Red Gelcoat problem!

[Patrik Sweden]

I'm sure that I'm not alone having problem with colored gelcoat...

My red gelcoat stripe has faded.. (1998 22 Classic)

Any suggestion? Do I have to repaint it?

:sweden:

[Trueser]

Look up old post on Color / waxing / Buffing.

Good luck.

[Silver Bullet]

Mine to!:mad:

[FISHIN SUCKS]

The best and easiest thing I have found for milky-faded gelcoats is Aqua-Buff.
I bought the two part set-up and works great. The first part is Aqua-Buff 1000-W Fast-Cut Compound. Apply this with a regular buffing pad and let it totally dry before buffing it out (I used a grinding type buffer with terry cloth pads). If you don't let it dry thouroghly, you'll cake up your pad and then you're constantly rubbing out the wax from your pad with your fingers. One application of this usually does the trick (if not, do it a second time). Second part is Aqua-Buff 2000 Compound and Polish. Apply it the same way as the 1000 and let it totally dry before buffing (I waited about 3 hours to dry). When I was all done with the Aqua-Buff's, I just went over the whole boat with some Maguiars Minute Wax and buffed her out with a regular lambs wool pad with the buffer. Not only did this work, it seems to have lasted longer than anything else I have ever used. I did not do any wet sanding, the 1000-W has enough grit in it to get where you need to be. If your color is really far gone, you may have to wet sand.

I can't remember the name of the distributor that I bought it from in Fontana, California, but the maker of Aqua-Buff is Hawkeye Industries, Inc. The smallest containers I could get was a half gallon in each. I can't remember for sure if I paid around $40 for each or for both 1000 and 2000 last year (I've put down a lot of beers and crown and cokes since then). It seemed high priced at the time, but because it worked, it was worth it to me! Do a search on the internet for Aqua-Buff or Hawkeye Industries Inc. and you should be able to find it.

Good luck,
tom:wavey:

[Patrik Sweden]

FISHIN SUCKS: (I agree..) :cistineb:

Thanks for the tips! Do you know what the active ingredients is in the Aqua Buff? I can't find a distributor here in Sweden, but it has to be simular products to find.

I wounder if it's the same active ingredients as in Teak Cleaner (Oxalacid(?), not sure of the english word) it removes heavy oxidation from teak and gelcoat, I should try that!

[boatnut]

It is all about UV protection and the best product I have found is "Klasse". You can find it with a google search. They have an all-in-one product that combines a cleaner with an acrylic protectant -- can be used by hand or with a buffer. It will clean up and protect moderately faded gelcoat --- if it is too badly gone you will have to start with a more aggressive compound. They also have an acrylic sealant product that is for gelcoat that is already in good shape and doesn't need cleaning. Very easy to apply. I have used it on a boat with dark gelcoat that sits in saltwater all the time and it works well. It also gets used on a red Donzi:smile: . Here is some of their sales info:
***********
Acrylic is the Solution. Acrylic is different than wax, silicones, and polymers. This polish will bond to your car’s surface just like the previously mentioned treatments, but it will not cause any change to your paint, and you don’t have to worry about drying time. Klasse All In One dries as fast as you apply it, and there is no risk of hazing or streaking. All-In-One contains no abrasives or silicones, and does not stain plastic, vinyl or rubber trim. It can be used on any non-porous surface, and in addition to car care it is also approved for marine and aviation use.

First introduced in 1979, Klasse All In One Polish changed everything about the way people polished cars. Klasse All In One Polish will remove oxidation, minor swirls, old wax, and other surface blemishes; leaving a beautiful and deep acrylic shine. Unlike some formulas, Klasse will not penetrate or change paint.

Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze is a highly concentrated acrylic formula glaze for new cars and oxidation-free surfaces. High Gloss Glaze provides an additional protective layer over the All-In-One with an exceptionally brilliant mirror-like shine.

High Gloss Sealant Glaze creates an elastic, non-chip, shrink-proof, heat and scratch resistant - protective seal against ultraviolet rays, salt water, acid rain and industrial pollutants for up to 12 months. Use this glaze on all paints with or without clear coats, glass, fiberglass, Plexiglass, plastics, metal surfaces, enamel, tiles, Formica and all non-porous surfaces. It is anti-static, non-abrasive and contains no ingredients harmful to paint, metal or plastic.
***********

[FISHIN SUCKS]

Hey Patrik,
I can't read the labels on the 1/2 gallon containers, both labels are pretty fuzzy. But I did some checking on Google.com and found a distributor that claims they handle Sweden. Go to www.scottbader.com or go into google.com, search for aqua buff, hawkeye industries inc. Scroll down to this Scott Bader Ltd worldwide markets site and you find Aqua Buff listed there. If you have any problems, let me know.

