Nonskid gel coat repair advice please

PSR

PSR

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Sep 17, 2013
117
Catalina 27 4743 MB Yacht Harbor, Richmond CA
I am upgrading the main traveler and just removed the teak block that was the riser for the port end of the old traveler. It was a pain to remove (starboard riser was easy) partly because it was re-bedded with silicon sometime in the past. I did damage to the surface under it with the tools. You can see the result is pretty ugly:


The gel coat and nonskid pattern are damaged, and there is still plenty of silicon left on the surface. Only a small outboard part of this mess will be covered by the new Garhauer riser. I believe that Mainsail has said (in his article on bedding with butyl tape) that the only way to remove silicon bedding completely is by sanding it off. I have two requests for advice:
1. Are there any new ideas/products/procedures anyone has used successfully to remove silicon bedding?
2. What's available in small quantity to use to refinish the gel coat? I am pretty well up on how to reproduce the nonskid pattern, although I haven't attempted such a repair yet.
Thanks!
Peter
Just for the record, my boat is in generally great shape. This would be the only really ugly spot on the decks:
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,102
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
It is a small area. I used a small stainless wire brush, a rag, and chemicals. Tried denatured alcohol, some say mineral spirits, or xylene all of which can have negative influence on paint and fiberglass in large quantities. (Xylene can have negative impact on humans as well). That is why there is the boat owner creed. "Do not use silicon to plug your leak". But we still do. It comes in a tube, we can squirt it out to fill the many little holes then back out on the water and poptop a beer.

Best for me was to work the wire brush, wipe away the bits, swipe with Dn-alcohol and repeat. Once clean I washed with soap and water let dry and re-caulked with butyl-tape. It was a small repair.
 
PSR

PSR

.
Sep 17, 2013
117
Catalina 27 4743 MB Yacht Harbor, Richmond CA
John-
Thanks! I did try a brass brush, but not for very long. I'll go at it with your technique & report on results.
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

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Sep 30, 2013
3,541
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
jssailem said:
That is why there is the boat owner creed. "Do not use silicon to plug your leak". But we still do.
Click to expand
What's this "WE" stuff?? o_O

Good luck PSR, the only thing I've found that removes silicone is tears of frustration and rage. I can't tell you how many times I've fantasized about punching a PO right in the face for having used that CRAP.
 
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jssailem

jssailem

.
Oct 22, 2014
21,102
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Common Gene you know it is done. I know you and I are not the only boaters not drinking the koolaid, but are struggling with a Previous Owners shortcuts. Did not know Tears were useful in that way. Thanks.
 
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Gene Neill

Gene Neill

.
Sep 30, 2013
3,541
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
Oh, it's done all right.

I'm more perturbed by it than most, because my day job is swimming pool renovation. So I've scraped more silicone off more things than you could possibly believe. I just can't understand why John Q Public never seems to get the freakin' memo that the stuff doesn't WORK. :banghead:

Sorry, rant over ... :biggrin:
 
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Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Practical-Sailor just did testing on a range of caulk removers including silicon and polyurethane caulks. I would be inclined to simply shape a pad to cover the damage and do it for both sides. See TreadMaster sheet material.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
9,893
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Ya might think of hiding it .. a nice piece of teak or syn teak about a half inch thick with some nice edge routing/shaping so that it looks like it is supposed to be there. Maybe surround half of the base of the new traveler foot.. make both sides the same and ya end up with a pretty moulding between the foot and raised part of the cockpit or slider edge..
EDIT: Gunny beat me to it..
 
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Charlie Jones s/v Tehani

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani

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Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
Gene Neill said:
What's this "WE" stuff?? o_O

Good luck PSR, the only thing I've found that removes silicone is tears of frustration and rage. I can't tell you how many times I've fantasized about punching a PO right in the face for having used that CRAP.
Click to expand
The stuff is NOT allowed onboard my boat, period. Too many years of running a furniture refinish shop, and going mad trying to get rid of silicone contamination from furniture polishes. Minor little thing called "Fisheyes" where the finish will not stick, even after a Methylene Chloride stripper was used. I hate the stuff
 
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PSR

PSR

.
Sep 17, 2013
117
Catalina 27 4743 MB Yacht Harbor, Richmond CA
Thanks for the notes. I like the idea of pads to cover the damage since I have quite a bit of extra SeaDek non-skid material left from covering the cockpit non-skid pattern. Thanks for that awesome suggestion Gunni & Kloudie1. Doing this should avoid using tears as a solvent.... I hope I won't encounter any more of the silicone crap on the boat. I have to deal with some at home today to recaulk a glass door panel before our next major rain storm. Apparently it holds when you don't want it to and fails where it should last....:cuss:
 
agprice22

agprice22

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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Sand it down to the glass. Tape off the area. Reapply gelcoat and apply a surface pattern.
 
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