My boat had been left in the woods for about twenty years (as near as we can tell) without any protection from the elements. After taking ownership, I replaced the teak and restored the rest of the cockpit to its original state. The last area to be addressed is the gel coat which has the appearance of a powder white paint. I have tried a number of products to restore the luster and finish (including Island Girl) but have had only limited success. The only method that seem to work reliablely is wet sanding with progressively finer paper, finishing with an 800. Needless to say this is labor intensive. Once an area is finished I use a sealer and then a polish. The transom is done but a lot of boat remains. Is there not a better way to approach this? Your input would be much appreciated.
Almost Finished
- Thread starter Don12324
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1980 Catalina with Similar Problem
I have a very similar problem with my Catalina 25. I also would like to know the best way to finish the topsides. For some reason that I don't understand, in North Carolina, the fiberglass seems to eventually take on a yellow or green tint. I have not seen this in the Chesapeake Bay area, or here in Florida. Can you tell me why this is?
I have a very similar problem with my Catalina 25. I also would like to know the best way to finish the topsides. For some reason that I don't understand, in North Carolina, the fiberglass seems to eventually take on a yellow or green tint. I have not seen this in the Chesapeake Bay area, or here in Florida. Can you tell me why this is?
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Bill O'Donovan
Yo Island Girl!
HOW should route this to the good doctor in Hawaii, since I'll be Island Girl can do this. I'm a believer, after considerable trial by error.
HOW should route this to the good doctor in Hawaii, since I'll be Island Girl can do this. I'm a believer, after considerable trial by error.
Poly Glo and Future
When we bought our boat about a year ago, the entire exterior was thickly coated with oxidation - that powdery finish. After significant research and some recommendations, I decided to try Poly Glo and the accompanying cleaner. I spent about half a day scrubbing every square inch above waterline with the Poly Glo cleaner. It removed the oxidation. It took a short amount of time the same day to treat the hull topsides with the Poly Glo finish which made the topsides shine like the new boats in the yard. For other areas such as the cockpit, deck cabin roof, etc. where we might need to step, Poly Glo is NOT recommended. In those areas we used Johnson's Future Floor Finish. This is an acryllic floor finish that restored much of the sheen and provides good grip under foot. It also is easy to clean. Future can also be removed by scrubbing with ammonia-based cleaners. We're very satisfied with both the Poly Glo products and Future acryllic finish. Those who have seen out boat have commented on how good she looks for her age. On the flip side, we ordered some Island Girl Non-skid Sealer. Even with the advice of the owner and developer of the product and following the directions closely, the results were unacceptable and we had to scrub it off the boat. YMMV.
When we bought our boat about a year ago, the entire exterior was thickly coated with oxidation - that powdery finish. After significant research and some recommendations, I decided to try Poly Glo and the accompanying cleaner. I spent about half a day scrubbing every square inch above waterline with the Poly Glo cleaner. It removed the oxidation. It took a short amount of time the same day to treat the hull topsides with the Poly Glo finish which made the topsides shine like the new boats in the yard. For other areas such as the cockpit, deck cabin roof, etc. where we might need to step, Poly Glo is NOT recommended. In those areas we used Johnson's Future Floor Finish. This is an acryllic floor finish that restored much of the sheen and provides good grip under foot. It also is easy to clean. Future can also be removed by scrubbing with ammonia-based cleaners. We're very satisfied with both the Poly Glo products and Future acryllic finish. Those who have seen out boat have commented on how good she looks for her age. On the flip side, we ordered some Island Girl Non-skid Sealer. Even with the advice of the owner and developer of the product and following the directions closely, the results were unacceptable and we had to scrub it off the boat. YMMV.
T
TT
F'glass Rubbing compound
Don - Have you tried a rubbing compound designed for fiberglass gelcoat? For speed you need a power buffer, but it's something you could try with a couple of rags at first, to get a feel for the process. I just finished watching a couple of videos about gelcoat repair and the "expert" recommended wet sanding, starting with 320 grit, then 400, 500 and finally 600 grit, followed by a high-speed (>2000 RPM ) power buffer with a 10-12" pad and the coarse rubbing compound. The results looked impressive !!! Good luck.
Don - Have you tried a rubbing compound designed for fiberglass gelcoat? For speed you need a power buffer, but it's something you could try with a couple of rags at first, to get a feel for the process. I just finished watching a couple of videos about gelcoat repair and the "expert" recommended wet sanding, starting with 320 grit, then 400, 500 and finally 600 grit, followed by a high-speed (>2000 RPM ) power buffer with a 10-12" pad and the coarse rubbing compound. The results looked impressive !!! Good luck.
D
David LaBonte
How to wet sand properly
Hello fellow restorers'....actually you should start with 800 grit paper...remember this is wet sanding...I use a bucket of water with a dab of soap detergent to soak the paper and the surface to be sanded is wetted and kept wet...first sand north and south ...then east and west...surface is then to be thoroughly cleaned...then follow the same process with 1200 grit and then 1500..remembering to clean surfaces between..sanding...then use a rubbing compound...followed by a finishing glaze...then 4 coats of wax...in my opinion this is what you should try before thinking of painting the boat...it generally is somewhat cheaper even with the labor..and your boat still looks original....
Hello fellow restorers'....actually you should start with 800 grit paper...remember this is wet sanding...I use a bucket of water with a dab of soap detergent to soak the paper and the surface to be sanded is wetted and kept wet...first sand north and south ...then east and west...surface is then to be thoroughly cleaned...then follow the same process with 1200 grit and then 1500..remembering to clean surfaces between..sanding...then use a rubbing compound...followed by a finishing glaze...then 4 coats of wax...in my opinion this is what you should try before thinking of painting the boat...it generally is somewhat cheaper even with the labor..and your boat still looks original....
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