Farecla and polishing

Fascadale

Fascadale

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Dull, milky cabin top and deck, white/creamy hull with stains.

Which are the recommended Farcela products to turn my MAB into an AWB.

Do I need a coarse then fine cutting/polishing compound followed by a wax and if so which ones?

35 years old, the boat not me, but I think there is still plenty of thickness left in the gelcoat.

What sort of quantities for a 26ft boat and where's the best place to get the stuff.

( I have a big variable speed polisher)

Thanks
 
I use G3.

A variable speed polisher is not the best kit - use it for the final polish but not at the compounding stage. What you need is a foam (sponge) head. You splodge the G3 around a portion of the hill, dip the sponge head into a bucket of water and apply to G3. Be careful to keep the sponge head moist or you could 'burn' the gelcoat.

Worked for me when I had a heavily oxidised blue hull.

Dont even think about trying to use Farecla by hand - unless you are Popeye.

Good luck.
 
I agree with Anteak. Use lots of water with just a drop of washing up liquid in it - I use a hand sprayer. Make sure nothing is parked near because the "fling" from the polishing macine can make a mess.
 
Disagree with Anteak on this one. I and my friends use a 225mm (9") variable speed polish with Farecla extremely successfully. My own is a Makita unit with which I can use three different densities of foam head. The huge advantage over hand work (which I used to do for many years before enlightenment!) is the uniformity you achieve with the polisher.

I not saying it isn't possible to achieve an even effect by hand, it's just that it's very slow, hard work and difficult to sustain over a longish period.

The only caveat I have with the polisher, it that if you have a lot of coachroof fittings, it is better to work round these by hand, and use the ppolisher for the clear areas, otherwise there is a risk of damaging the foam heads.

As you've already got the polisher, I'd use it. If you then prefer doing it by hand, fair enough!
 
I think you are actually agreeing with me Jerry!

We both say use a foam head and that doing it by hand is hard work - or am I missing something?? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Oxidation of the GRP gell coat top layer happens to us all, of course. I agree with other posts to take it easy, especially with mechanical aids.

Use polisher to buff up, but I strongly suggest a simple process on the oxidated layer - try one of the liquid cutting products used for exactly the same job on cars - and somewhat cheaper too! You may need 2-3 applications before you are satisfied with the result when finally polished. Prepare yourself - a factory fine finish will not be possible, but you will achieve an improvement!

Farecla products are excellent, but take care not to use an aggressive formula on your boat in the hope it will "speed things up". I use Farecla cutting only to remove surface chips.

Pre-trial in an inconspicuous place is well recommended.

PWG
 
Farecla G3 on a Variable Speed Polisher/Grinder with a Foam Mop Dampened with Water.

Then polish with a Lambs Wool Buffing Head Using 3M Marine Wax.

Thats what the Pro's do.

It's simply the only way to go.

Martin
 
toolstation do a silverline polisher for about £40. Its a bit heavy, but then its 1/4 the price of the fancy ones, and its perfectly ok.
Get several of the sponge heads, bcz if the catch something, they tend to shred!
Obviously have an rcd if you re going to be mixing a power tool and water, and while, yes, you need to keep
the surface damp, if you make it wet, you will fling the Farecla 20ft in every direction, including all over you.
Def start on the mildest compounding, and go coarser if needed; you dont want to remove most of your gelcoat if its not really necessary to do so ! Watch curves, as its easy to remove too much off these, and take care not to cut too deep, or you ll have a bigger issue than you started with! Remeber the gel is often very thin, and not necessarily an even thickness in all locations.
After that, its actually easier to wax by hand if you use a good one such as MacGuires.
 
Hi Anteak,


>> A variable speed polisher is not the best kit - use it for the final polish but not at the compounding stage <<

This is the bit I disagree with. Using a farecla compound with a polisher and plenty of water is an ideal way to do it IMHO!

Apart from that we are singing in tune!! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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