spray gel coating compared to roller gel coating

[sjclewes]

thanks to all your help with my previous question I have made a decision to gel coat the top sides, so now my dilemma is whether to go for spry or roller. has anybody experienced spray gel coating on the complete topsides of a boat is it as good as roller gel coating Ive seen the latter and it looks brilliant look forward to some final decision making

 

[sailorman]

Good luck
i would still go 4 Awlgrip G8

 

[john_morris_uk]

Each to their own - ours was rollered and I've no experience of 'spray gel coating'. If you can afford to gel coat, then its the better job IMHO. Our new (rollered) gel coat is thicker than the original and it makes getting scratches and dings out a lot easier.

 

[Avocet]

I'd be very interested in how you get on. Do, please post when it's done! I'm currently doing something similar. my gelcoat has failed (as in cracked all over and not terribly well attached to the underlying laminate any more)! I decided to grind it all off and am currently replacing it with a mixture of epoxy and microballoons, with sporadic advice and ecouragement from Oldsaltoz. When I finally finish it, I was going to give it a coat or two of high-build epoxy primer and then probably Awlgrip (although I haven't decided yet - if I make a pig's ear of the epoxying, it'll be lucky to get a coat of B&Q's cheapest house paint)!

I did wonder about replacing the gelcoat with more gelcoat but decided against it as a DIY job, thinking that it's a lot harder to sand smooth than the epoxy!

 

[sjclewes]

hi there have you any pics of your your boat and was it simon from a1 grp that did yours best regards simon

 

[boatbuilder]

We spray gel moulds when required, nice even finish but not as thick as a rolled gel.
I think I would go for Awlgrip, or if you get a lot of scratches Awlcraft, you can repair that.

 

[sailorman]

Awlgrip is also repairable
i had a "Ding" mid-ships resprayed & you "cant see the join" as Eric used to say /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[yoda]

Avocet

Polyester gel won't go on top of epoxy so you will have to go the Awlgrip route.

yoda

 

[john_morris_uk]

I have got some pictures of the boat - but they are at home and I am at sea at the moment and can't access things like photo-box off this network.

The person that did our boat was a man called Spencer Fleet. He lives (lived?) in Ivybridge and as posted before does an excellent job, but is a bit hard to pin down as to actually when he is going to do it.

He has done a few boats in the Plymouth area and I have not heard any complaints about the standard of his workmanship - just getting him to turn up when he says he will. A friend's boat was done the next year and it also looks superb.

 

[Avocet]

No, I meant that I was considering as an option BEFORE I went down the epoxy route! I agree that it won't stick to the epoxy so I'm committed now!

 

[richardblake]

Spraying gel will take longer to build up the same thickness as rolling but it will give you a far more even surface to start flatting back (Use an airless spray gun, can be hired but quite expensive). I think I would still go for the Awlgrip though as far less labour intensive and as stated above it can be repaired relatively easily. Good Luck

 

[sailorman]

So you really think Awlgrip is better then /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif