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