I've searched the forum and found several topics on bringing back a neglected finish. I've also noticed that some people have stated that since doing that the polished finish doesn't seem to last. I talked to a guy today that's in the marine industry and he told me that I'd be wasting my time by polishing the boat. He said I could compound it and it would look good for a few days but the dull would come right back. I realized that after we got off the phone nothing was mentioned about using sandpaper first.

So here's the question...Is using sandpaper the difference and possibly he's just not aware of that? How many people who have brought back a dull finish wish they'd just spent their time sailing the boat instead of polishing it?

Clint

Applied in a female mold, gelcoat forms a solid outer skin that holds up well for a long time. Once that outer skin starts to oxidize, it exposes an inner, more porous material. Starting with 600 grit sandpaper you CAN polish it and get a nice shine. It will take you about two days of work to get it there and if you can keep it out of the sun, the shine will last for quite a while...just not as long as the original shine. It is certainly much cheaper than re-gelcoating the entire boat.

That's the thing...I can't keep it out of the sun. Would I be best off just keeping a protective coat of wax on it and accepting the fact that it's going to be a dull white?

Plastic tarp from walmart - $10 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Yes, however compounding will bring back the shine b/c essentially polishing is just a VERY VERY fine sand paper.

Gently wet rub with 800grit wet and dry paper to a nice even matt finish, this will remove a couple of microns (or less) of the surface, which is mostly, all "oxidised" material. Being an oxide it is very “hard” and to remove it by simply trying to taking it off with a cut and polishing compound would take “forever”. After the wet and dry, then cut and polish with a lambs wool buff at slow revolutions using a coarse cut and polish compound. This will bring the surface colour back up to “as new” and the actual polished surface will be better than new.
When the surface “oxidises” it is doing just what it was designed to do – protect the resin in the laminate from UV breakdown. UV light will break down ALL resins regardless of whichever they are, and the gel coat is there to primarily protect the resin in the fibreglass laminate from this UV breakdown. Unlike exposed resin in a fibreglass laminate where the resin will quite quickly “breakdown” and just crumble and fall away with extended, unprotected UV exposure, gel coat will oxidise on the surface and that oxide stays there and will then, itself help in the protection from UV breakdown.
If you want to keep the high gloss, full colour surface without the “milky/chalky” appearances caused by the gradual oxidation returning, then, after the surface has been restored, spray paint it with a coat of clear automotive lacquer or a clear, two pack (good) polyurethane paint. The surface finish, colour, and gloss, will then last for many many years even when left continuously out in full sun exposure.

How old is the boat, what color is it?

Of course if you don't try you'll be one up on the rest of us who have wasted too much time trying to make a old boat shine <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

It's an '86 and is white. I know nothing has been done with it for the last few years.

One Word will solve all your issues.....
VERTGLASS.
Jake put me on to it a few years ago and I have done 4 boats with it since. Restores the gelcoat with a shine you can't believe. I'm going on the 4th year of sitting in the sun and it still looks great.
It's as easy as painting a boat with water and you go round and round the boat with like 6 coats or so. Each coat dries by the time you get round the whole thing. Comes out fantastic. Costs about $ 50 to do a good size boat. MAke sure you take pictures for before and after. No one will believe the difference. Best of all, I think you can buy it in the ON-LINE Store.

Greg

Greg:

Getting in late on this. Do you have to prepare boat before you apply Vertglass? And what about paint decal on boat? I have a Mystere 4.3.

Doug

The kit comes with a boat wash and a scrub pad that takes all the old wax off and dulls it up. Then you just start "painting" on with a chamois brush the polymer. It's the greatest stuff I've ever seen for bringing back that new boat look. Here is the latest trick I've used it for..... The lenses on my wifes van got all cloudy and the headlights performance suffered. Painting on this polymer clears up the fogginess and its been on there for over 2 months of New England weather. Lenses are still clear.

My suggestion is to use the search engine for Vertglass and there are several before and after photos I took. Also some others from those that have tried it.

Greg

Opps forgot about the decal part of your question.....
I went right over the decals on my Nacra 5.5 SL and it didn't faze them. No lifting or anything.

I went on a "Vertglass" search and found this thread..."Hull Oxidation". I read the entire thread, looked at all the pictures.. Smoke is now pouring out my ears... I feel dizzy, scared and violated! ( just kidding)... but that was an intense read! looks like neat stuff!

Anyone know where you can get vertglass? Searches on the online store, murrays and west marine come up with nothing. Marinestore says they're sold out. Any other sources?

I found it here;
http://www.amazon.com/Vertglas-Gel-Coat-...3412&sr=8-1

Or...

http://www.vertglas.com/index.html

This will help:
1975 H16 scheduled for the dump.
3M Perfectit III Heavy Cut.
I can do an entire H16 in about an hour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74sEyot5A_o

How long will that last if it spends it's spring and summer on the beach?

That is actually the gel coat shining and not much the wax, so there is not much to 'wear off'. It will oxidize again just like it did the first time, which is why a coat of wax is a good thing on beach boats. Nothing beats keeping it out of the sun. How long will it last? I don't know, lots of variables.

Oh, it's a '77 not a '75.

nice work on the videos Jeremy

A good quality cover is the best protection from the sun, and bird [censored] , and sand, etc.

Kinder makes nice stuff. He did a tent style cover for my Ht, it just covers from the mast to the transoms, and it wasnt overly expensive. Its held up great for 3 years of sitting on the beach. Keeps the lines and tramp looking new too.

A $10 tarp works good too, but its nice to have a cover that fits tight and you dont have to fuss with to get on and off.

http://www.kinder-industries.com/

I cant believe you cant say bird [censored] on this forum.