Thanx for your support on the FISHIN:pimp:

[Patrik Sweden]

Hey Patrik,
I can't read the labels on the 1/2 gallon containers, both labels are pretty fuzzy. But I did some checking on Google.com and found a distributor that claims they handle Sweden. Go to www.scottbader.com or go into google.com, search for aqua buff, hawkeye industries inc. Scroll down to this Scott Bader Ltd worldwide markets site and you find Aqua Buff listed there. If you have any problems, let me know.
Thanx for your support on the FISHIN:pimp:


GREAT! I found them! Located i south Sweden! There will be no problem getting the stuff from them.. I hope. I will try Aqua-Buff!

Scott Bader Scandinavia AB
Telephone: +46 346 10100
Telefax: +46 346 59226
Visit adress: Betongvägen 4
Postal adress: Box 202
S-311 23 Falkenberg, Sweden
E-mail: composites@scottbader.se

[Pismo]

I tried AquaBuff but I had a mild problem so I started with the 2000 and it did very little. I followed their instructions to the letter and it did very little. Maybe the 1000 is better but if you use the 2000 alone, don't expect much.

[joel3078]

Had a guy that does this for a living and he ended trying lots of different products. Ended up wet sanding with a DA (dual action) and then using Aqua Buff 1 & 2. Cleaned up very well but lots of work to do it. IMPORTANT - after it's all shiny new again, be very committed to keeping it that way. Wax it a couple times during the year and use UV protectant or get a real good body cover or keep it in an enclosed storage area.
Here are some before/after picks.

[Patrik Sweden]

I tried first rubbing (alot) then a pollish after that 3 layer with hard wax, and it did the trick! I will post some before/after picture tomorrow, I have the cable on the office..

[FISHIN SUCKS]

I can honestly say I didn't try the 2000 alone. However, the 2000 did take out the scratches/swirl marks that the 1000 left behind as well as gave a nice gloss/polish. Work......eh, it wasn't too bad. I suppose I could have hired it done, but everytime I hire somebody to do something to this boat, I always get pissed off at them:splat: :fire: . I find I can lower my stess level by doing some of this stuff myself :) . If I felt she needed to be wet sanded, okay, I'll take her to a pro, I know my limits!

[Pismo]

What wax after done buffing? I tried Collinite insulator wax(oil) on one side and Meguiars on the other. Two coats each, then I put a teflon wax on top. Both sides started chaulking up again within days so I am looking for something new.

[LSUTIGERS74]

Last weekend I used PS21 Paintwork Cleanser on my Black Widow. My red gelcoat is in good shape but my white gelcoat is on the bow has a moderate fade to it. So I buffed it with the Porter & Cable with a medium grit pad which I thought would do the trick, but to my surpise it only knocked off a top layer of the oxidation and didn't completely shine the surface. I was shocked b/c I had taken a late 90's Tacoma pickup with complete oxidation and made the truck look brand new.

Is there that much of difference in a gelcoat and a clearcoat on a vehicle?

Now as far as the red gelcoat it shined it up excellent and then I went over it with some Meguire's Stage II Polish, but the white paint just soaked up the wax instead of allowing a polish.

Also Joel3078 I noticed you had the 22' Black Widow and really liked the tinted window. Did you buy the boat with that tint? Also the window railing is black not chrome and it really looks good, where did the trim come from? I would like to switch mine over to the all black look like that.

I will have to try some of the Aqua Buff to take the faded gelcoat back to its original shine.

[joel3078]

Also Joel3078 I noticed you had the 22' Black Widow and really liked the tinted window. Did you buy the boat with that tint? Also the window railing is black not chrome and it really looks good, where did the trim come from? I would like to switch mine over to the all black look like that. I will have to try some of the Aqua Buff to take the faded gelcoat back to its original shine.

The windshield on mine is simply painted glossy black. Don't know what kind of paint was used. The whole thing can be taped off and repainted when need be or simple to do small touchups. The inside of the windshield is black fuzzy stuff like carpet. I think they were stock that way and the outer part of the windshield was painted red. Tom - aka fishingsucks has one that is metal framed with a tinted windshield. - see pic attached. I woudl guess this is an aftermarket repair as the original one got replaced. Seems for whatever reason, this part of the boat gets customized by the owner. When you are sitting down, the thing is very short so you would never be looking through it. It does however, do a great job of diverting air over your head. My glasses don't bounce around from air buffeting at all.

[LSUTIGERS74]

I really wasn't looking to paint the windshield, but I may paint the trim with a shiny black and then buff it up. I think I may go with the darkest limo tint that I can find.

Also the back engine bay cushion, do you know of anyone who can make these or sells a Donzi original. I think the 30' cushion is wider than the 22', when I bought the boat, the owner had said that the original had taken in water to the plywood bottom and rotted out the whole cushion, so I am needing a new one to put back there. I would like something that looked original.

