Dull and faded paint!

Bmetcalf81 · 06-06-09, 02:26 AM

Is it possible to restore the luster to my old bass boat? It's thirty years old and still kicking strong but the paint shows it's age. How can I restore the the color? It's got a red metal flake paint job but I'm not sure what kind of paint job it is.

zooker · 06-06-09, 05:26 AM

the luster comes from the gel coat..the gel gets cloudy from sun pounding on it..gel is like clear coat on a car..i would try wet sandin with 1500 grit in a un-noticeable spot. see how it come out..if it clears up wet sand the entire boat. and put on a good carnuba wax. -use a power buffer- you may want to wax in regularly. i do mine every 4 months...

zooker

bonsaibp · 06-06-09, 07:03 AM

You could also try a rubbing compound. 3M makes one that I used on a 1974 Ranger and it made that thing shine. I think its called Heavy Duty Restorer. I was impressed.

Bmetcalf81 · 06-06-09, 05:36 PM

yea my dad suggested the 1500 grit sand paper but he wasn't sure since it was an older boat. Thanks for the info, I'll see if I can't get her shining.

nofearengineer · 06-06-09, 08:34 PM

Take some before and after pics. We love to see older boats brought back to life around here.

OrygunBasser · 06-08-09, 01:28 PM

The long version!!!

Most boats can be brought back to look new by doing the wetsanding/compounding/glazing/waxing at home for the costs of the products and a high speed sander/buffer if you do not own one...a lot of labor involved, but can save you big $$$$ over a re-clearcoat.

All the peripheral hardware should be removed from the boat, cleats, handrails, lights, windshields, decals, anything that can be unbolted from the top cap and consoles, etc will make the job easier....less obstructions when using the buffer.
You will need a high speed buffer, not an orbital buffer, the high speed produces the heat that makes the compound cut thru the faded clearcoat, you can use a cheap buffer, no need for an expensive model.

3M waffle polishing pads.....the white one for compounding/cutting and the black pad for glazing/polishing.

Wet Sandpaper in 1000/1200/1500/ grit.
You can adjust the grit # lower if the fading is real bad.

3M Perfect It Rubbing Compound # 05973
3M Final Glaze # 06066

Any hard Carnuba Marine Wax

1st step is to remove all the hardware you can.

Wash the boat, remove any tar, bugs , etc stuck on the glass.

2nd step is to wet sand with plenty of water, put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the sanding water to make the paper slide easier, dunk the paper often to clean the sanded material off the paper.
Sand in a back and forth motion, not in circles.

Start with the 1000 grit, sand the whole area to be redone, rinse off with the hose, repeat with the 1200 grit, and rinse, then again with the 1500 grit....this is very labor intensive , may take you a few days to get thru LOL..., don't sand too hard in one spot, keep feeling the sanded area, if you feel any of the metalflake ( rough , grainy ) stop sanding on that area or you will sand too deep and expose the flakes.

When the sanding is done , wash the boat again to get the glass clean of particles, it will look dull but not faded.

3rd step is using the high speed buffer with the white 3M pad and the rubbing compound, do small areas and move the buffer slowly, not keeping it in one spot or it might burn the gel.
When done compounding wash off the compound and dry the boat.

4th step is using the black 3M pad on the high speed buffer and the 3M final glaze to put on a high gloss glaze coat.

By this time if their was not any actual gelcoat damage the clearcoat should look almost new again.
The final step is putting on a good coat of high carnuba paste wax....then keep the boat clean by wiping it down as soon as ti comes out of the water with one of the spray wipes like Bass Boat Saver..

bamabassman · 06-08-09, 07:49 PM

ok what aobut if uyour boat got rubbed real bad. all the way to the paint in one spot? how can you repair it?

bassackwards · 06-12-09, 07:19 PM

on average about how much would it cost to get new gel cote

champman · 06-14-09, 08:58 AM

i had the same problem with my red bass boat. the sun had faded part of the side and back. i bought NEW GLASS 2 ( new glass 2.com) followed the instructions and it worked. my son used it on his ski boat and also had good results.

bassackwards · 06-14-09, 09:01 AM

the prob i got is the gel is comeing off don't think any thing will fix it

06-06-09, 02:26 AM	#1
Bmetcalf81 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6	Dull and faded paint! Is it possible to restore the luster to my old bass boat? It's thirty years old and still kicking strong but the paint shows it's age. How can I restore the the color? It's got a red metal flake paint job but I'm not sure what kind of paint job it is.

