Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

[pbookey]

Hi all, I have a 1974 Jolly Roger with a 140 Merc in major need of some help with the gelcoat (I think!?!). The gelcoat has been abused by the sun now for 30 years and also by many encounters with the dock. Here's a picture of the condition of the gelcoat on the top half of the boat. <br />

<br />You can obviously see the clear coat that is blistering and flaking off. At other points in this coating, there are small cracks, both straight and spider. At some point in its life, a new clear coat was applied to the boat, which is the coating that I assume is now flaking off. <br />

<br />This is a picture of the hull, the gelcoat is in much better condition minus the gouges in the sides that have gone through to the fiberglass. They look white because they're filled with wax. <br /><br />Basically, I'm looking for an assesment of the damage and any ideas on where to get started on repairing the gelcoat and the deeper gouges in the fiberglass. I'm learning a lot reading the other posts on gelcoat repair, although I haven't seen much with the extent of damage on my boat. I would like to keep the purple metalflake if at all possible. Thanks a lot in advance for your help.<br /><br />Pat

 

[Wave goodbye]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

Hello, I dont know if you have read any of my posts. But if the scratches and gouges are through the gel you will have a hard time restoring the complete finish. If not find a spot that wont be seen to start. Probably in the rear hull. What I did was just that, I started underneath. I started with a orbital sander with 220 grit, I would not use a courser grit for any reason, as it will be harder to get to a glossy finish. Sand just untill you get past the discolored and/or scratched and gouged surface. After you reach a semi/uniform finish change to 800 grit and sand just enough to resurface what you have done, and to get a uniform surface. Follow this up with rubbing it all down with 00000/steelwool. Wash and dry! Then buff out with a good quality rubbing compound and a BUFFER not the orbital type!!!! I use a 7" electric buffer and 3M's "Perfect-it III Extra cut Rubbing Compound" I picked up the buffer at harbor freight for about 29$US and the compound for 25$. I was tempted to cut corners by useing 80 gritDON"T!!!!)stay with 220 then 800 or finer, a little slower getting there but worth it. In the spots where the finish is still in good shape just buff, no sanding required. The 3M compound will do the rest. Now this process, I know works great, however, you know the vessel much better than the pics show. If the damage is really bad you may want to look into some gel work. For this ask a pro, if the damage is only spots just sand the spots. Sanding may sound scary, did for me, but all this info came from a pro, and i've done it myself, after the boat was painted with junk industral paint.

 

[pbookey]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

Unfortunately, the damage is over at least 80% of the top surface of the boat with varying severity, it is not as localized as the pictures might suggest. They are more a representative of the problem.

 

[Realgun]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

I don't know about your boat but if that is metalflake gel your gonna have a hard time fixing it. If the gelcoat that covers the flakes is gone then sanding or compounding wil make it worse.

 

[pbookey]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

As you can see in the pics, there are portions where the clear coat is gone. The surface underneath is smooth and there are no flakes coming up. How is the metalflake put down? Is it embedded into a gelcoat layer, or is there a clear coat that covers the metalflake layer? If there is another clearcoat, shouldn't i just be able to sand and/or compound that back into good condition? Sorry for all the questions, I'm new at this. Thanks.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

There are a couple of ways to do this. Do you want the original finish, this will difficult and may not work, or do you just want to paint it so it looks good? To get the original finnish With the clear coat coming of the deck like it is, you will have no choice but to start sanding, 220 grit is a good place to start. Just be carefull not to sand into the flake, if you do, it may be difficult to get it to look uniform. The surface may look blotchy when resprayed with clear. If you want to paint the deck, it won't be as difficult you can use 150 0r 180 to remove the old clear. Then primer and sand it with finer paper, 400 or so. Use an automotive paint, it will last a long time and you will be able to get it in any color you want. Only use a marine paint on the deck if you plan on it being under water often, most boating is done with the deck facing the sky.<br />I have read in some posts that paint may not bond well to gel coat. Not true, the only reason that it may flake off, or not bond well, is from poor prep. If the surface is sanded and cleaned it will bond very very well.<br />The spots on the hull can be cleaned and very lightly sanded, you will need to get all of the wax out of the scratches. Then if they are not through the gel coat, you might be able to fill them with clear gel coat, then sand and buff this won't be perfect, but it will be much more involved if you want to retain the original look and get it so they can't be seen. <br /><br />Good Luck

 

[pbookey]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

Thanks for the various inputs. This project won't be getting underway anytime soon. I'm busy learning how to fly for the Navy, so I won't get to this for awhile. However, I was looking for some information to start to get a picture of what needs to be done and how to do it. I'm obviously new at this, so maybe a better place to start is a good book on the subject of gelcoat/fiberglass repair so I can better diagnose the severity of my problem. Anybody have suggestions for a good book?<br /><br />Thanks

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

NavyPat<br /><br />I only live a short distance from you, if you want, I can show you how to do this job and I have all the tools you will need to get it done. If you need books, I have those too.

 

[pbookey]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

Ondarvr, thanks for the offer. The help would be greatly appreciated, HOWEVER, I currently owe my life to the Navy and am in Florida right now (the boat is back home in Washington). I won't be getting to this project for at least another year or so and when I do, I'll be taking the boat to whatever duty station I end up at. What are the titles to the books, maybe I could get my own copy?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Newbie gelcoat restoration help with pics

The books I have are for fiberglass boat builders and they may be difficult to understand for someone not in the industry. Also they are not easy to find. Since you will most likely not be doing these repairs around where I live, it may be easier to get the tapes and books from a supplier of fiberglass products in the area where you will doing the repairs. If you plan on being back in Pacific NW to get the boat, I could look at then and let you know can be done.<br /><br />I thank you for your service to our great country, and good luck.