What's Up With My Gelcoat

[3rdDonzi]

I'm the second owner of a '95 18 Classic. Boat is low time and immaculate but in the 7 years I've owned it the deck and waterline stripes (yellow on white) have faded to a cream color. The white shines like a diamond! The boat lives under cover also with a ultra lightweight dust and UV cover down to the waterline.
Here's the weird part. The fading is very uniform, as in same color everywhere. It is not just where uncovered or sun exposed area, even stranger I've had a professional detailer use Aqua Buff and then some of his best products on it and the deeper he buffs, the more the color stays the same! It seems discolored all the way through the Gelcoat. Has anyone heard of such?
I am now having it re striped with vinyl by a professional who wraps NASCAR Cup cars. I've seen his work and its incredible. I've also noticed that the newer high end ski boats are using a lot of vinyl graphics. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Has anyone re striped with Vinyl? Sure wish it could be buffed.
3D

[Tidbart]

Have u tried wetsanding yet? Curious how that would work out. Wouldn't take much effort to do a small area, then hit it with Abuff, polish and wax.

Bob

[ralphvc]

I bought a 95 18 red sides and stripe 2 years ago when i got home i realized it was uniform pink i test sanded an area and found the red. did the whole thing with 800 then 1000 then 1500 then compound it came out brilliant red i keep a coat of uv resistant carnuba on it and so far so good. boat is kept inside and covered with sheets

[MOP]

Another possible alternative is having it covered with vinyl several boats I have seen have done so, it holds up extremely well. I had vinyl graphics on a boat I owned for near ten years, it looked to the day I sold it.

[mike o]

Some gelcoat pigments ( red especially) have double chemical bonds in the pigment molecule that are more susceptible to ultra violet degradation than others. You have to wet sand below the oxidized gel to restore the unaffected pigment. Some gelcoats have a UV block cooked in when its made for a extra fee. Aerospace Protectant 303 is your best friend on top of a UV wax to keep it looking new.

[3rdDonzi]

Thanks for the responses.
i didn't have it wet sanded. Decided on vinyl because wet sanding would necessitate replacing the border stripes anyway and for a lot less work (and probably less cost) I might as well vinyl and see how it goes.
I will post some before and after pictures when I get it back.
3D

[Capevettes]

My 2000 18 Classic is white with the red stripes. The bow stripe and the engine cover stripe are fading. I have buffed them out and got some color back but this decal sounds interesting.

Where do you get it and how does it look?

[3rdDonzi]

It comes in a large roll, about the size of the roll they use in department stores for Christmas wrapping paper. Has to be cut for the job.
Stand by a few days and I will have a review as soon as mine is finished. I will send some pictures of before and after.
3D

[biggiefl]

Wet sanding takes off a microscopic layer of gel. It does not necessitate replacing the border stripes. Maybe after 40 sand jobs you might start getting thin. Buffing a faded stripe will not restore the luster, you need to hit it with say 1000grit wet, then compound and wax.

[3rdDonzi]

Nice to know. Even if my border stripes are tape?

[biggiefl]

Why would you wet sand tape?

[Capevettes]

It comes in a large roll, about the size of the roll they use in department stores for Christmas wrapping paper. Has to be cut for the job.
Stand by a few days and I will have a review as soon as mine is finished. I will send some pictures of before and after.
3D

Thank You. That might be the way I want to go. My boat sits on the lift and gets alot of sun.

[3rdDonzi]

Why would you wet sand tape?


I would not plan to wet sand tape.
If I had the wide Gelcoat stripe wet sanded and it is bordered with a tape pinstripe I would think that you could not help damaging the taped pinstripe.
3D

[biggiefl]

No...My wide? pinstripe has a small black tape stripe below it. I have never screwed up the tape except the one time I was just trying to compound around where the outdrive was once I removed the transom assembly...my bad. It takes a LOT of heat of heat to remove a pinstripe Wet sanding does not create heat. Pinstripe is easy to reinstall as well.

