Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

[Grits]

This thread was started by me, day before yesterday, in the worng forum. I will try it again.

I bought the referenced boat early last fall. It was in very good shape with 172 hours on the original motor. The previous owner was 82 years old.

The hull did have dock rash in a couple of places and there were some minor dings and scratches here and there. My intention was to use the boat and just have fun with it. That did not last long. Some of my hobbies are machine work, restoration of older machine tools, woodworking, gunsmithing, and many years ago sailing. What I am saying is I can never leave well enough alone and I have the equipment to do the work.

My first task was repairing the dock rash. The new gelcoat sprayed on so pretty and matched so well I ended up repairing every ding visible.

I sanded the hull with 320 dry with a random action orbital sander with a vacuum. After this I got to work on the console so my fishing partner could redo some of the wiring plus install hydraulic steering. I dry sanded through #400 and then wet sanded with a pneumatic DA sander through #1500.

the surface was smooth as glass (no pun intended). I then buffed with 3M High Gloss Gelcoat Compound. It looked great; however, upon close examination, the compound left some scratches.

The reason I am doing it this way is I find it easier to wet sand, with the equipment I have. than buff and I also feel the finish is smoother.

What compound or polish (s) would you recommend after wet sanding through #1500. I guess i should not grip as good as it looks; however, I do not like the idea of taking out scratches and then putting more back in.

Thank you for all your help.

Grit

FYI-The boat is off white.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

The hull did have dock rash in a couple of places and there were some minor dings and scratches here and there. My intention was to use the boat and just have fun with it. That did not last long. Some of my hobbies are machine work, restoration of older machine tools, woodworking, gunsmithing, and many years ago sailing. What I am saying is I can never leave well enough alone and I have the equipment to do the work.

Grit,
Welcome aboard! I think you'll find several of us here that can't seem to leave well enough alone... right Oops?

My first task was repairing the dock rash. The new gelcoat sprayed on so pretty and matched so well I ended up repairing every ding visible.

I sanded the hull with 320 dry with a random action orbital sander with a vacuum. After this I got to work on the console so my fishing partner could redo some of the wiring plus install hydraulic steering. I dry sanded through #400 and then wet sanded with a pneumatic DA sander through #1500.

the surface was smooth as glass (no pun intended). I then buffed with 3M High Gloss Gelcoat Compound. It looked great; however, upon close examination, the compound left some scratches.

The reason I am doing it this way is I find it easier to wet sand, with the equipment I have. than buff and I also feel the finish is smoother.

What compound or polish (s) would you recommend after wet sanding through #1500. I guess i should not grip as good as it looks; however, I do not like the idea of taking out scratches and then putting more back in.

To get down to the heart of the matter, the High Gloss Gelcoat Compound will leave scratches like that, which is why they say to follow it with 3M Marine Finesse-It II Finishing Material which is designed to remove minor scratches and light oxidation while producing a high-gloss wet look finish on fiberglass and painted boats. So before you go re-sanding it, it's worth a try (and it's about half the cost of the high-gloss gelcoat compound).

Good luck and keep us posted.

SgtMaj

 

[Grits]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

Thanks

I have a jug of the Finesse-It-II. I figured if I polished the scratches in I could polish it out. The only part I buffed with the heavier compound was the console. That was my test patch

What is funny, I had had the work done, I most likely would have said good job and gone on. It is the kiss of death to be a perfectionist. I can hear one of my buddies saying, "Where did those scratches come from?", knowing the response they would have gotten. Anyway, I do this kind of thing because I enjoy it. Any kind of finish work can be very monotonous; however, when it starts looking good, there is a tremendous feeling of self satisfaction. I think the greatest example is when I apply the first coat of finish on a pretty gun stock. I guess I will never get board.

Grits

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

I know JUST what you mean. Half the work I do because I want it that way, the other half I do because I don't want someone to say "you'd have been better off buying a new one."

Actually it was Tashasdaddy that cursed me with this plague. He said to me "just think of how good you'll feel, knowing that you did it right." PING... I could literally hear the nail being hit on the head.

SgtMaj

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

it's a good curse. i suffer from a horrible disease, MBS, multiple boat syndrone. 4 right now, 1 pwc.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

it's a good curse.

You know, I wouldn't have it any other way.

SgtMaj

 

[Grits]

Re: Restoring the Hull of a '94 Key West 1900 CC

I agree with all the above. Someone accused me of being normal once and it made me mad.

Grits