Gel Coat matching 88 BFN

Here is the link to the "Gel Plane Tool" nice job. Is it necessary to strip the gel coat down to the fiberglass?

http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16830&KW=tool&PN=3&title=jeffs-1988-bfn-rebuild

I cannot find the follow up but here is a thread about the removal. It involves a tool like this. There was pictures here on site of someone that hired a person who had this tool to remove their bad gel. You need to remove it because you do not want it too thick or it can crack.

tbeard wrote: Thanks Pete. I was hoping we could avoid spraying the bottom. I plan to disassemble the boat and remove the rubber rail. How difficult is it to change the color of the wide stripe that runs around the sides/transom of the boat?

It can be done but for an amature it will be a job. You would have to remove the original color so you can get the new gel thick enough and not be higher than the color your not changing. Things I have learned are, buy your gel with no wax in it,wax is needed to harden but if it's in there you have to remove it between coats. So I would place multiple coats on and the final one add the wax.It does not go on very smooth,lots of orange peel even with the gel gun I'm using. Fortunately it sands relatively easy.Or you can use this Duratec clear. You are supposed to mix 50/50 with your gel but I went 75 gel to 25 Duratec on my console glove box. It came out so nice that no sanding was needed since it is just a glove box,but on a deck or side I'd give it a quick sanding before polishing.It is well worth the work IMO.

Thanks Pete.
I was hoping we could avoid spraying the bottom. I plan to disassemble the boat and remove the rubber rail. How difficult is it to change the color of the wide stripe that runs around the sides/transom of the boat?

I have to Re Gel Coat my deck due to some small blisters that have split open and other minor cracks. The sides of the boat have some minor/moderate dock rash that will not sand out also. The bottom of the boat is excellent condition so I do not really want to Re Gel Coat it, just color sand and polish.

Is it possible to Re Gel Coat the top/sides/transom and blend it in with the bottom and make it match? I was thinking to have the new Gel Coat stop at the bottom of the sides where the bottom hull meets it. There is a transition point/lip where the hull turns 90 degrees for the bottom of the boat. I am open to all ideas. We are planning to completely restore the boat and want it to look new :)