marine4003
Lieutenant Junior Grade
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2008
- Messages
- 1,119
There are many posts asking how to restore a faded finish,be it the entire hull or a colored accent ,this will help you Restore..Maintain,or clean up your boats look.
First off -Fiberglass is a common term for fiber-reinforced plastic, or FRP, which is a plastic material strengthened using a fiber cloth. To give the fiberglass a smooth, shiny surface, a material called gelcoat is applied to the outer surface. For the most part, when you're looking at a fiberglass boat, you're really seeing the gelcoat surface on top of the fiberglass itself. However, most people refer to gelcoat as fiberglass, so we use the terms fiberglass and gelcoat interchangeably.
Gelcoat is available in many colors and is fairly durable, but it can become dull or faded as it weathers. Sunlight and air combine to oxidize the gelcoat surface, fading it and making the surface cloudy. The oxidation process for gelcoat is similar to how metals rust or corrode.
For boats which have been oxidized and have some fading or dullness, waxes and polishes may restore the shine but often don't maintain it for more than a month or so. This is because the gelcoat surface has microscopic pits and crevices in it from the oxidation, even after you have rubbed off the oxidized layer. When you apply wax over the surface, the wax is too heavy to penetrate into the pits and crevices. This is why oxidized boats usually never shine like they did when new, and more importantly, why wax doesn't last long. Because air is trapped in the holes and crevices under the wax, the gelcoat can oxidize underneath the wax!
Historically, boats have been maintained using either wax or polish. Waxes cover the surface and provide a barrier between the elements and the gelcoat surface. Waxes work well for boats in good condition, but not so well for older boats which have weathered a bit. After awhile, the wax wears off and the elements oxidize the surface of the gelcoat (similar to how rust occurs on steel or iron), resulting in a faded or dull appearance. You can remove the oxidation and reapply wax, but the wax simply covers over the pits and holes in the gelcoat surface, trapping air under the wax and starting the oxidation process again. Typically, using wax on gelcoat which has been oxidized before will only last about a month before the shine fades again.
So what do you do ???
Remove all oxidation,with a Rubbing Compound,which is an abrasive material similar to 220 grit sandpaper,this process needs to be done in a shady area,and done with patients and care,starting with a clean,just washed area of the hull,apply a generous dollop of compound to a 3' x 3' area,using a Variable speed buffer,set at low,spread the compound around in a side to side motion...then up and down...the compound will harden quickly,when it does stop buffing....Now "spur" the buffing pad with a dull blunt object (screwdriver at angle) this will remove excess compound left on pad, Now remove dried compound from hull in the same manner that it was applied, Spurring as needed,If the area doesn't result in a shiny surface..repeat process. For colored area's of the hull,compound separately from white.
Now,the end result will be a shiny,clean look.....Wash boat again,using any dish detergent,dry....For an even brighter look..Polish hull using same method as above.
Ok, so now you have a brite, shiny hull...Now it needs to be protected with Marine Wax.....I have found that multiple coats get me thru the season with no more needed that a good wash after every trip,
Will it work ?? There are cases where the Gelcoat is beyond repair,no amount of compound & wax will restore a shine, generally if the surface is pitted..chalkey...and excessive amounts can be removed just by brushing your hand across it...then you need a paint job..or a complete refinish.
Remember: There is no "easy" way to restore the luster to the boat,hard work and time is the only method of obtaining a deep,long lasting shine,the products i use are available here at iboats,and any major Marine store, You get what you pay for..buying "cheap" product will result in a "cheap" finish.it wont hold up.Further, when washing the boat..use Boat Soap..its formulated to NOT remove wax. Good Luck and the time and effort you put into all aspects of boat maintainance will result in higher resale and years of trouble free boating...
First off -Fiberglass is a common term for fiber-reinforced plastic, or FRP, which is a plastic material strengthened using a fiber cloth. To give the fiberglass a smooth, shiny surface, a material called gelcoat is applied to the outer surface. For the most part, when you're looking at a fiberglass boat, you're really seeing the gelcoat surface on top of the fiberglass itself. However, most people refer to gelcoat as fiberglass, so we use the terms fiberglass and gelcoat interchangeably.
Gelcoat is available in many colors and is fairly durable, but it can become dull or faded as it weathers. Sunlight and air combine to oxidize the gelcoat surface, fading it and making the surface cloudy. The oxidation process for gelcoat is similar to how metals rust or corrode.
For boats which have been oxidized and have some fading or dullness, waxes and polishes may restore the shine but often don't maintain it for more than a month or so. This is because the gelcoat surface has microscopic pits and crevices in it from the oxidation, even after you have rubbed off the oxidized layer. When you apply wax over the surface, the wax is too heavy to penetrate into the pits and crevices. This is why oxidized boats usually never shine like they did when new, and more importantly, why wax doesn't last long. Because air is trapped in the holes and crevices under the wax, the gelcoat can oxidize underneath the wax!
Historically, boats have been maintained using either wax or polish. Waxes cover the surface and provide a barrier between the elements and the gelcoat surface. Waxes work well for boats in good condition, but not so well for older boats which have weathered a bit. After awhile, the wax wears off and the elements oxidize the surface of the gelcoat (similar to how rust occurs on steel or iron), resulting in a faded or dull appearance. You can remove the oxidation and reapply wax, but the wax simply covers over the pits and holes in the gelcoat surface, trapping air under the wax and starting the oxidation process again. Typically, using wax on gelcoat which has been oxidized before will only last about a month before the shine fades again.
So what do you do ???
Remove all oxidation,with a Rubbing Compound,which is an abrasive material similar to 220 grit sandpaper,this process needs to be done in a shady area,and done with patients and care,starting with a clean,just washed area of the hull,apply a generous dollop of compound to a 3' x 3' area,using a Variable speed buffer,set at low,spread the compound around in a side to side motion...then up and down...the compound will harden quickly,when it does stop buffing....Now "spur" the buffing pad with a dull blunt object (screwdriver at angle) this will remove excess compound left on pad, Now remove dried compound from hull in the same manner that it was applied, Spurring as needed,If the area doesn't result in a shiny surface..repeat process. For colored area's of the hull,compound separately from white.
Now,the end result will be a shiny,clean look.....Wash boat again,using any dish detergent,dry....For an even brighter look..Polish hull using same method as above.
Ok, so now you have a brite, shiny hull...Now it needs to be protected with Marine Wax.....I have found that multiple coats get me thru the season with no more needed that a good wash after every trip,
Will it work ?? There are cases where the Gelcoat is beyond repair,no amount of compound & wax will restore a shine, generally if the surface is pitted..chalkey...and excessive amounts can be removed just by brushing your hand across it...then you need a paint job..or a complete refinish.
Remember: There is no "easy" way to restore the luster to the boat,hard work and time is the only method of obtaining a deep,long lasting shine,the products i use are available here at iboats,and any major Marine store, You get what you pay for..buying "cheap" product will result in a "cheap" finish.it wont hold up.Further, when washing the boat..use Boat Soap..its formulated to NOT remove wax. Good Luck and the time and effort you put into all aspects of boat maintainance will result in higher resale and years of trouble free boating...
