How to get out small scratches

[Jared]

What is the best way to get out small scratches in the gelcoat. I took off the old name off the stern of our boat and it was still yellowed after removing the glue and everything. So, I did probably the wrong thing and used 220 grit sand paper and gently wet-sanded off the yellow by hand. Who knows what it was, but it worked. Only problem is when you look from the side and the sun hits it, you can see lots of swirly little scratched.This is probably a basic question I should know the answer to, but how do you get those out? Do you just wax it or do you hit it with deoxidizer first (or the combo deoxidizer/wax product)? Or do you have to use something like poliglow or the such to get the scratches out?Thanks.

 

[Warren M]

Small scratches...

Jared:I think you are on the right track, just haven't gone far enough. The 220-grit paper may need to be followed by wet sanding with the smoothest emory paper you can find (i.e., 800 grit). Without being able to see your scratches, makes it hard to come with the right fix, but after the emory paper you may want to use some fiberglass rubbing compound and then start the waxing process. Hope this helps.

 

[Steve Dion]

Should leave it alone.

This is common when you remove vinyl or paint off of gel coat. I have found that it is best to leave it alone. The sun will eventually take care of it.Just reapply the new lettering and let mother nature do her thing.Your best bet now may be to use a very fine wet/dry paper to clean up the scratchs and then buff it without with some 3M Finness.

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Wet sand with 800 and/or 1200

Use a cleaner wax or compound to buff then add wax.Steve's right. UV will bleach that yellow relatively quickly (a month or so down here.)220 is VERY coarse for gelcoat and although you got rid of the yellow you took off quite a bit of gel to do it.Personally, I can't recommend Poli Glow. I used it for quite a few years and when it's done right it looks good. However, when it fails it looks horrible and it's a mother to remove. Their stripper won't do it. In any case those products don't eliminate the scratches, they just fill them in and coat them.Hope this helps.

 

[Gary Hunter 320]

Just like paint

Polishing fiberglass is just like polishing car paint. Any car polish or if really bad scratches, a rubbing compound. I found Mother's aluminum wheel polish works extremely well. I sanded off the old hailing port painted lettering and polished it up like new. This stuff seems to have a coarse compound that breaks down very fast to a nice fine polish, kind of like starting with rubbing compound and then finishing up with polishing compound but in only one step!Gary