Gelcoat Polishing

[dog]

Hey there everyone, not posted on here before- only on motorboaty forum!!

I was hoping to get some advice on polishing the gelcoat on my topsides ready for the new season. I did the job by hand last season- never again, and the results always look patchy if you look along the sides!!

Anyone recommend a decent machine polisher that doesnt cost the earth- also what kind of polishing compound does anyone favour?

I've been looking in on this forum for a while now- loads of usefull stuff if you actually like to get stuck in yourself!!

I look forward to hearing from some of you soon I hope!

 

[ccscott49]

Theres a few of these slow speed polishers around, at very reasonable prices, the same ones are used for cars, so not marine, so not expensive, try machine mart, B&Q etc. By the way much easier than by hand and a good finish, use the same polish, Mer is supposed to be good for cars etc, but a marine polish might be better. Good luck.

 

[Allanrichard]

Hi Dog . I have up to this year used a random orbital polisher on slow speed with good results . I have however just purchased a variable speed angle grinder / polisher (goes right down to slow speeds) from Medlock Electrics (www.medlocks.co.uk ) Price was £47.00 It really is excellent value. You have to purchase a paste applicator £10 from Movacs. It may not be on their website but just phone them. It is more of a professional polisher and sander than an angle grinder. Comes in a sturdy case too. Incredible value for the price. No - I am not connected to them !!

 

[andy_wilson]

Use a random orbital with Farecla compound (auto refinishers will tell you the right grade for Gel-coat).

Damn sight cheaper than marine polishes.

Apply a good wax afterwards.

 

[Avocet]

Depending on the size of the boat you might be asking it to run continuously for a whole day so you need something with a continuously rated motor or it might burn out. I bought a "Rupes" car buffer on which I went half-shares with another boat owner. We can always arrange not to use it the same weekend each year! I get excellent results with Farecla G3 buffing paste. These buffers are used in car body repair shops and although they're very expensive to buy new (a few hundred quid I think) they are sometimes available second hand (try "Loot"). They're also re-buildable when the motor brushes wear out!

 

[dog]

Thanks for the advice everyone- boats only a wee 21ft long, so hopefully a mechanical jobbie should get the job done fairly quickly!

 

[Johnjo]

Only my opinion, but in my experience the only way to get a first class
finish is by hand, sure you can use a machine but at the end of the day
you cannot beat the finish doing it by hand, like I say its only my opinion.
all the best with it ,
mike

 

[Guest]

Hire a polisher from HSS hire shops. Ignore the wollen bonnet they'll try and sell.

Use G3, lots of water and a "mirror mop" any decent automotive stockists will have these.

Last season I revived 16yr old topsides, all dull matt. Now you could shave by them.

 

[benemly]

I have a big tub of 3m cutting compund as reccomended by someone that did some work on my boat. If I hire a polisher, what do actually want to use to buff it up, I have never heard of a mirror mop!

 

[dickh]

The slow speed polishers are quite common now - Screwfix have them at £19.99 - www'screwfix.com

dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

Allan

As a result of your post I tried to find the tool on the medlocks website, but can't find it
Do you have a part number please ?

Thanks
Adrian

 

[stubate]

bought a random orbit slow polisher from the boat show 26.95 instead of 29.95, then got screw fix catalogue. only 19.95 double handle etc
so there you go www.screwfix.com
stu

 

[dog]

Afternoon all, thanks dickh and stubate, just logged onto screwfix and now the proud owner of a new bargain polisher!!!......

cheers!

 

[Allanrichard]

I couldn't see it on their site Adrian. I bought it personally from Medlocks local depot at Southend-on-Sea. However the tool itself is shown on the NuTool site www.nutool.co.uk It is part no NPK 17 1300 watt grinder/sander/polisher. Spec and picture on site.

 

[tr7v8]

The other reasonable one I've heard of is from Argos. Ours came from the French equivalent of Halfords for about the same money.
Be careful using a polisher as it's possible to "burn" the surface with too much pressure. Not so likely using the cheapies but quite feasible when using the grinder style units.

Jim
-----------

 

[stubate]

oh i forgot the polishing cloths are a lot cheaper there as well
stu

 

[Guest]

My chum in the motor trade calls it a "mirror mop" looks like a circular lump of foam with a plastic adaptor to attach to the polishing machine.

Use a tiny dab of polishing compund on the mop (about as much marmalade as you'd put on a slice of toast) wet it thoroughly and polish away. After a short while, the shine starts to come through. As the mop dries out the shine gets better and better.

A word of warning though, you'll get soaked! have a few bin liners handy, they make good aprons.

 

[VicS]

I think you'll find thats its properly called a compounding mop. Farecla do (or at least did) one they called a "G-mop" for use with their "G" range of compounds. A car paint supplier will have something similar. In use you keep it wet, I have a supply of water handy in a washing up liquid bottle, and you use it at a much slower speed than a polishing bonnet. Results can be quite spectacular; it brought my faded and chalked red gel coat back from dull and pink to almost as good as new.

 

[jonjo]

Re: 2-pack paint polishing

Can the advice in this thread be applied to restoring topsides already painted with a 2-pack paint?

The yacht I am buying has been on the broker's display stand for a year and hence is grimy plus on one side fender abrasion has dulled the paint finish.

I assume use of cutting compounds on paint risks cutting through the whole layer but a wax only might help?

 

[Strathglass]

I hope your polisher is better than the one I bought elsewhere about two years ago 120 Watts and just no power to do anything but put on polish. The trouble is I have often used a proper 1 Kw + industrial one in the past and found I could get nowhere with the less powerful two handed one.

The one from Metlocks mentioned above sounds a lot better.

Iain