How do I regain the gelcoat's gloss

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mrtrouts

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I own a 1977 GlasPly 23', and I'd like to return the "shine" to the gelcoat. I see several products out there that are "clearcoat" type finnishes. Does anyone have any experience with this type of product. Some are quite expensive and I'd like to hear some reviews before I spend the money.
I live/boat in the Pacific Northwest and keep my boat moored in the saltwater all season.
Enlighten me
Thanx!
Bob
 
I did the wax, buffer thing last year, but this is a 30 yr old finnish...
I've been thinking about re-gelcoating or applying one of those products like "presto". www.protechpolymer.com
Curious if anyone has been down this path ahead of me.
Bob
 
How about compounding (polishing)? Did you use an orbital buffer or rotary buffer? Look at Carver's post on "rpms for compounding". It's all there.
Greg
 
i used polyglow on my '72 columbia 45. it actually worked great. you could see yourself in the shine from ten feet away. time consuming to apply but easier than standing in the dinghy with a polisher for ten hours. the only thing i did differently from the manufacturer directions was to scrub the entire hull with a white scotchbrite pad and comet. i did this after using the supplied cleaner. the supplied cleaner left some blotchy spots on the gelcoat. after the comet i had a very nice matte finish. i used to do the same thing before i waxed the boat. the poliglow shine has lasted for over a year so far. it took two complete bottles for my boat.
 
I disagree with the Polyglow product. I've got it on mine and am having one heck of a time getting it off with their cleaner. I've cleaned it 3 times and it is getting awfully pricey.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mrtrouts

I did the wax, buffer thing last year, but this is a 30 yr old finnish...
I've been thinking about re-gelcoating or applying one of those products like "presto". www.protechpolymer.com
Curious if anyone has been down this path ahead of me.
Bob

Click to expand...


I am with Greg - if you want the gloss back then it's compound, polish then wax.
 
There was a similar thread on this a few months ago. I went into the pros and cons on the Polyglow product. Not to trash the product, but I felt it was unable to retain a shine in the bow anywhere there was sea spray. I also never got the same results as the first year (you don't strip it off every year, just add to it). Like Leon above, I stripped it off and went back to wax. Note that you have to use their stripper to get it off.

My 2 cents is to use the 3M brand wax/restorer. Use an electric orbital buffer and resist the temptation to do an area bigger than 3' x 3' at a time. Follow that up with a towel to get any excess off and then follow with 3M wax, again with the buffer. Before you start any of this, clean the boat using a solution of WARM water and simple green. Use a good boat brush and rinse it off and dry it before you start the wax restorer process. I went through your same pain. I have a 25' 1978 Chris Craft. I would also not pursue replacing the gel coat.
 
We did go threw this before. I started a thread on polyglo and after extensive discussion i will continue to compound and wax on my 1978 sea ray.
 
You won't remove oxidation or restore faded gelcoat with an orbital buffer. They may be OK for wax on/off but not for compounding. You need a rotary buffer for this.
Greg
 
I bought a variable speed buffer from Harbor Freight for under $50.00! It's several seasons old and still going strong.
 
Keep you boat in a covered shed or garage, not in the direct sun, and it will look good longer.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Stephen

There was a similar thread on this a few months ago. I went into the pros and cons on the Polyglow product. Not to trash the product, but I felt it was unable to retain a shine in the bow anywhere there was sea spray. I also never got the same results as the first year (you don't strip it off every year, just add to it). Like Leon above, I stripped it off and went back to wax. Note that you have to use their stripper to get it off.

My 2 cents is to use the 3M brand wax/restorer. Use an electric orbital buffer and resist the temptation to do an area bigger than 3' x 3' at a time. Follow that up with a towel to get any excess off and then follow with 3M wax, again with the buffer. Before you start any of this, clean the boat using a solution of WARM water and simple green. Use a good boat brush and rinse it off and dry it before you start the wax restorer process. I went through your same pain. I have a 25' 1978 Chris Craft. I would also not pursue replacing the gel coat.

Click to expand...
I agree with the 3 M combo product Fiberglass cleaner restorer wax, but not with the orbital polisher. When you try to apply enough pressure to get it to work, the polisher stalls. Use a standard rotary polisher and then use the orbital to finish it off . I did the top sides and am about to do below the rub rail. She looked seriously neglected, but it's coming back nicely.
 
Well heck, I agree with everybody about everything. A couple of slips from me is a Polyglow'ed Catalina 30. The owner maintains the finish, uses the boat all the time, and it looks great. He loves the stuff. But for every good story about the stuff, I got three bad ones.

I have no idea where, but once on the net I read an article about gelcoat care. The writer spoke of gelcoat hardness, etc. But two things I remember quite well: His claim that a typical gelcoat has about 7 buff-outs before you reach the bottom of the gelcoat, and that oxidized gelcoat is a great cover coat to protect your gelcoat.

After reading that, I considered myself warned.
 
I just bought a buffer from harbor freight for $29. Have not used it yet, but others have said they work good.
 
Yo,
I have a 21' Glasply Hardtop that I keep at the Tyee marina in Tacoma in the summer time. This is the first season she has not been covered when pulled out and man what a difference that makes on the coat.
The white topside of my boat is showing signs of fading and certainly doesnt have the shine it used to when stored inside. I would be interested to hear what you did and how it turned out. I plan on building a garage for it this summer so I can get it out of the weather.

You can see mine here.
http://horstmann.smugmug.com/gallery/1060843#49279706

Thanks
Rob
 
quote:
Originally posted by FindMe
His claim that a typical gelcoat has about 7 buff-outs before you reach the bottom of the gelcoat, and that oxidized gelcoat is a great cover coat to protect your gelcoat.

Click to expand...


everything is dependant on who made the boat. if it was 7 times on my last boat, i would have then been to the inside matting.
i at least polished that boat once a month.

that really applies to using the heavier compounds. still putting a number on it is hard.. but true. i caould bring back a '70's boat that was never done better then a early 90's that was done frequently

Back on topic, you could always try to wetsand
 
WHen I bought each of my lsdt three Silvertons, each had a fair amount of oxidation above the rubrails. I buffed out each with a rotary buffer and 3M Finesse It then waxed. I apply about 2-3 more coats of wax above the rubrails by hand each season. Since the original buffing and continued waxing, I haven't noticed any oxidation. So I think if you keep applying good quality wax, you don't have to risk hurting the gelcoat by repeated buffing/polishing. My .02$
 
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