New gel coat?

[northerner]

I wouldn't mind making Operetta shine again. I've been trying to figure out hw this is done. Forgive my ignorance

Can new gel coat be applied to create a shiny new surface, say sprayed on or with a paint brush? Our boat is inside a shop at the moment but I'm not sure they would want us spraying anything in there

[Tim Bosma]

up north,
one of the tings we did to Hot Tamale was strip off all the wax on the topsides and apply Poly-Glo. It made the topsides shiny and seems to shed dirt better and doesn't need as much annual maintenance. Let me find the site....we always bough a supply at the Chicago Boat show and it lasted about 2 years, (the supply, that is).
Thanks,
here it is: http://www.poliglow-int.com/

[LarryE-old]

Northerner,
Poly Glo may be a good way to go, if you are truly in the north.
Doesn't work so good in the tropics. Ended up sanding it off the next year, what a job. They sell something to remove it but that didn't work.
Get a REALLY good buffer, some 3m marine cleaner wax and do the hull. Then put a coat of West Marine Polish with PTFE on.
MY boat is a 94 and when we get done it shines like new.

[northerner]

Hi Larry and Tom

That sounds really good, thank you!

I will look up the link

I think Operetta deserves to look pretty

And yes, we are north. We''ll be putting the boat in the water the last weekend in March, in Skagway Alaska


Thanks you guys


Cara

[FYC7.9]

Check out this out: I stumbled upon it recently and it has some very good information for restoring gelcoat.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-main ... h-wax.html

I have used the techniques that are on the page with excellent results...

[dave]

I've watched this thread without replying to see what others would say. Until last year I did this type of thing for a living (since 1971) but shoulder surgery has brought a halt to overhead activities..................... I now concentrate on sail making, which is what i love anyway!!!

I've never used this system, but the last thing they touched on (if/when you are going to paint) was the FIRST thing that crossed my mind when I first read the original post. Gelcoat only shines for X amount of years, no matter how much you baby it. For long lasting, low maintenance gloss, nothing beats Awlgrip or similar coatings, period. One can rationalize their way around this point and spend $$$$ and still have a faded hull in a few years that needs LOTS of pre-paint prep (as the video warns) when one finally bites the bullet and realizes that paint is the only answer to the last sentence........................

Everyone is free to argue the point, but that doesn't change the facts. Sometimes the truth hurts, but it's still the truth!

[LarryE-old]

Don't agree Dave.
I do the cleaner wax and polish every winter, really easy to touch up any nicks with gel coat.
Boat going in the water today and looks new, 28 year old boat. When I bought this boat in 97 a friend who also does boats for a living told me that S2 was only one of a few, that could be brought back to looking new.
Have done other boats with Algrip and if they get dinged or scratched, your screwed. Made the mistake of doing one in Red. Looked great for the first couple of years, then started to fade. Back to waxing .

[dave]

That's your right friend. The amount of effort and time to keep Gelcoat looking good over the long haul is not worth it to me when I can just paint and be done with it for years down the pike. I've patched Awgrip, Imron and similar coatings with good success. Personally, I hate buffing and waxing, plus my shoulder doc told me that the less I do over my head the better off I'm going to be, so it's a no brainer to me. If on the other hand one enjoys buffing and waxing every year or can afford to have it done, by all means, do what makes you happy!

[LarryE-old]

One thing we can agree on is a good Algrip paint job is a beautiful thing
When I had my custom quarter toner around 79 I had it painted bright Algrip red. The guy who lived across the street painted Trailways buses. The red stripe on the side was custom color Algrip red. He saved all the extra paint until we had enought to paint my boat with 6 coats. All it cost me was a case of beer>

[dave]

Many of the newer coatings are a different chemistry which makes repairs and buffing out the same go much better, according to the adds. I haven't used them, and unless I'm doing something for myself, hope not do ANY boat repairs ever again!!!! 41 years in the composite building and repair field (with much of that being over my head) has really taken a toll on my lower back, neck and shoulders. Luckily, my sailmaking and repair business is doing very well and I haven't needed the extra bucks, and hope that it stays that way!!!!

[Bob Kirsten]

Our 7.9 is a 1986, and I always used the three different Maguire's stuff. I think it was "Color Restorer" which I always put on, and off by hand (much Wax-on - Wax-off); then a Polish, followed by a carnauba wax. I put on the last two coats by buffer, but hand rubbed them out. This had worked well on my black J24 for years. The three products come in a kit, and would generally cover me for two years. It is very labor intensive, but did a beautiful job. It would take me a good two days to do it right. We decided to go to Awgrip two years ago, and I must confess - no more wax-on, wax-off, just wash it in the spring and it is beautiful. I can find no fault with it.

Bob Kirsten