28
Dec
My friend asked me if I can restore his jet ski but since I have no experience we made a deal that if he buys me few of Marine 31 products for me I will do it for free. Most boat supply stores carry gelcoat polish.
The process of painting the boat depends on the gel coats condition.
How to polish a boat gel coat. Gel coat needs heat and abrasion to polish. This is best accomplished with a rotary circular motion electric or air powered tool. The tool should spin at about 2500-3000 RPM.
How to Polish and Wax Gel Coat on Yachts - YouTube. How to Polish and Wax Gel Coat on Yachts. If playback doesnt begin shortly try.
How to Polish Boat Gel Coats With Presta IGL Coatings - YouTube. Pour a small amount of polish onto a soft cloth. Most boat supply stores carry gelcoat polish.
The label on the polish you choose should tell you exactly how much to use. Use a rubbing polish compound to smooth the pitted surface of the porous gel-coat in shining it up. Rub it over the surface by hand or a rotary polisher until it is smooth and glossy.
Spread it carefully in one area for a uniformed boats gel coating thickness. Prevent the polish from penetrating further into the gel coat. 1st step is to remove all the hardware you can.
Wash the boat remove any tar bugs etc stuck on the glass. 2nd step is to wet sand by hand with plenty of water put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the sanding water to make the paper slide easier dunk the paper often to clean the sanded material off the paper. Things to keep in mind when polishing your boat include.
You can apply polish or wax using an electric buffer or by hand. Use circular motions to avoid streaks. Work in sections of about 2 feet.
Buff until the surface looks glassy. If you can see through the gel coat stop you have gone too far. The proper way to wet sand a Gel coat hull Vinegar is an excellent mild solvent.
It will not damage the gelcoat and it will remove any of the sanding dust particles on the boat. Acetone could be used I guess but not recommended because it can deteriorate the gelcoat and effect the resins in the hull. The gelcoat on your boat is about 10 times as thick as the paint on your car so compound shouldnt cut all the way through it as long as you are careful not to rub in one place too long.
If the gelcoat starts to look transparent stop. After the surface has been compounded polish it then coat it with wax and buff it. We also sell a Brushable Gelcoat that can be applied with a brush.
Apply the first thin coat of paint with a paint roller. Paint the boat with the 2-part urethane paint. Hold the cloth with the polish on it in your dominant hand.
I did not realize you can simply paint over gel coat I. First of all I have 0 experience with boat jet ski gel coat paint correction. My friend asked me if I can restore his jet ski but since I have no experience we made a deal that if he buys me few of Marine 31 products for me I will do it for free.
For now we ordered Marine heavy cut compound and AIO polish and planning to wet-sand and buff. Step 1 Surface Prep 1. Surface Prep Gel Coat Oxidation and Scratch Removal.
To effectively remove oxidation and deep scratches the surface of your boats hull needs to be abraded starting with wet sanding in severe cases or more commonly by using a polishing compound. The use of marine grade formulas such as Crush Liquid Compound or Riptide. I have a boat done in white gel and I would like to apply a different color gel coat over the old gel coat.
Besides sanding and wiping down before application will I run into any type of snags while doing this. I plan on shooting the new gel out of. Hence every boat owner should follow the measures listed below for a longer lasting gelcoat.
How to Protect Boat Gelcoat. Use only fiberglass cleaners on your boat Many of you will reach out for ordinary household cleaners when it comes to cleaning your boat but this is a big NO. They contain harsh chemicals such as ammonia which will come handy in removing tough stains but scratch and damage the boat.
Painting over the gel coat is good because the gelcoat acts as an adhesive for the paint to stay on the place. However you will have to inspect the condition of the gel coat before proceeding. The process of painting the boat depends on the gel coats condition.
If the gel coat is wearing off it must be taken care of first. Once youve cut back the gel coat its best to use a foam pad when applying a polishing compound followed by a wax coating to finish. Furthermore if there is a subtle amount of oxidation ie a layer that doesnt require the abrasive attack of wet sanding or even a foam polishing pad then you can go right ahead and use a foam pad for cutting back the oxidation layer as well as final polishing.
If using a spray applicator fill the container with the gelcoat and attach the hose to an air compressor. Apply a coat of gel coat using short strokes gradually moving outward from the damaged area. Allow around 20 minutes between the application of each coat to allow the solvent to flash-off.