Restoring and Polishing Gelcoat

johnrmclean

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
81
I have a 94 BAJA which has purple and black waving stripes running the hull. Last yerar it was fine but over the past winter the colors, particularly the black, seem to have faded, fogged or slighlty discolored and i can't get them back even after I waxed the hull. At the waterline in particular the fading seems to have left a line below where it crosses through the black stripe.
I used 3M's combo wax and polish for mildly oxidized finishes with a power polisher and it seems to give me gloss but the dark colors still seem faded or slightly cloudy and I see some swirl marks. No problems on the white hull areas. Where do I go from here? Should I go more abrasive on the color or less? What products should I use? :mad:
 

Windykid

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
1,177
Re: Restoring and Polishing Gelcoat

Some of the other guys have had luck with comet and a scratch pad. Then wax and polish. If you do a search here for restore finish you will get a lot of good ideas.
 

gcboat

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
1,822
Re: Restoring and Polishing Gelcoat

First off - are these decals or paint? If decals then you just might be SOL. The paint ( gel coat ) will come back nicely with the right materials and tools.
And no, I wouldn't go with anything more abrasive - if they are decals.
Look through here : http://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/01.htm
 
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