Something a little different - Malibu Sunsetter

Boats take a lot of abuse. If you pull up to a dock or another boat, even with bumpers, things rub. Lines get drug across the deck, if you pull skiers those lines are very abusive on the back deck. When you haul gear and people out of the water everything goes across the gunnels. Generally boats have a far rougher life than cars.

Even if you wipe your boat down every weekend, the gel coat oxidizes,

It gets scratched and shows water spots.




I am really bad with remembering to take pics. I started with a Perls/ONR mix. That combo did an amazing jobs removing spider poop and water spots. Then clayed some of the really bad spots above the water line.

The Flex L3403VRG with a 3M Perfect-it Rotary Backing Plate really conforms to all the weird curves, edges and contours. Really only needed the Uber green and blue pads with PO85RD and PowerFinish. Gel coat never turns out as well as metal, but this came out OK.










And one of my work area.

 

Outstanding :applause:

Dude, is that a frikkin Boat & Trailer hangin in your Garage :applause2:

 

Thanks. We hang the empty trailers so they are out of the way in the summer. They make a good platform to store unused stuff.

 

That's a great idea + it makes you go through your stuff once a year too! BTW, nice job on the boat.:mounty:

 

My neighbor engineered steel brackets that pin the double trusses together at the hang points. The brackets also tie the top and bottom chords together so the weight bearing is increased rather than just hanging from the bottom chord.

 

Well done, just curious how difficult was the gel coat to polish?

Is it as hard as a regular car clear coat?

 

Faded gel coat sucks. I just booked in a 2 day polish on a 20' boat with a bit of oxidation. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Ooooh now that sounds like a challenge, look forward to the detail 911 opcorn:

You done yet :waiting: :waiting:

hahaha teasing.

 

I did an 18' ski boat and it took three days to go from pink back to red. Gel coat is no where near as hard as a car finish and it is very porous. It can look good but never like a car finish. I have started using a sealant from Gel Coat Labs. I will let you know at the end of the season how it compares to automotive wax.

 

My son has a Malibu that looks to be in the sam condition as your before pictures. I am new here so i'm not familiar with some of products you use. What is Perls/ONR mix?

 

Einzett Perls Shampoo and Optimum No Rinse.

 

Can you wetsand a gelcoat?

 

Yes. I did a guys boat ( not the whole thing ) a few yeas ago. Turned out excellent but its very labour intensive.

 

Did you have an electric or pneumatic sander (or DA)?

 

Blocked it out by hand.

 

now thats some work!

 

any tricks of detailing gel coat? me and Nick have 28" to do so need to do research if there is any tricks. probably will get bunch of collonite stuff

 

Great work.