without any protection is what caused it. Can I just spray a cheap clear coat on top of it, or will I have a problem getting it to stick? And do I need to sand with a high grip paper in order to remove dirt and help the clear to stick? or is this not an option? I would rather not have to take everything out of the inside in order to paint the whole inside of the boat. Its a cheap boat and I like to buy, sale, and trade, so I cant see my self having it for more than 2-3yrs at most, I just don't want to break out with a case of the itches every time I go fishing. However I don't want this to turn into a bank breaker either cause my money tree died years ago..lol

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need advise

Itchy arms are from glass fibers, rarely from gel coat unless you are very sensitive. I think we will need a pic of the boat and surface. You may just need to clean it.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Need advise

Don't get me wrong, if I had a new boat, or one in real good shape, and I wanted a keeper, or a showboat I'd refinish it the right way. But, a 10, or a 20yr old badly weathered boat, it just doesn't pay. Besides, there's probably a lot more important things wrong with a boat that old, that need to be done then to even worry about a perfect finish. Both of the old boats I refinished with vaseline came out amazing with only one season of this process, they probably would have come up even better with following seasons, but I'll never know? Because their both gone now. "Yes, you can make a sows ear into a silk purse", if you're willing to do the extra work the right way!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Need advise

It is the tops of the sides of the boat, the actual inside doesn't seem to be that bad as where the inside isn't in as much constant contact with the sun as the top of the sides are. I'm assuming that years of being weathered without any protection is what caused it. Can I just spray a cheap clear coat on top of it, or will I have a problem getting it to stick? And do I need to sand with a high grip paper in order to remove dirt and help the clear to stick? or is this not an option? I would rather not have to take everything out of the inside in order to paint the whole inside of the boat. Its a cheap boat and I like to buy, sale, and trade, so I cant see my self having it for more than 2-3yrs at most, I just don't want to break out with a case of the itches every time I go fishing. However I don't want this to turn into a bank breaker either cause my money tree died years ago..lol

If it's and old fiberglass boat the "ITCH FACTOR" may be the least of your worries. I'd highly recommend a thorough inspection of the interior deck looking for soft spots and the transom and the underside of the hull. If you don't want to invest a lot of time and money and just want to go fishin' then you might want to look at aluminum boats (did I just say that!!!!) I LOVE glass boats but...they do have a tendency to have issues if they are not properly cared for and this boat seems to have indicators that she's been neglected. Do your homework before purchasing.!!!!

 

[73Chrysler105]

Re: Need advise

Never had any issues with paint adhering to epoxy repairs as long as you sand and prime just like any other surface.

The "Vaseline Gimmick" has been discussed "Ad Infinitum" here on the forum and is generally NOT recommended as a good practice for restoring a Gelcoat finish. You can do an Advanced Search and search Thread Titles Only and you'll understand more about the subject.

Why not just put on a coat of transmission fluid to shine it up. It's the same thing and same trick to get a shiny look for pictures, or to sell it.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: Need advise

hey 502hunter, be careful of any fillers if you are prone to allergic reactions, particularly sanding dust (agree with Woodonglass, btw, can paint over epoxy if you prep. correctly). Get a sense you want to do some cosmetic patching/smoothing and get on with it -- would go with what you find easy to work with. If you choose painting over gelcoat I like to use foam brushes. Use an oil based paint -- have had pretty good results with Rustoleum. Marine paints like Easypoxy flow out really well and adhere well, as you would expect, but they are expensive (unless you have a source where you can grab some stuff on sale, something like that). Don't cover up dangerous situations, though. Transoms are a pretty easy fix if needed (usually is in a neglected boat). You really can't run safely without fixing that if it's in bad or questionable shape.

 

[502hunter]

Re: Need advise

First thing I done when I pulled up tp look at it was crawl underneath to see if any visual damage. There was a very small chip in the hull but other than that looked fine. Then secondly I almost stood (put a lot of pressure on the 70 hp) and looked for flex in the transom but I didn't notice any give at all, seemed real solid. Third, I got in and checked for soft spots and didn't notice any at all. But like I said when I leaned on it to talk to the guy about it, fiberglass particles was getting into my arms causing me to itch. Really that's the main reason I started this topic was to figure out a easy/simple fix to this problem. Its a $1000 boat that seems to run good and I just want to get 2-3 good fishing season out of it with out "getting the itch". I don't want to spend the time and effort to do a total restoration on the boat because I'm sure with my history it will be somebody else's problem in 2-3 years at most.

 

[coolbri70]

Re: Need advise

paint it

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Need advise

First thing I done when I pulled up tp look at it was crawl underneath to see if any visual damage. There was a very small chip in the hull but other than that looked fine. Then secondly I almost stood (put a lot of pressure on the 70 hp) and looked for flex in the transom but I didn't notice any give at all, seemed real solid. Third, I got in and checked for soft spots and didn't notice any at all. But like I said when I leaned on it to talk to the guy about it, fiberglass particles was getting into my arms causing me to itch. Really that's the main reason I started this topic was to figure out a easy/simple fix to this problem. Its a $1000 boat that seems to run good and I just want to get 2-3 good fishing season out of it with out "getting the itch". I don't want to spend the time and effort to do a total restoration on the boat because I'm sure with my history it will be somebody else's problem in 2-3 years at most.

That's what I thought....but gel coat rarely makes you itch, so there's a little more to this story. The good part is that any portion of the boat that makes you itch can be painted with the cheapest paint there is and solve the problem, that is if you really want done cheap, the more you spend the better it will look.