Restoring Faded Boat Finish

Just Sold · 06-20-2006, 02:30 PM

I am looking for recomendations on bringing back the finish on fiberglass when it has dulled/faded. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Seadoo · 06-20-2006, 02:37 PM

i know that Ship Shape does this i think he sand blasts it? not sure though

Woodsy · 06-20-2006, 02:38 PM

If you have the $$$....

Call John Spooner at Diamond Shine 603-235-8925. He is the best on the lake and does a great job. He does alot of the big $$$ boats on the lake for the fussy types. I have him buff my boat and it looks fantastic. He can also wet sand if the finish is too far gone for a buffing wheel.

If you want to do it yourself..

There are a few different ways of doing it, but you will need ALOT of elbow grease no matter what. You can wet sand the boat going to a progressively finer grit, or you can use rubbing compound and fine polish. There are alot of great products, I like the 3M stuff. You should try to do it by hand. If you are at all inexperienced with using an electric buffer you WILL burn thru your gel coat.

Woodsy

Mee-n-Mac · 06-20-2006, 06:17 PM

The question is whether the gelcoat has faded and can be brought back though some surface level work (rubbing compound or such) or whether the gelcoat has gone too far to be "buffed back". If it's the latter you might want to check out either of the products I mentioned in this thread.
http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ght=fiberglass

The product used on Ship Shape TV is here. In fact an excerpt of the episode showing the application of the product is on the "demo" on the website.

jrc · 06-20-2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodsy

If you have the $$$....

Call John Spooner at Diamond Shine 603-235-8925. He is the best on the lake and does a great job. He does alot of the big $$$ boats on the lake for the fussy types. I have him buff my boat and it looks fantastic....

Woodsy, would you mind giving me a ball park estimate of what he charges to do your boat? Does he do it in the water? I have a new boat but eventually it's going to need some spiffing up.

06-20-2006, 02:30 PM	#1
Just Sold Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Suncook, NH, but at The Lake at Heart Posts: 2,615 Thanks: 1,082 Thanked 434 Times in 210 Posts	Restoring Faded Boat Finish I am looking for recomendations on bringing back the finish on fiberglass when it has dulled/faded. Any help will be greatly appreciated. __________________ Just Sold At the lake the stress of daily life just melts away. Pro Re Nata

06-20-2006, 02:38 PM	#3
Woodsy Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weirs Beach Posts: 1,965 Thanks: 80 Thanked 979 Times in 440 Posts	If you have the $$$.... Call John Spooner at Diamond Shine 603-235-8925. He is the best on the lake and does a great job. He does alot of the big $$$ boats on the lake for the fussy types. I have him buff my boat and it looks fantastic. He can also wet sand if the finish is too far gone for a buffing wheel. If you want to do it yourself.. There are a few different ways of doing it, but you will need ALOT of elbow grease no matter what. You can wet sand the boat going to a progressively finer grit, or you can use rubbing compound and fine polish. There are alot of great products, I like the 3M stuff. You should try to do it by hand. If you are at all inexperienced with using an electric buffer you WILL burn thru your gel coat. Woodsy __________________ The only way to eliminate ignorant behavior is through education. You can't fix stupid.

06-20-2006, 06:17 PM	#4
Mee-n-Mac Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,943 Thanks: 23 Thanked 111 Times in 51 Posts	How far gone is it The question is whether the gelcoat has faded and can be brought back though some surface level work (rubbing compound or such) or whether the gelcoat has gone too far to be "buffed back". If it's the latter you might want to check out either of the products I mentioned in this thread. http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/...ght=fiberglass The product used on Ship Shape TV is here. In fact an excerpt of the episode showing the application of the product is on the "demo" on the website. __________________ Mee'n'Mac "Never attribute to malice that which can be explained by simple stupidity or ignorance. The latter are a lot more common than the former." - RAH

06-20-2006, 02:37 PM	#2
Seadoo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 67 Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	i know that Ship Shape does this i think he sand blasts it? not sure though