help matching Checkmate gelcoat color ?

[motuman]

I know this is a long shot, but there is a lot of experience kicking around on this site so you never know...

I'm trying to find the original (red) gelcoat color code used on my 2012 Checkmate 2400BRX.

I've called the new owners of Checkmate who state they don't have any historical information on the boats, such gel info or hardware used, etc. I've posted on the Checkmate forum and the Checkmate FB page with no luck.

So far it appears I have (2) options:

1) Send a color sample of the my gel to Spectrum Colors, have them scan it, blend to match, and pay close to $600 for a gallon of gelcoat. The Spectrum site has a manufacturer pulldown on it's site, but only goes up to 1998 for Checkmate.

2) Request a red color fan deck from Express Composites, eyeball a match, hope it is close enough, and pay $37 for quart of gel.

It was suggested (on the Checkmate FB page) that I take the boat to an auto body shop and have the color scanned, but I don't know how I would translate that info to a gelcoat color?

I don't mind paying more for an exact match, it's a pretty visible part of the boat, I'm only doing a few square inches so $600 seems a little steep, Not sure how close they get on a scan match, but if that's best option it is what it is.

FWIW - I would have expected a bit of sun fade on the original gel but when I pulled the run rail in the damaged area, the red under the rub rail and the red above the rail look exactly the same to me. (Boat only has 120 hours and was stored out of the sun) So I think the original gel number would get me closer than anything I could eyeball from another vendor.

Thanks to anyone that can help!

[David - WI]

$99 for a smartphone color scanner https://www.nixsensor.com/nix-mini/

Possibly you can find the color pre-mixed or get custom mix once you know what it actually is?

[motuman]

$99 for a smartphone color scanner https://www.nixsensor.com/nix-mini/

Possibly you can find the color pre-mixed or get custom mix once you know what it actually is?

Interesting idea. Maybe a gel coat manufacturer can color match if I give them the digital color values?

[David - WI]

Interesting idea. Maybe a gel coat manufacturer can color match if I give them the digital color values?

That's what I was thinking... or it's a "known/common" color they stock.

(And then sell the thing for $75 to the next guy on here with the same problem!)

[MattGreen]

$600 for a gallon of colour-matched gelcoat seems hella steep. Shop around a bit - I've bought gallon cans of scanned-matched gel from both Fiberlay in Seattle and Composites Canada in Toronto and did not pay anywhere near that much. Red is likely an up-charge but that seems sky-high.

Matt

[motuman]

$600 for a gallon of colour-matched gelcoat seems hella steep. Shop around a bit - I've bought gallon cans of scanned-matched gel from both Fiberlay in Seattle and Composites Canada in Toronto and did not pay anywhere near that much. Red is likely an up-charge but that seems sky-high.

Matt

How was the scan accomplished? Did you have to mail a physical sample to them?

thx.

[MattGreen]

How was the scan accomplished? Did you have to mail a physical sample to them?

thx.

Yes - diamond hole-saw about a 1" disc, polish up, send in mail. Admittedly these were part of larger restoration jobs hence cutting the sample was not a big deal. Is the $600 a "field" service - they come to your boat and scan it ?

Matt

[motuman]

Yes - diamond hole-saw about a 1" disc, polish up, send in mail. Admittedly these were part of larger restoration jobs hence cutting the sample was not a big deal. Is the $600 a "field" service - they come to your boat and scan it ?

Matt

Nope, that is Spectrum's charge for scanning and sample you send in, mixing, and shipping you a gallon. On Spectrum Color's site, it looks like they charge about $350 plus shipping for a gallon of stock/standard RED gelcoat.

Sounds I do have a small pieces if gel I was able to remove without further damage...sounds like I need to call around and see who else can scan besides Spectrum. Hopefully someone can scan for less and sell me a quart.

[David - WI]

https://www.mcssl.com/store/restexco...om-color-match

Maybe these guys?

[motuman]

https://www.mcssl.com/store/restexco...om-color-match

Maybe these guys?

nice find! defiantly going to give them a call.

[HydroSkreamin]

I just got white from Fiberlay and their first match was a little off, but spot on the second try.

It was $200 with $50 rush and $50 shipping. Ground shipping is the only option due to hazardous material.

I’m quite positive Express Composites would be up to the task. The reason I got the white from Fiberlay is that’s who the shop that gelled my transom originally used and I wanted it to match.


I think my cap job matches the deck pretty well.

[Capt.Insane-o]

Red is the worst color to try to match, uv will have affected it by now so a color scan will be the safest bet and your or your sprayers ability to color blend.