Gelcoat damaged beyond home repair?

tsan4d

Well Guys, I am running out of ideas and have read the experts here: I know someone will know whats going on with this...I have a 1989 16' angler - Lil League- and I have slowly been getting her shipshape over the past year. Finally have all the electrical/fuel/safety items crossed off the list and trying to get to some cosmetics now. I've read up on other gelcoat repairs here, but haven't seen anything this severe.
It looks to me like the gelcoat/clearcoat is really failing over the blue colored parts-boot strip and visor. I have just tried power buffing with 3m HD compounding and it didn't do a thing. In the pics the hazy part is the failing part-the bright colored blue part is underneath and in great shape & so is all the white color.
I just don't know if there is any thing short of sanding. Which will probably mean repaint or re-gel; which are both expensive and beyond my abilities. Any thoughts? Or do I just have to save up for major work.
[img]G:\DCIM\100OLYMP[/img]

thataway · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 8:44 pm Post subject:

To my knowledge the C Dories were never clear coated. If there is a clear coating, it is most likely that the boat was painted at some point (Some people clear coat two part L P). But I suspect that is unlikely. Is it possable that someone put a coating over the gel coat in an attempt to make it look better: Some folks use a clear acrylic floor coating; Vertglass is a clear-coat co-polymer, Poly Glo is another as is Re nu. If these were used, they they would have to be removed before you start working on the gel coat.

I would either try ammonia or commercial grade floor stripper before going any further. Then clean it will with soap and water-maybe even use Simple Green.
Each of the above companies have removers for about $15--you might have to try those if the first I mentioned don't work.

Then use a random orbital buffer and Finesse it from 3M to buff out the gel coat. Then go to Collinate cleaner and finally Collinite Fleet wax. There are others which may be slightly easier--and each of us has our first choice in waxes.

Unless the gelcoat is deeply cracked and crazed (and this does happen) you should be able to buff it out. I have restored boats which were older than yours and they looked like new after some elbow grease!

tsan4d · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 10:40 am Post subject:

I've added the photos to my album for viewing.

Thanks Tyboo!

Captains Cat · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 11:15 am Post subject:

Kinda hard to tell from the photos but it looks like it MAY have been clearcoated. Is the edge of that stain rough? Is there a noticible edge? If you scrape it lightly with a razor blade, does it come up?

Charlie

thataway · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:20 pm Post subject:

It has been clear coated, but I doubt with gel coat. When the boats are built, the gelcoat is sprayed into the mold first. There are usually two or three gel coat layers, but I have never seen a gel coat spayed on like this. The first spayed in is the light color, such as white. Then the dark color, which keeps light from coming through, and the dark stripe is often used as this occlusive coat.. Usually I think it is something added later, as I noted above. The only time that clear gel coat is sprayed in, is when a metal flake or similar type of finish is done.

This definately looks like something put on after the boat was built. Try the various cleaners. No telling what someone might have put on there, but I would still suspect the acrylic.

tsan4d · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:50 pm Post subject:

Thanks for taking a look. I don't really know what gelcoat looks like when coming off. Thats why I mentioned clear coat-it looks like my wife's car where the clear coat is coming off. Dumb question, but just to be sure, are clear coats=acylics? And are floor coatings=arcylics.

There is definately a higher edge to it where it meets the blue, but smooth, it would only come up with a razor right on the edge where its already peeling; otherwise it is still really bonded. Exposure to sunlight really seems to be a culprit in the failure too.
It sounds like if this were part of the original gelcoat in the building process the peeling part would be blue? So that would rule out the gelcoat failing. And remarkably, the blue underneath looks really good and buffs up great were exposed.
An (acrylic=floor stripper remover) or ammonia sounds like a good bet to try, and at the very least least if it didn't work, that would rule out acrylics.
Do you know if these strippers could hurt the blue gelcoat underneath when applied, would I have to be careful about not getting them on the exposed blue part? Thanks.

thataway · Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

The floor striper should not hurt the gel coat. Gel coat is pretty tough stuff. Some folks do an acetone wash--I personally don't like that, because it softens up the gel coat. MEK or Laquor thinner is a bit harsh.

My friend who borrowed the Tom Cat, apparently used muriatic acid to clean the hull after he had it for 10 days (I don't use this)--I have just about got the dullness buffed out of the green. It didn't hurt the white--but it also needs a good buffing and wax..

Test the striper, ammonia on a small part in an in-conspicious place.

I doubt that anyone would spray clear lacquer-or other automotive clear coat--but you never know what folks will do.

As you say, the gel coat is in great shape, and when you get this clear coat off, it will clean up real well (don't use a razor blade or harsh abrasives). Then keep it well waxed.