Tiny dots in gel coat

[jayfarmlaw]

I bought a 97 VIP Viva project that had sat under a tree for about a year. I assume it was mildew on the boat but it was covered in a black spotty fugus looking stuff (just like mold/mildew) <br /><br />Most of it powerwashed off the night I bought the boat. Scotch brites, scrub brushes, fantastic cleaner, OxyCleaner, and elbow grease has the boat almost ready for Poly Glow...BUT....<br /><br />By the swim deck there are lots of tiny tiny needle size little black dots, no amount of scrubbing or cleaner will remove them. Are these pinholes in the GelCoat?? You cant see them from a few feet away, but at scrubbing distance they are obvious. What could they be and what can I use to get rid of them?<br /><br />This is the part of the boat that was really covered in the black stuff.<br /><br />Boat is really starting to come together alot faster than I thought. Thanks in advance for your response.<br /><br />Jay

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Tiny dots in gel coat

These black dots are most likely either porosity or thin gel coat. Look at the surface very close, if they are pits, it's porosity, there is nothing you can do to fix it without respraying that area. these tiny air bubbles can be caused by a few different things during the spraying of the gel coat. You can try sanding and buffing a small area though, sometimes you can sand through the porosity and find good gel coat under it, most of the time you can't. If there are no pits, just dark spots, it may be thin gel coat. Not enough was sprayed in that area when the boat was made, so you can see the dark color of the resin behind it. If you sand on thin gel coat it just gets worse.

 

[EZLoader]

Re: Tiny dots in gel coat

I found a possible solution for you.<br /> <br />Check out the company products on this link. I'd call or email them with your problem and see if they think one of their products will work for you.<br /><br /> http://shop.catalinaowners.com/detail.tpl?cart=328746421842492&fno=20&group=246 <br /><br />Be sure and watch their videos on how to restore your gel coat to new condition on the link here:<br /><br />The GELCOAT story:<br /> http://homepage.mac.com/seebiskit/iMovieTheater13.html <br /><br />How Island Girl Works:<br /> http://homepage.mac.com/seebiskit/iMovieTheater12.html <br /><br />