Shiny gelcoat again

[spaul]

Complements to Kirk for a lot of work well done. Nice change here.

I have a '92 CP with grey non-skid and it looks a little dirty now and then but what I do to keep it looking nice is to use a hand brush with a good cleaner. I also am using an Aurora Marine products product ( say that 10 times real fast). THe product is "Shure Step" a paste wax that gets less slippery when wet. Works pretty well and seems to keep the non-slip looking ok. Since the non-slip on CP's is molded in at time of manufacture drastic steps would need to be taken to change it. I suppose painting with non-slip grit would work but might not be esthetic enough for most of us. I'd like to hear more from those who've made this journey.
The Vertiglass or Polyglow does have a UV retardant added. You could use Venture floor finish or another brand but without the UV additive it would not last very long. I like the idea of waxing over the Polyglow. Think I'll try it. For what it's worth I'm trying to find out what the UV additive is in Polyglow, then you could add this to a less expensive acrylic floor wax and same some dough.
The one thing that I liked about Polyglow was the initial cleaning fluid, man it takes the oxidized fiberglass off the gelcoat very well and easily. Probably should have buffed from there but didn't. Am very happy with Polyglow but it's early in the season.

Steve
cp27/2
IM PAUL SIVE

[Gil Weiss]

Dupont white polishing compound easily took away the black marks. I used Mother's Gold wax on top and the boat looks fine!

[mgoller]

I don't think you could use the vertglass on the non-skid.  The applicator is intended for a smooth surface and lays down a thin film which flows down even smoother.  You could try it.
After cleaning up my boat this spring the non-skid just got a scrub and wash.  It isn't going to shine because of the texture.  I didn't put anything on the non-skid.  The boat looks great with the gelcoat vertglassed and waxed, all the trim washed, oiled and polished.  The non-skid does its job best if you just wash it and scrub off any soil, mildew, or whatever.
You can paint your non-skid to freshen it up.  There is a dialogue on that topic in the 19 section.

[multimedia_smith]

Hi Guys...  wish I'd read this a couple of years ago when I was "de-chalking" my 16 yr old (at the time) '88 - 16.  I got a couple of bottles of StarBrite compound and StarBrite teflon polish from West Marine and went at it.
Great results but not as easy sounding as the Vertglass treatment...

In my research for a restoration treatment I came across a few interesting treatments... but since my hull wasn't that far gone I didn't use them.  I'd be interested to know if anyone has tried the following... for archival purposes.  Their stuff seems pretty amazing.

http://www.islandgirlproducts.com/

[dusty]

great article, mgoller. wanting to help, here's a product list of mentioned items needed items, taken from the suggestions provided in this thread.

(info added from a similar thread:
Keep your Com Pac Yacht clean)

updated 20060706

summary:

Woodwork:

• Semco :: says Bruce Woods
• Aurora Synthetic Oil :: says spaul
• Penetrol :: says mgoller
• wood polish for inside mahogany
• Lemon or Orange Oil for inside :: says Bruce Woods

Gelcoat:
   repair:

• Evercoat Marine Match and Patch from West Marine :: says dgholmes

   clean:

• Simple Green - biodegradable & non-toxic :: says Gil Weiss
• Soft Scrub with Bleach :: says Gil Weiss
• A liquid toilet bowl cleaner, will clean hull, removes scale :: says CaptK
• Oxalic acid, brightens gelcoat, removes stains (read post link on where to find for best price) :: says CaptK
• 3M Fiberglass Cleaner and Restorer :: says CaptK
• Vertglass :: says mgoller
• PoliGlow
• Turtle Wax Express Shine
• Mothers Gold Wax :: says skip

Non-slip:

• Just scrub
• Aurora Marine Sure Step - gets less slippery when wet

Mildew:

• Clorox Cleaner with bleach

Skid marks:

• Dupont white polishing compound
• Simple Green
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser :: says PHOENIXCP27

Paint:

• Match Gelcoat (ie: engine cowling): Murrays spray paint Duplicolor, Wimbledon White
• Factory brown stripe: Murrays duplicolor Auto DSFM 153 Dark Brown M
• Rub rail: Murrays Black Bumper Paint
• Aquagaurd Bottom Paints :: says Gil Weiss
• Sherman Williams line of Marine Paints

Remove old vinyl tape and other decals:

• Goof Off (safe for fiberglass, but test in inconspicuous location first), rub it down with a rag, then use razor blade and more rubbing
• Razor blade that's been run across a windshield a few times first

Miscellaneous:

• A friend to help! :: says Don

Links to products on the web:

• Penetrol (caveat: PDF file)
• 3M Fiberglass Cleaner and Restorer
• Vertglass
• PoliGlow
• Aurora Marine Sure Step
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
• Sherman Williams Marine Paints (see the featured products link, port-side menu)

[geospencer]

I found something called VertGlass gel coat restorer.  I followed the directions and what a miracle.  Its super easy and when you're done you can see your reflection like in a mirror.

I just bought a VertGlass gel coat restorer kit (because nothing else seems to work).  Did you use it on the beige, non-skid surfaces? 

