Hi, I'm the new proud owner of a 2001 Picnic Cat. The hull is pretty good but the top side deck gelcoat surface is somewhat faded and dull. I have been reading in various places about applying Thompson's waterseal to restore the color and gloss and as a protectant on fiberglass boats. Does anyone have any experience or thoughts about this idea. I don't want to do any damage to the surface but if it works, it sure would be easy to apply. Thanks in advence. Jim
Jim -
Hmm, I don't know about that. I've tried a few different things, and I like 3M Fiberglass Cleaner and Restorer best. With your gelcoat only being 3-4 years old, it should work fine for you.
Seems with the Thompsons you would just be adding a clear layer of a foreign substance on top of your gelcoat, when all you really need to do is polish what is already there a bit. The 3M product makes a difference on my 25 year old, chalky glass, I expect it would work even better on your boat.
Whatever you try, do a small spot first - say a 6" square in an unobtrusive location - and then watch it for a month or so. I used some Penetrol earlier this year, all over my foredeck and a 3' square patch of the hull, and it is not working out well. It grows mildew like crazy, to the point that I have to bleach those areas every 4-6 weeks. I can't think of a way to remove the stuff, either, and will just have to wait until it weathers away. Don't put your pretty boat through that. :)
Others here have had much better results than I did with Penetrol - my surface may be too porous for it. Still, in your case, I'd try the 3M. Good luck!
Jim, Ol'e Cpt. Kurk knows his stuff. I too like the 3M cleaner and wax, it's a miracle worker. It is a buffing compound with carnauba wax. It will restore your surface in good order. Just do a small area at a time and don't let it dry.
Another thought would be to use one of the polishing compounds and then finish with a new poly auto polish. The carnauba has a very large molecule and does weather away. The synthetic car waxes are very small molecularly and will fill the voids in the gel coat much better. Either way, don't use Thomson's water seal. It is mineral spirits and parafine. Just squirt some in cold water and pull out the chuck of wax sometime. It also evaporates under the sun rather quickly and will be slick to walk on.
Aurora Products makes a topside wax that is sticky to your feet. It is shipped from Canada if you can't find it in your stores and is the only topside wax I've ever heard of formulated to be "non slip".
Steve
cp27/2
I don't think that Thompson Water Seal is any good. Not for the deck under the bar-B-Q or over my fiberglass boat. What happens when a little water is trapped under this 'seal'? I don't know but I think it will frost over. Go creamy, Flake-off, die a horrible death on the side of your hull.
I just use Mother's automotive Gold wax and apply three coats at the begining of each [4 now] season. I don't remove it below the waterline. No grass that way.
skip.
I'm a believer in compound, buff, wax. The finish on my 30 year old 16 is like new. I compound and buff the non-skid [no wax here] and wax the cabin and hull sides 8)
The way to go, buff with compound [not Soft and Scrub, too harsh!] and wax. You will be happy, tired but happy.
skip