I ruined my jet ski and boat in 1 hr

[Marvin willis]

Saw the post on here how to fix gel coat so I bought the gel coat fix from spectrum and started putting all over the boat and jet ski on minor scratches. I started sanding and used rubbing compound and wax. I've done body work on cars but never boats. Didn't see much difference. Both meguires products and it looks horrible. Please help. Do I have to get it painted to fix this? Should have left it alone. So pissed

 

[Boat Crazy]

@Glassman

 

[txav8r]

@Marvin willis , really sorry that your repair came out bad. I have to admit, that the last repair I made was off in color, but I was amazed that after a few months, I can no longer find it! But I think the colored kits may not match completely, even the white, because the color is new and your boat is faded to different degrees depending on age and exposure. The only true match will be a professional shop that blends it in where you can't see it. It is great for scratch repair, but "how" you do the repairs and how extensive it is will play a factor in it. My suggestion is let some time pass and the sun work on it a little, it will blend more than your first impression. One thing I noticed, and for that reason I know it is not a color match issue is this...I taped off the area around the repair, obviously exposing more of the hull than just the area I filled. But when I sanded it down and polished and buffed it, the entire square was a different color than the rest of the boat! But just a month later, not even in the sun or outside except for when we were on the water, I can't find it anymore. So I have to think that it wasn't the color match, but just opening pores to new surface and it took a little stabilization. Anyway, I am hoping that is all your facing too!

 

[Marvin willis]

Thank god my buffer broke. Borrowed the neighbors. It's getting better

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Pics would help to guide you on what to do.
Hopefully you are using a rotary buffer with a wool pad?

 

[Marvin willis]

Used acetone to take off almost all of the new gel coat. As far as the nose of the boat the gel coat wore thin and looks kind of like static so I can't finish wet sanding to make it perfect. I'm using a rotary buffer with foam pads. I still have a little oxidation that didn't clean up but still looks pretty good. Worked on one side of the boat for 6 hrs. Gonna finish next weekend

 

[Murf'n'surf]

If you are trying to remove oxidation you might want to switch to wool. This pad uses a hookit Velcro backer plate available separately or you can find the same pad double sided with the screw on threads.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KSTFHQ/ref=pd_aw_sims_1?pi=SS115&simLd=1

 

[CrankyGypsy]

gel coat is new to me so i have been researching how to bring my dull/faded black paint back to life. i've been confused about all the different ways that claim to be the best way. especially because some of them will say the exact opposite of another. i've not started to do this project myself yet, but here is a great article:

http://www.fiberglassics.com/restoration/restoring-gel-coat

http://www.fiberglassics.com/restoration/

 

[Marvin willis]

I think I wet sanded too far. It looks like static and doesn't seem to buff out. I'll take pics tomorrow to see if anybody has any ideas or I'm stuck with it. Looked way better before I started this project.

 

[txav8r]

Consider that the gelcoat layer is the finish paint layer, and it isn't too thick. So you can only surface sand it for the most part, any gouge or scratch has to be filled before you surface it. You can't recover from any subsurface blemish by sanding it out, there isn't enough depth to do that. Oxidization is another thing. It is just surface and you can buff that out. But wet sanding is taking down the surface. Your overall surface is mm thick, not inches, so buffing is ok, but sanding down will remove the gelcoat surface I fear. @Glassman ?

 

[Marvin willis]

So here is a pic of what I'm talking about

 

[txav8r]

Is that blistering?

 

[Marvin willis]

I don't know. I've heard of blistering but never seen it

 

[txav8r]

I think blistering is a below the gelcoat issue. But I was wondering what it would look like if you wet sanded into it. I think blistering is caused by being left in the water without a good seal coat and it permeates the gelcoat surface, causing delamination. But not the typical delamination.

 

[Marvin willis]

It was shinny to start with and dull after sanding. Spots showed up while buffing

 

[txav8r]

I don't know what that is. I am wondering if you burned it somehow. I haven't seen @Glassman on here in a few weeks. He could tell you I am sure.

 

[Marvin willis]

I think it has something to do with the wax bc I did the same thing to my jet ski today on the nose of it(plastic part, not smooth). Like it got in some pits. I'm just scared to sand anymore til I get someone's opinion

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Get a slow 2 speed rotary buffer and a very good wool buffing pad find a body shop supplier for the pads and compound, get some 3m super duty buffing compound , go over it with the buffer and then a new wool pad and after that some wheel mark eliminator to make it shine. if you sanded through the gel coat you can't bring it back , sorry but that would need to be done professionally. Note even rubbing compound from the store may cause more harm that good, like I said get your supplies from a body shop supplier . The buffer can be from walmart or hbr freight etc , A professoinal one may do more harm than good if you don't know how to use it properly.

 

[Glassman]

I can't tell from that picture. It appears that you used too coarse of a sandpaper - almost appears pitted. But without seeing it in person or a better photo I can't give much advice other than what's already been said.

If you've sanded off the gel coat then the only remedy is to re apply it. Based on what I've read, I strongly suggest you take it to a professional.

 

[Marvin willis]

I love wool. In 10 mins of buffing my boat looks brand new