[Paul]

Geospencer,

Non-skid is intended to be flat, not shiny.  Shiny also means potentially slick, which is the opposite of what you want in non-skid.  So, I'd not recommend a shining product on the non-skid.  However, if your non-skid need a thorough cleaning, there are some options:  stiff brush and elbow grease, bronze wool, there may be others.  Hope this helps.
$0.02

[kchunk]

FYI, Woody Wax sells a non-skid deck wax. I've tried it and it's "OK" but a little pricey.

http://www.woody-wax.com/woody_wax.php

[geospencer]

FYI, Woody Wax sells a non-skid deck wax. I've tried it and it's "OK" but a little pricey.

http://www.woody-wax.com/woody_wax.php

I've used Woody Wax and you are right, it's pretty good stuff.  It did make the non-skid deck look better.  It didn't do enough for the rest of the gel-coat so I'm going to try the VertGlass for the shiny stuff.

[kchunk]

Make sure you read up on that Vertglass (I mean real user opinions and not the company sales rhetoric). I've never tried it but I don't think this stuff is something that you "try". You have to commit to it. It's a clear coating that gets applied over your gelcoat, and I think it's for topsides only (the upper part of a ship's side, above the waterlin)...I don't think you want to use it on the decks, even the white shiny parts, barring the non-skid.

Do a google search for vertglass, poliglow and mop 'n glo. They're essentially the same polymer coating, some with more UV protection than others. However, the application instructions must be followed explicitly and they are all subject to build-up, peeling, and yellowing over time.

Strictly my humble opinion, these coatings are a near last resort option (with the last resort being painting or re-gelcoating). Now, I have no vested interest in elbow grease, but being a '94, I don't think your boat should need one of these coatings yet. I'd try compounding or even wet-sanding first. Once you apply one of these coating, it's even more difficult to remove if you don't like it.

Keep us posted on what you decide and how it turns out. My 23 is a '91 and has certainly seen better days. I've researched these options in the past and would love to know how yours turn out.

--Greg

[bmiller]

Just found this thread when the site came back up.

The previous owner of my boat used one of these products. It began peeling, first a little, then in big swaths. It was very ugly. I removed all of it with a fine wet sand then buffed and waxed the hull. Now she looks like a well used and well cared for 20 year old boat. Not going to win any beauty pageants, but her skin ain't peeling anymore.

[nick23]

I got a 1989 Compac 23 last summer that had been horribly neglected and sat untouched on it's trailer for probably 4-5 years.  Anyway, the gelcoat was a chalky mess with all kinds of mold and stuff caked on there.  After lots of cleaning and scrubbing and researching, I ended up going the wet sand/compound/polish/wax route.  I ordered this kit from Jamestown Distributors:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=4138&familyName=Boat+Polishing+Kit

The kit has everything you need to do the topsides on a CP 23 or smaller, but I'd add a white wool 3m compound wheel on it.  Anyways, I followed the instructions on all the products and the results are incredible...the topsides look almost as good as a new boat (except for some chips and scratches from 20 years of use).  Once you have the topsides nice and clean, you can do all the steps over a weekend.  About 3 hours for a wetsand at 600 grit, then about 10 hours for compounding and polishing, then a couple coats of wax.

As far as the brown stripe...it would of buffed out to a nice gloss, but I didn't like the color so I ended up painting it dark blue with the Interlux Brightsides system.  For the deck, you can use the wetsand/compound/polish/wax on all the non non-skid areas and they look great.  For the non-skid, really the only options are to just deal with it as-is or to paint.  I've found that you can't really compound and polish the non-skid because of molded ridges.

FYI, before I went the compound route I tried using Poliglow on the transom.  I didn't really like the way it looked and the compound route gave a much better and real finish.  If anyone has any questions about specifics of compounding/polishing, send me a message.  Also, don't be scared to do this if you have no experience...I had never touched a buffer before I started on my topsides, but in a few hours I felt comfortable and had a decent technique and rhythm going.  It is not as much work as you think.

[Craig Weis]

Shiny Gel Coat again.
Maguire's #49 cleaner and lots of hand rubbing.
Then wax with Mother's Gold or Maguires wax.
I don't use a buffer as I get no deep cleaning.
Oxidized Stuff is still on the surface and I end up
doing a manual wipe one square inch at a time.
I see a speck and I work on it till it's gone.
It's all in the details. Takes a couple of days on a 19. skip.

[newt]

I'm kinda confused. How often do you have to rewax a old boat that you have compound polished and then waxed? And how many times have those that have used Polyglow had to tear it down and start over? The polyglow I have on my boat is from last year- still looks the same. When can I expect it to peal off? I used it because Practical Sailor gave it such a good review, but now I not so sure I went down the right track. Still looks good, however.

[Craig Weis]

HI Newt. At the beginning of ever season when C&J comes out of storage she gets a good hand wash. and good hand buffing, with Meguires #49 and then three hand wax jobs on the hull and three hand wax jobs below the waterline, only the wax down under stays on. skip. Good thing I'm not confused. With any luck water will never touch my hull but wax instead.


""[Skip you're finish must be in good shape if you don't need compound.  Then again the way you care for the boat it doesn't surprise me.]""  Wait a minute.  M-49 IS a compound. Very gritty.


NEVER USE POLY-GLOW!! Unless the hull is perfectly clean to start with. What you see is what you cover up.  'Poly', a petro chemical is plastic. And if you don't get the dirt off all your doing is sealing in the dirt with some plastic crap that covers up the dirt and makes it look shiny. It was never clean.  It's like pouring urethane over all the beer glass rings, and fingerprints, and food stains on a bar to seal in all the unsightly stuff. You don't want that. Surface preparation is everything.