Gelcoat Restoration

[Ekea]

after 24 years of life outside and in the sun (part being FL sun), the gelcoat had some oxidation and would rub some chalk off onto your fingers. i was going to try to restore it myself, but i was going to be in $700 in tools and supplies. and i would be trying to get it right my first time doing it with zero experience. i figured i should at least call and get a quote and it came in at a hair over $1k. for $300 extra, it was definitely worth it to make sure it would get done right, get done quickly, and for me to not have to do it. the guy did a heavy cut, medium cut, polish, buff and polymer sealant. i am very happy with how it came out. there is still some raised gel where the old stickers and lettering were, but that was expected going in. i would love to get the interior done as well, but that might be an expense for next year.

 

[igblack87]

looks great!

 

[family affair]

Looks amazing.
I have wondered how many times you can polish that deep without going through the gel coat. Hopefully I never find out!
On a tangent, what do you all use to cut salt/mineral deposits off the hull before waxing? I thought I had it stripped with Dawn, only to see water spots later after waxing.

 

[Ekea]

salts gone is supposed to be a very high quality product. so far, i have been fresh water only, so no personal experience.

 

[Fishtales]

Looks good. I too wonder how many times you can do this and even when you do how long it lasts. The gelcoat is old thru and thru.....

 

[Ekea]

im not sure either. there are a couple spots where you can see color through the gel, possibly from previous repairs. nothing significant by any means. i plan to maintain this with polymer sealant 2x a year and store inside for winter. maybe in 10 years, ill paint her with some stars and stripes blue or something similar

 

[Sdfish]

Wow! Looks new, enjoy the boat!

 

[Peter A]

salts gone is supposed to be a very high quality product. so far, i have been fresh water only, so no personal experience.

Am assuming that salts gone does not strip the wax?

 

[Ekea]

Am assuming that salts gone does not strip the wax?

not supposed to...

Why Salts Gone is the Perfect Match for Your Wax and Ceramic Coated Assets: A Deep Dive into the Science

Introduction: Protect Your Investments Confidently When it comes to maintaining your valuable assets like cars, boats, trucks, or airplanes, you don't want to take any chances. Especially if you've invested in premium wax or ceramic coatings, you need a cleaning product that won't strip or...

saltsgone.com

 

[Ekea]

also, as i understand, its designed to be used after use. this way it prevents any corrosion as well. some use it on cars after driving on salted roads

 

[49pan]

That looks great. What a nice job

 

[tech_dog]

Looks amazing.
I have wondered how many times you can polish that deep without going through the gel coat. Hopefully I never find out!
On a tangent, what do you all use to cut salt/mineral deposits off the hull before waxing? I thought I had it stripped with Dawn, only to see water spots later after waxing.

I have good results with 3M boat wash, and all the other 3M products.

 

[igblack87]

I have good results with 3M boat wash, and all the other 3M products.

I tried collinite and it was ok, i went back to 3M compound + Wax and that does it for me!

 

[wahoo33417]

Looks really nice. And I think you got a really good price compared to what I've seen down here in South FL.

Rob