[3rdDonzi]

I must be confused but it doesn't really matter. Ive already given the job to the vinyl man. I don't have a wide pinstripe at all. On the deck of my boat (like most others I have seen) I have a wide stripe that is gelcoat down the middle,(probably about 8" wide) bordered by very thin black tape pinstripes.
I would have thought wet sanding would have damaged the small tape stripes bordering the gelcoat I was wanting to revive.
Oh well. Maybe it will turn out OK.
3D

[BUIZILLA]

my screen colors may be wacky, but it sure looks like honey color to me and not yellow.... :propeller:

[mattyboy]

What does the color look like in an area that hasn't been exposed to UV like under the rub rail or in the hatch area?

is it a different shade?

[3rdDonzi]

my screen colors may be wacky, but it sure looks like honey color to me and not yellow.... :propeller:


I'm familiar with the honey color but that's not the case, it was bright yellow. Still evidence under hatch and behind back seat. The waterline stripe has faded to a cream color, weird part is its completely uniform and it lives on a lift under cover with a dust /UV cover below the waterline.
3D

[3rdDonzi]

Here are a couple of pictures of her when the fading wasn't as bad.

[biggiefl]

For future use...wet sanding will not harm the small pinstripes. An Aggressive buffer will but not wet sanding. What are they charging you? I was thinking the same as mine is red and turns pink UNDER THE COVER. My question is cost and since my cover lays on the deck(factory cover) will it lift the vinyl as I pretty much think it would lift paint over time. Some say it won't but I would hate to have paint peel, tape is no biggie to remove like paint.

[3rdDonzi]

Nick,
The vinyl man quoted me $650.00 which i thought was reasonable. As far as lifting from the cover, I will ask but looking at other boats I wouldn't think so, it looks really durable and is used on all of the new high dollar, high graphics wakeboard boats that are so popular (and look like juke boxes to me) . I just spoke to him and they are measured and cut by computer for accuracy. He will be keeping the data so he would be able to make up kits for shipping if anyone is interested.
I will keep you posted. Pictures later this week.
3D

[3rdDonzi]

The boat is finished and I could not be more satisfied with the results.
Here are some pictures I took from the shop tonight. I will bring it home Friday and post some pictures in the sunshine this weekend.

[CHACHI]

Nice job.

Ken

[Offset]

Turned out really nice. Well done.

[Capevettes]

Wow, That looks fantastic!! I may have to go that route.

[mattyboy]

does look good would be interested in how it holds up below the waterline

[mike o]

3m's new 1080p material ? You can put in on and take it right off. It dosent stick until you put heat to it. Warm it up a little bit and it will conform to any contour. 1080 P comes in any color and white + black 3d carbon fiber. Your boat Looks great.

[3rdDonzi]

Thanks,
He did use heat. What I found amazing is he was able to shape it over and around the lifting rings without removing them and there's not a trace of a cut.
I will post some close ups of the rings.
3D

[biggiefl]

I only need the deck stripe and was just "thinking" it would cost about $300 or so, that confirms I am in the ballpark. B-Day is in August so.....

[3rdDonzi]

Let me know if I can help.
I'm sure we can find a 22 around here somewhere to measure if you want my man to cut you a stripe. Being in Florida I suppose there are some professional installers. I doubt it's a do it yourself job, at least for me I know it's not!
3D

[biggiefl]

We have a ton of those wrap places down here, shouldn't be a problem finding one.

[3rdDonzi]

Good luck with it.
I'm envious of your Whaler. When I was a kid growing up in Fort Lauderdale, I had several friends with 13' Whalers. Fondest memories being pulled around on my Cut n Jump ski by 40 hp Johnsons. Did Lots of reef diving off of them too!
Got the Donzi, if I just had room for a Whaler and a Sunfish my childhood boat dreams would all come true.
3D

[biggiefl]

13' Whalers are great for VERY calm days now that we are older. They will destroy body parts on a rough day. I have a Whaler club so I basically tow mine all over FL when we have a rendezvous. I have a lot of fun with her even though I don't put many hours on it. If you want fun, go with a 15' and a 70+. You will pass up the Donzi it is so much fun. No comment on the sunfish. Owned a few and basically just sat in irons all the time. If it was not small craft, it was not sailed.