06-06-09, 05:26 AM	#2
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	the luster comes from the gel coat..the gel gets cloudy from sun pounding on it..gel is like clear coat on a car..i would try wet sandin with 1500 grit in a un-noticeable spot. see how it come out..if it clears up wet sand the entire boat. and put on a good carnuba wax. -use a power buffer- you may want to wax in regularly. i do mine every 4 months... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

06-06-09, 08:34 PM	#5
nofearengineer BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southwest IN Posts: 5,630	Take some before and after pics. We love to see older boats brought back to life around here. __________________ Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.

06-08-09, 01:28 PM	#6
OrygunBasser BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lakeside, Oregon Posts: 159	The long version!!! Most boats can be brought back to look new by doing the wetsanding/compounding/glazing/waxing at home for the costs of the products and a high speed sander/buffer if you do not own one...a lot of labor involved, but can save you big $$$$ over a re-clearcoat. All the peripheral hardware should be removed from the boat, cleats, handrails, lights, windshields, decals, anything that can be unbolted from the top cap and consoles, etc will make the job easier....less obstructions when using the buffer. You will need a high speed buffer, not an orbital buffer, the high speed produces the heat that makes the compound cut thru the faded clearcoat, you can use a cheap buffer, no need for an expensive model. 3M waffle polishing pads.....the white one for compounding/cutting and the black pad for glazing/polishing. Wet Sandpaper in 1000/1200/1500/ grit. You can adjust the grit # lower if the fading is real bad. 3M Perfect It Rubbing Compound # 05973 3M Final Glaze # 06066 Any hard Carnuba Marine Wax 1st step is to remove all the hardware you can. Wash the boat, remove any tar, bugs , etc stuck on the glass. 2nd step is to wet sand with plenty of water, put a few drops of dishwashing liquid in the sanding water to make the paper slide easier, dunk the paper often to clean the sanded material off the paper. Sand in a back and forth motion, not in circles. Start with the 1000 grit, sand the whole area to be redone, rinse off with the hose, repeat with the 1200 grit, and rinse, then again with the 1500 grit....this is very labor intensive , may take you a few days to get thru LOL..., don't sand too hard in one spot, keep feeling the sanded area, if you feel any of the metalflake ( rough , grainy ) stop sanding on that area or you will sand too deep and expose the flakes. When the sanding is done , wash the boat again to get the glass clean of particles, it will look dull but not faded. 3rd step is using the high speed buffer with the white 3M pad and the rubbing compound, do small areas and move the buffer slowly, not keeping it in one spot or it might burn the gel. When done compounding wash off the compound and dry the boat. 4th step is using the black 3M pad on the high speed buffer and the 3M final glaze to put on a high gloss glaze coat. By this time if their was not any actual gelcoat damage the clearcoat should look almost new again. The final step is putting on a good coat of high carnuba paste wax....then keep the boat clean by wiping it down as soon as ti comes out of the water with one of the spray wipes like Bass Boat Saver.. __________________ You may practice catch and release as a religion but that doesn't mean that the next person has to bow down to your god!

06-08-09, 07:49 PM	#7
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	ok what aobut if uyour boat got rubbed real bad. all the way to the paint in one spot? how can you repair it? __________________ so many lures, so little time.

06-06-09, 07:03 AM	#3
bonsaibp BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Northridge, CA Posts: 98	You could also try a rubbing compound. 3M makes one that I used on a 1974 Ranger and it made that thing shine. I think its called Heavy Duty Restorer. I was impressed.

06-06-09, 05:36 PM	#4
Bmetcalf81 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 6	yea my dad suggested the 1500 grit sand paper but he wasn't sure since it was an older boat. Thanks for the info, I'll see if I can't get her shining.

06-12-09, 07:19 PM	#8
bassackwards BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: hampton va Posts: 408	on average about how much would it cost to get new gel cote

06-14-09, 08:58 AM	#9
champman BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: pacific, mo. Posts: 108	i had the same problem with my red bass boat. the sun had faded part of the side and back. i bought NEW GLASS 2 ( new glass 2.com) followed the instructions and it worked. my son used it on his ski boat and also had good results.

06-14-09, 09:01 AM	#10
bassackwards BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: hampton va Posts: 408	the prob i got is the gel is comeing off don't think any thing will fix it

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