Treating original gelcoat on an old cabin cruiser

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Bronco99

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I have bought an old freshwater cruiser which has it's original gel coat mostly intact - if weather-beaten, stained and a little chipped in parts. I have no experience other than research but I'm considering the following treatment, bearing in mind I'm on a low budget. I already have the products.

Clean with water + little sugar soap.
Remove stains with Y10 stain remover. Rinse.
Apply Triplewax Gold shampoo/wax. Rinse. Wait to dry naturally.
Apply T-Cut Rapid scratch remover. Remove product with drill adapted buffer pads
Wet and dry sand Gelcoat with disks fixed to B&D variable drill
Apply Gelcoat top-up from small pot where necessary. Cure.
Polish with Autoglym super resin polish. Shine with drill head polisher.

I guess I'd like to ask the experienced amongst you whether this is an acceptable process for a very old cruiser who's looking very sorry for herself. And whether this would be enough to get her looking ready for the dance.
I'd also like to know where, on my feeble budget of not much above zero, I can source the velcro backed sanding discs I'll need for the job, and what grit range is recommended.

Thanks in advance
 
I think Y10 is an oxalic acid based cleaner. You can buy oxalic pretty cheap. Plenty of opinions on how to use it too. It does work very well, and very quickly too.
Why are you polishing before sanding?
I'd to this by hand, as controlling a power tool is hard, and I find more likely to create more damage, especially in inexperienced hands.
 
There’s a convincing school of thought that says ‘launch it and enjoy it’.

This is especially true if you’re feeling impoverished. Other issues will doubtless crop up and make more demands on your bank account.

Have fun though.
 
Too many steps .
Clean hull
Oxalic acid to remove stains.
Do any repairs with gelcoat.
Polish the hull with polishing compound,gelcoat is only thin so be carefull.
Finish with at least a couple of coats of wax.

I would do it by hand if you have never done it before.
 
Thanks for all this.

peteK is a light fibreglass sand of around 1000g really not necessary when dealing with cracks before topping up gelcoat?
Stemar I've bought some anti-slip tape for the narrow gunnels around the boat (Norman 20)
Crazy-Diamond polishing is the last item on my list. Maybe it should be wax. Shine on!
Corribee Boy She's been launched and I'm enjoying! But you're right about the never ending to-do list.

This will make a few old sea dogs chuckle. I stopped by Homebase yesterday to see if they had suitable sanding discs for gelcoat. Doh!
 
Thanks Concerto that's unbelievably useful.

I guess I go back to one of my original questions which is where can I source the necessary sanding pads as velcro-backed compliments to my buff and polish variable drill adapter set?
My budget doesn't stretch to purchasing extra power tools that I will rarely use so the variable drill adapter kit is my go to tool for buffing, polishing, sanding etc. I just can't find the right sanding discs with velcro backing as opposed to hook and loop for sander/polishers etc. Do they even exist?
 
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