Hi, 1990 Tiara, gelcoat is still in very good shape. A few months ago I was trying to remove a couple of very stubborn "rub marks". I tried a strong spot remover called "d-solv-it". I think its citrus based (should have used acetone instead). It left a dull -scratchy looking spot. I waxed the hull with Great White polish/conditioner. The entie hull looks great but the bad spot still is not right. Shoud I use compound on the dull spot?
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Damaged Gelcoat?
- Thread starter victorv
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- RO Number
- 1702
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Not yet, FIrst remove the wax from that area, then with a high speed buffer and a wool pad, use 3M Finesse-it. THis will get reid of minute scratches and polish the area. Now rewax.
If that doesnt work, now try compound then finesse then wax
If that doesnt work, now try compound then finesse then wax
about a 3" by 1" 'chunk' of jelcoat missing on hull.. down to fiberglass. can a kit from local marine store fix it? have to sand first? never tried to repair gelcoat before
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Boo Boo Pics
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- RO Number
- 1702
- Messages
- 1,621
Yes it can if done rght. Just fill it in stages, but add the next layer before the previous completely sets.
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- RO Number
- 1702
- Messages
- 1,621
Once you Finesse the gelcoat, the wax will come off really easy just by hand. Howver a good pad on an orbital will work to. THe trick with mechanical buffers is to get the pad just above warm so that it "melts" the wax as it buffs it. But dont get it too hot as you will burn the wax and maybe the gelcoat. Keeping the buffer moving in a small area(2x2 or 3x3) will prevent burning and give you a nice finish.
quote:
Originally posted by tori645
about a 3" by 1" 'chunk' of jelcoat missing on hull.. down to fiberglass. can a kit from local marine store fix it? have to sand first? never tried to repair gelcoat before
If you have never done this before, it will be tough to make the repair blend in. It costs little to try so a pro can bail you out. Where is the damage? On a flat surface or on a curved area? Flat areas are much easier than curves. Tiara will tell you what gel coat to use if you email the company at its web site asking for technical advice. You should also apply the Finnes It and wax with a rotary wheel spinning at 1500 rpms. Use a clean wool pad for the compound and then switch to another for wax. I apply both products with a clean white towell over a 3 x 5 foot area and then rub out over a much larger area, repeating until one side of the hull is completed. This approach really thins out the product and makes it very easy to remove with a towell. Good luck.