[joel3078]

I'm in Minnesota and here is the list of guys close to me that do the following:

Seating, sunpads, re-upholstery, etc.:
www.gelderts.com.
These guys even redid my hatch mirror. Ask for Scott and tell em you have a black widow and Joel sent ya. He might be able to tell you who is good out in your area.

For new snap cockpit cover and full body moring cover:
www.canvasplus.com
They did top notch job but it ain't cheap. About $2K spent on new covers but they look and work sweeeet!

For new snap in carpet:
www.snapincarpet.com
Gelderts is refering customers to these guys with great results.

[LSUTIGERS74]

Thanks for info

I will look into the mooring cover because the boat will be stored outside during the winter, but I already have a nice black, canvas cockpit cover.

I will definitely call gelhardt's to see if they know anyone down here who does good work, b/c my whole cabin needs new upholstry + the engine bay cushion.

I don't think I am going to carpet the cockpit floor like I have seen on some boats, to me that should stay fiberglass surface (my personal opinion for easier cleaning.)

[FISHIN SUCKS]

What wax after done buffing? I tried Collinite insulator wax(oil) on one side and Meguiars on the other. Two coats each, then I put a teflon wax on top. Both sides started chaulking up again within days so I am looking for something new.
Not sure if your chaulking that you refer to is the same interpretation I would have..so I can only say that I couldn't find a wax that could get rid of the 'milk' in the red. The only thing that I could find that would actually cut through that crap was the Aqua Buff 1000. I'm with ya, the AB 2000 alone just doesn't get it! At least you got instructions, I didn't even get that....kind of seat of the pants, trial and error thing.:biggrin.:

I can say this, I am not going to use the AB 1000 this spring as the color is still looking good from last spring. I am just going to hit it with some AB 2000 and meguiars after that...and if I have enough beer, I may just do a second shot of meguiars!:beer:

Just an FYI, Blackwidow's came in 24' and 30'.:biggrin.:

[RedDog]

N...At least you got instructions, I didn't even get that....kind of seat of the pants, trial and error thing.:biggrin.:
I...

The instructions are actually totally opposite of the way you used it. They say:

1. The first thing to find out is if you need to use Aqua-Buff 1000W or Aqua-Buff 2000. The easiest way to do this is to take a wet sponge and wipe the hull and see if there is a white residue on the sponge. If the hull is a color and no residue appears on the sponge, the gel coat is faded and a color restorer will be needed. If you have severe oxidation (lots of residue) you should use Aqua-Buff 1000W, a fast cutting compound or if only a slight residue you can use Aqua-Buff 2000 a polishing compound.
2. Wash the area to be buffed thoroughly. To remove black marks, waterline stains, rust and any other marks, usually something stronger than a buffing paste should be used. It is important to remove these stains at this time because any stain or dirt will be buffed into the gel coat. Any boat soap can be used as long as it is non-streaking and leaves no residue after cleaning. Dishwashing soap is excellent and is also economical.
3. Our compounds can be applied with an application pad, brush or cloth. The pad should be damp so that the compound can be spread evenly on the area to be buffed. Do not over apply. Apply to only several square feet at one time.
4. Mist area lightly with water.
5. Immediately buff the area with a clean buffing pad on a rotary buffing machine with at least 2500 rpm. Unfortunately an orbital polisher will not give the best results. The compounds should be buffed when moist. If the compound has dried, it should be misted with water and then buffed with a damp buffing pad. If your not sure if the compound is damp enough, it is best to mist more than to buff the compound dry. When using the buffer, tilt the buffer slightly, while moving the buffer in a circular pattern and applying moderate pressure on the surface.
6. We recommend that a 100% wool pad be used with the Aqua-Buff 1000W. When using Aqua-Buff 2000 a 100% lambs wool pad or a combination of lambs wool and synthetic fiber should be used. Wipe down the area that has been buffed with a soft cloth to remove any remaining compound. The area is now ready to be waxed for added protection.
7. You can now begin waxing to protect that showroom shine you have been able to achieve with our compounds. We recommend a good 100% carnauba wax or a wax that contains no additional cleaners. The carnauba wax will give a long lasting shine to protect against acid rain, sun, salt spray and other environmental acids.

It started to rain when I did it last - perfect conditions for the Aqua Buff

[LSUTIGERS74]

All this talk about Aqua Buff made me a believer, I just ordered the 1000 and 2000 with some compounding pads.

You can get it in small quantities, 16 oz. tubs for a reasonable price of $10.95

Hopefully it will restore that shine that I am sure it once had.

[FISHIN SUCKS]

The instructions are actually totally opposite of the way you used it. They say:

Leave it to me to do things the hard way! But man I'll tell ya, it worked and I'm happy with the results! :yes: Besides, instructions are for quitters:biggrin: