buffing gelcoat

Slimey Grimey, works like magic, use it every fall on the boats that sit in Lake Erie all season, I will apply with a weed sprayer and as soon as it hits the grime and algae it rolls right off

I may have missed it somewhere or maybe it wasn't mentioned, but what if you keep your boat in the water? What's the best way to remove the initial crusting of scum? I know, I never thought I'd be the guy that keeps his boat in the water either, but I am...

I use a 3M 2+2 on a Milwaukee 9" buffer. It is fairly ridgid.

Disreguard the last post. If I would have read the tread I would have seen you used Micro compound. Sorry

88 Nautique wrote: You could even follow it with 1500 grit before you use compound. Or if the oxidation isn't so bad, try starting with 1500.

Depends on the compound youre using. The 3M Superduty I used removes 1000 grit scratches. Id rather make a pass over the gel with a buffer than wetsanding by hand any day.

Ive heard very good things about Meguires Unigrit paper- its supposed to be very consistent. Too bad the most aggressive grit they make is 1000. Assuming its aggressive enough to remove the oxidation, it would be fine.

Wetsanding the gel coat always has to be followed up by compounding and polish. Each successive step you do must remove the scratches left by the previous round. After hitting the gel with 1000 grit, you'll want to hit it with some really aggressive compound using a buffer. I used the superduty compound, microfinishing compound, and finess-it II polish (followed by wax for protection) to get the finish smooth and shiny.

If you want specific recommendations on products, pads and tools (and where to buy them), shoot me an email.

I could reuse the plastic snap-in moulding. The window is quite easy to take out with two people. On my 89, the two side wings slid into a grove in the main window. I took the side wings out first and then the main window.

I just used the compound on it. I'm sure that it would look better if I polished it, but by then I was burnt out from working on it all winter long.

Both
I wetsanded the bad spots with 1500 and buffed the entire thing after words. Make sure that you have it on a low speed and don't stay in one spot too long, because you will start to burn it.

After sanding I was able to match it to the origional. It was real easy to see the yellow come off. That was the goal with the 320, sand until there was no more yellow. It was difficult to sand around the rub rail (didn't really want to take it off)

I originally started with 400 but it was taking too long. I personally found better results using the 320 (Get a quicker cut from it). I then worked 320 – 400 – 600 – 800 – 1000, then buffed with heavy cut and then with swirl remover. Removing all of the external hardware is definitely a must!!

Joel,

We got so darn busy down at Shelby you forgot to take it for a drive. Have to do so in the spring, it may have a set of Gt40 heads on it by then.

The 81 is my desktop background as well, comin' at me on dual monitors.

Not a bad pic for just waking up in a tent with a hangover.

Alan, I have a full res pic you can have if you don't already.

Tim,

That is a sweet picture and I have to Thank PLBC for snapping it. That is now my background for my computer desktop. As far as I can tell that pic made it on to the Planet Nautique 2007 Calender, it's the only photo of an older boat that made the cut so I'm pretty proud of it. Good work Kurt.

Nice shine bbrech1. You said it took more than buffing, so where did you have to start? Wet sanding, then buffing?