Cabin door panel scratches

Jul 16, 2012
22
Hunter 240 North Fork, Long Island
IMG_6827.JPG
Hello,
I am looking for advice on how to repair and/or remove the scratches on the cabin door panels of my Hunter 240. Please see the attached picture. Suggestions appreciated.
Thanks and fair winds!
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,502
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
You might try one of those headlight polishing kits like Meguirs. They involve a multistep sanding process. I have not done this so this is only a suggestion.
 
Mar 23, 2016
45
Hunter 26 MN
I used the Novus polish on mine. It was a lot of work but they do look much better. I started by wet sanding with very fine sandpaper to get the deeper scratches out. Here is one finished and one I hadn't started on yet....
20160227_074113.jpg
 
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jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,923
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I have used the Meguirs 10 and 17 to take out fine scratches on a ships clock plastic crystal. Worked terrific. Was tedious. Took several hours of work. Effort was worth the time as I was able to restore the item to a clear no scratch condition.

Your project is much larger and likely will need an industrial approach.
 
Jul 16, 2012
22
Hunter 240 North Fork, Long Island
Thanks for the responses. I have used Meguirs for various challenges but the cabin panels are in much worse shape so I am going to try the Novus product. Build up the forearms so I can hold a beer with confidence!
 

jssailem

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Oct 22, 2014
23,923
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Wax on. Wax off.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,531
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Let me respond. Deep scratches even with compounding will not come off. Here is what I did as a dealer which worked for me. Using a low speed palm sander with wet and dry sandpaper using 250 grit at first and then finer sandpaper with the use of the water, I sanded out those deep scratches and then used the finer 400 and then 600 grit. Then I used a fine compound with a low speed orbital of not over 1000 rpm going back and forth without letting the tool sit in one place or you could burn the plastic. Turned out just fine.
Suggest practicing first.
I may have used a coarser grit of sandpaper but stayed away from 80, 120, etc. grit. Also use wet and dry sandpaper with water and even with a palm sander I went over the entire surface at low speed going back and forth without stopping in one place.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,502
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Is there anything special about the way they are cut? Can you go to a local plastics shop and buy new panels?
 

pateco

.
Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I did this to my large ports. The scratches weren't too deep, but lots of them
2016-02-19 23.22.38.jpg


Started with 500 grit wet sand paper, then 1000, and 1500 grit. then 3m Compound, and Presta finishing polish on a rotary buffer.
2016-03-12 11.14.28.jpg


Big improvement.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,531
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Justin;
I generally got all the scratches out with the above method. Wax alone is not the answer unless it has a compound in it but the scratches are just that and not deep scratches as I think I saw in the above photos

Pateco, good job
 
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