npf1
regular
Reged: 09/10/2004
Posts: 1254
Loc: Oxfordshire
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Can anyone recommend any products for restoring gelcoat? I'm trying to find out if there's a product that can restore slightly crazed gelcoat to a smooth and shiny condition. Or is a respray the only option?
Thanks
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MIKE_MCKIE
regular
Reged: 05/09/2002
Posts: 513
Loc: Me Hants, Boat Gosport
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Try POLIGLOW. Not too sure about the crazing, but on my 30+ year old gelcoat it has come up like new! Hard work doing the cleaning, and really need 6 coats, but very quick & easy to apply, and the finish is brilliant. Sorry not up to creating a link, but here is the webaddress. http://www.poliglow.co.uk/
Best of luck.
Mike
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Robih
regular
Reged: 29/11/2002
Posts: 1471
Loc: Berkshire
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I've used 3M products on some badly neglected grp and it's always done a great job. Start with Restorer and then use "Finesse it". Cleaner is the intermediate product to use where the grp is not too bad.
The most important thing though is to get an electric polisher. Don't use a drill, it's too fast, will get the polish warm and discolour the surface. I bought a commercial machine for £90, and can polish a 40' boat in one day no trouble. The Halfords cheapo jobbies just haven't got the power to turn the polishing head with a restoring product on badly oxidised surfaces - you need the "grunt". And at the end of the day you realise that you've had some great aerobic exercise swinging the polisher all day!
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DickB
regular
Reged: 20/12/2002
Posts: 545
Loc: Surrey, UK
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HI There,
I purchased an electric polisher (1.5 hp) on EBay. - It is a Chinese made look alike of a Makita but it was only 36 pounds!!! Get the polishing pads from Flexi-pads (.com) since they stock the 16mm shaft diameter pads (UK & Europe is usually 14mm).
Does an excellent job - I have seen the guy on Ebay advertise these regularly too...
Good luck!!!
Dick
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steve_clayton
regular
Reged: 22/05/2003
Posts: 2566
Loc: king; I did RAF training there
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Try Maguiars boat cleaning products - brilliant!!, (and no hard rubbing). They do a product specifically for lightly dulled/faded gelcoat. Last year available from Aladdins cave.
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Talbot
regular
Reged: 23/08/2003
Posts: 12517
Loc: Stavanger, Norway
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How long have you had the poliglow on the GRP?
Did you just use the poliglow preparation material, or did you use a cleaning paste as well?
Did you tent the boat before applying or is the drying time fast enough to not bother?
TIA
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bruce
regular
Reged: 26/05/2004
Posts: 513
Loc: florida USA
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you just wipe on with a clean lint free rag/pad, is a liquid much like kitchen floor polish, you will prob need 6+coats to get final luster. be sure that hull and other areas to be coated are REAL clean as the stuff will seal the dirt in and show up later. stuff can be cleaned upo/removed with amonia (NH4OH) i mist the hull with bleach for final whitnening and good wash down before applying. may need a touch up cote in mid year, but just wash and apply
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bruce
regular
Reged: 26/05/2004
Posts: 513
Loc: florida USA
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you just wipe on with a clean lint free rag/pad, is a liquid much like kitchen floor polish, you will prob need 6+coats to get final luster. be sure that hull and other areas to be coated are REAL clean as the stuff will seal the dirt in and show up later. stuff can be cleaned up/removed with amonia (NH4OH) i mist the hull with bleach for final whitnening and good wash down before applying. may need a touch up coat in mid year, but just wash and apply
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willothewisp
regular
Reged: 10/12/2002
Posts: 78
Loc: Netherlands
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Starbrite polyester cleaner and colour restorer -worked a treat on my 1977 Rasmus, nearly bleached white restored to vanilla colour with a deep shine - easy to apply, just like any other cleaning agent. Within two weeks, apply Starbrite Marine polish (Teflon) for long duration shine and protection. The effect is even more dramatic on dark coloured boats. Wouldn't know about badly crazed hulls though.
And no, I don't have any shares in the company, just wish their products would come a bit cheaper, but then a respray would cost you the earth!
Willothewisp
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npf1
regular
Reged: 09/10/2004
Posts: 1254
Loc: Oxfordshire
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Thanks for all the tips. But hopfully someone can recommend a solution to the crazing (not stress crack related)
N
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