Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

[Doug57]

I have an 84 Stratos that the gel coat is badly dulled on. How's the best way to get the shine back?

 

[Doug57]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

I know I should have done this B4 I ask my question. I did a search and found all the answers in previous post. Sorry!

 

[Craigmri]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

I cannot say enough about "Buff Magic". This stuff with a wool rotary pad is incredible! Shine is superior to new. You must seal for protection when done.

Craig

I have an 84 Stratos that the gel coat is badly dulled on. How's the best way to get the shine back?

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

The best stuff no kidding is vaseline. do it in the sunshine, just rub it on , let is bake for a couple hours in the sun, and then use a wax to seal it all in. I learned this from a fella here on iboats and it does work great!

 

[MRS]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

Doug,Doug,Doug, you do not know what you opened up Just kiddingbut post back what you did and the results.
What I would do is pick a spot maybe 1'x1' and try one thing and then another 1'x1' spot and try something else and see what works best. Good luck it is alot of work but well worth it when you get it right....

 

[Friscoboater]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

600 grit... sand... 800 grit sand some more 1000 grit sand even more, and then buff, buff, buff, buff some more, and then buff even more.

It will look like mirror.

 

[Doug57]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

Plan to try it all this weekend and see who's got it right I had decided on the sand and buff yesterday and started sanding on a section last night. But I have to try the Vaseline thing too, if it works how long will it last? I'll see if I can find the Buff Magic. This thing might look like somebody took three to make one. I'll let everyone how it comes out.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

You will be suprised how well the vaseline works. Be generous on the amount, then go back and wipe off the excess. Let it sit for a couple hours, then just go over it with a good wax or polish. It brings the shine right back.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

Lots of "temporary" remedies like vaseline, coatings, etc. and one right way which is to wet sand and then buff with rubbing compound. Myself, it's more work to do it right but the results are worth it.

I did my boat with vaseline beggining of last summer, it was still shining when i sold it about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

Before Vaseline
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn170/Isaacmcdowell/S5032021.jpg

After Vaseline

 

[hoverman]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

 

[nimrod69]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

All of those fixes are short term. The only real way to do it is to sand and clear coat with Imron or Awlgrip, unless you want to keep buffing every few months.

 

[BTMCB]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

okay i have stopped laughing long enough to post....well where do you get vasoline in large enough quantities to cover the boat ? and if the neighbors ask you why you are coating your boat in vasoline do you tell them cuz you are going to be putting it in tight spots...lmao.....

Beat me to it! Well done.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

okay i have stopped laughing long enough to post....well where do you get vasoline in large enough quantities to cover the boat ? and if the neighbors ask you why you are coating your boat in vasoline do you tell them cuz you are going to be putting it in tight spots...lmao.....

LOL, Make your fun!

It works, sure it is a cheap once a year fix. but I just do it when I am getting the boat ready for the summer and it looks great all summer long! just get a couple things of vaseline from the store and it is more than enough to do the boat.

 

[RAT Attack]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

You will be suprised how well the vaseline works. Be generous on the amount, then go back and wipe off the excess. Let it sit for a couple hours, then just go over it with a good wax or polish. It brings the shine right back.

Are you doing a light buff after the couple hours & then applying wax and buffing more? I bought a buffer and tried some rubbing compound. It took off some of the oxidation, but not a ton. It's still to cold to worry about that now here in Ohio, so I have been doing a lot of interior work, knowing the exterior work will be happening soon.

 

[woosterken]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

doug,
here is an article from our very own guroo mark

http://www.shareaproject.com/pages/projectTut,p,27,00.html

woosterken

 

[Philster]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

I've seen WD-40 used before. Vaseline doesn't shock me. There are numerous things that work like any grease does when it shines up a surface. Vaseline is a petroleum product.

Once strange thing I have seen before was a gel coat that seemed perfectly restored by a near-by fire. The bow of a friend's boat was heated up by a fire in a shed. The front that was closet to the fire had been oxidized over the years (like the rest of the boat), but after the fire it (the bow) was shiny and new... and seemed to stay like that forever.

Maybe it was the heat; maybe a chemical penetrated the gel coat (the fire was in a shed w/ various chemicals) or who knows.

 

[Thesmanman]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

I know this is an old tread,..but I have to post a comment.
I have had my 1986 WellCraft 19.2 American for about 5 years now and it's showing it's age a bit. It really is in very good shape for being 24 years old. Interior is very good and all the mechanics of the boat are perfect,..but the gel coat is a pain in the neck to get to shine every year and I have to spend 2 days getting it to shine and it still looks just ok when it's done. Read on...

Isaacm1986..!! Ok,.Ive tried almost all of these comments on my boat that are posted here in this thread,..and some do work with doing alot of work,.buff buff buff. BUT,.I have to tell you guys that the Vaseline technique works and works really well. I just tried it on the blue colored gel coat on my boat and I was amazed what it did. Here are a couple of pictures to prove that it worked extremely well. Oh,.and I didn't need much at all to do the job. So far it looks really good and it's the best the shine has been since I've owned it,.but I will have to see how it does over the summer to see if it holds up. It was the most simplest polishing job I ever did on the gel coat. I'm going to let it sit a couple of hours like Isaacm1986 had said and then hit it with a good wax. I'm very happy with the outcome to say the least.
Thank you very much for the tip Isaacm1986. Excellent work!!

See pictures below of before after. Also in picture 4 and 5 the aluminum and rubber trim. Look at the before and after using the Vaseline trick. It works on slightly oxidized metal too. Just make sure you wax it after the Vaseline sits a while. To be honest,..I don't even think waxing after using the Vaseline is necessary,..but I guess it seals it all in.


John

 

[arty007]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

okay i have stopped laughing long enough to post....well where do you get vasoline in large enough quantities to cover the boat ? and if the neighbors ask you why you are coating your boat in vasoline do you tell them cuz you are going to be putting it in tight spots...lmao.....

lmfao....
im gonna have to try that some day!

 

[Isaacm1986]

Re: Bring back the shine on Gel Coat?

It works, and works great.

I use the vaseline and there is nothing in my opinion that is better. Wipe it on, let it bake for a couple hours in the sun, wipe it off. Works extremely well. Once it is all dry, take a nice polish or wax and do a coat. It always last me all summer. It is a once a year fix for me. Beats hours, after hours, after hours of sanding, buffing, and polishing.