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 Post subject: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Tue Apr 09, 2013 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2011 9:09 am
Posts: 54
The previous owner of my boat sprayed the hulls with gel coat.

The hulls have a very rough finish.

I want to finish them up nice - any ideas?

I was thinking of hitting them with some 800 grit paper on a random orbit sander. Then some compound with the buffer.

Any better ideas?

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Aaron
1981 Hobie 18
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 Post subject: Re: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:07 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2005 10:04 am
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Location: Bowie, MD
Depends on how rough. May need to start as low as 320. Wet sand (by hand). Work your way up to 800 then 1000 then machine compound then polish.


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 Post subject: Re: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:09 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2012 7:35 pm
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Location: Tuscaloosa, AL
DA sander would work also, just be smooth and carefull, then Polish


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 Post subject: Re: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:48 pm 
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I dont have a dual action sander. They look nice though.

It's pretty rough. I was thinking about going 800 -> 1200

I think Im pretty much going to follow this process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5kfYz9Ybw

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Aaron
1981 Hobie 18
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 Post subject: Re: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:41 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 5:44 pm
Posts: 7
Location: Toronto, Canada
this is all new to me too. i am going through the same thing i sanded the hulls, the sand paper i used a sand paper that was too tough on the hulls was 180. i suggest something softer. Now im using a 2in1 rubbing compound and polish its working pretty well, although i would suggest doing this separately first using a rubbing compound for heavily oxydized finishes then do the waxing after to seal it. 3M makes makes them and its sold at canadian tires and most marine stores. plus do this process when it is not too cold out the compounds dont work as well as they should. After this process dont use dish soap or any other soap other then 'boat soap' other soaps fight the wax and mess it all up.

Bronwyn
1981 hobie 18
toronto canada


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 Post subject: Re: Rough Gel coat
PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:11 pm 
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:36 pm
Posts: 216
Depending on the gelcoat spray job... you could need to get into the 120 180 range if it was super blotchy you may be fixing lots of over spray. If it was done in a pretty nice manner 220 600 or 800 may be in order, but you you can drive yourself nuts trying to fix a really rough job with 600 grit paper. See what you can get away with... start in a small spot as a test and all that jazz, you'll always end up using the 800 and up stuff, so try it and see if you need to step it up.

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