Boat refinishing ?

[gerfguy]

What paint does everyone use for painting their boats? Do most use automotive or a marine type paint? & are they applied the same way? Is re gel coating an option also or is that not possible? My boat is a 21' Sleekcraft Jr executive with some dull rough areas & some deep scratches.

[gerfguy]

I guess this is a harder ? than I originally thought as know one has an answer!

[specboatops]

Talk to 1BadAction on here, I believe he does this sort of stuff and could give you some good advise on it.

[Mikes402Jetboat]

What paint does everyone use for painting their boats? Do most use automotive or a marine type paint? & are they applied the same way? Is re gel coating an option also or is that not possible? My boat is a 21' Sleekcraft Jr executive with some dull rough areas & some deep scratches.

Looks like nobody really ever replied to you, and if you haven't already done something about it, maybe I can help you a little bit. If your boat has already been painted over the original get coat, you would be better off repainting it. Jamestown distributors has many types of paint for boats if you wanted to go that route. They also have video's on how to do this type of work you can watch.

If your boat is still in the original get coat, you can repair those scratches with a getcoat repair kit. You would need to purchase a gelcoat repair kit from a marina close to you. Also pick up some stuff called PVA (poly vinyl acetate) other wise know as mold release wax. I use this when making repairs to seal the gelcoat from oxygen so the gelcoat repairs dry quickly and completely. You have to seal the repairs to get them to dry to a hard surface so they can be sanded and buffed out.

If you have never done gelcoat repairs before don't sweat it...they are not that hard to do.

First step is always wash the area first to remove any grease, oil, or old wax from the repair area. This is a must, if you don't you may end up with wax or oil under your repair which will cause the gwelcoat to have adhesion problems.
Next, take some 80 grit sand paper and fold it on an edge, then use that to rough up the inside of the scratches you have. This is so the new gelcoat will have a clean rough surface to grip to. Next using a clean rag, wipe down the scratch area with acetone (provided it is only gelcoat and not a painted surface). next is to tape off the area just outside the scratch so you don't get new gelcoat all over the place but just in the scratch area. Next using a small plastic mixing cup, mix in the gelcoat and pigment only until you think you have a good match to the color. I use small wooden sticks like popsickle sticks for mixing it up. Now wipe a little on the side of the boat to compare the color prior to adding any of the MEK (hardener). Once you get a good color match and please do this either before or after noon time not at 12:00 noon. (something about doing it at noon will throw off your color match - trust me on that one. Anyway when the color is right, add some MEK hardner to the gelcoat and mix it up well, for a small amount of gelcoat you only need about 4 to 5 drops of MEK...you can do a test batch without color to ensure your amounts will harden if you want to. You will have about 10 to 15 minutes to get it in the scratch area once mixed up. I use an acid brush to brush in the gelcoat into the cracks of the scratch...make sure to mound it slightly over the top of the scratched area. once the scratch is filled, spray on the PVA mold release wax to seal it up. Go have a beer and come back in about 20 to 30 minutes and check to see if the repair is hard with a fingernail. If not, spray on a little more PVA and wait until it is hard. Wash area down with soap and water to remove the PVA. Pull off the tape (I use black tape it comes off easy) then get out a bucket with a few drops of dish washer soap to clean water. Using a rubber sanding block and wet dry sand paper start with 320 and get it wet. Sand down the top of the scratch repair area until almost flush with the gelcoat. Switch to 400 wet dry paper and get it wet...sand some more. then switch to 600 grit wet dry and get it wet and repeat until smooth. You can go to 800 wet dry if you want to I usually stop with 600 grit. It is going to look like hell when it drys up...don't worry the next step will fix that...using a buffing compound for gelcoat and an electric buffer....buff down the scratch area and presto! looks like new again. By the way if you screw it up...don't worry, you can sand out the scratch area and do it again until you are happy with it...it's only plastic and not too difficult to do. Start with one small scratch and try it...not too tough. As for the dull area's you were talking about, wet sand with 600 wet dry paper after getting it wet, then use buffer and buffing compound should clean up nicely...and you just saved yourself a hugh amount of money too. Good luck with that project. I know I responded very late, but maybe later is better than never for ya

[Mikes402Jetboat]

When I mentioned to spread a little gelcoat without the MEK for color testing, I failed to mention that can be wiped off with Acetone without any issues. I also was incorrect about a product discription it is not Poly vinyl Acetate it is Poly Vinyl Alcohol - PVA - sorry for the goof up it's late and I haven't been to bed yet. Just tell em mold release wax they will know what you need, and that stuff is usually concentrated so you can mix it with water and add it to a spray bottle to pump it onto the boat. A small bottle goes a long way.

[rchevelle71]

PPG DBC, and concept clear, or go the cheaper route, and use Matrix system, same stuff knockof price.

[gerfguy]

Thanks guys, I haven't done any repairs yet & will look into all the info from you guys when the time comes in which I might have more ?'s, but for right now it will have to wait since my boat is under 3ft of snow.