Re: [Paddlewise] Restoring Gel Coat

Thanks to the many who responded on the list and offlist.

I decided to let my botched job wear down until the time when it needs doing
again ... when I will have the arsenal of suggestions to guide me at a better
job.

My goal was to get some near-color gel coat down on the bare FRP matrix to
sacrifice to the sand and rock gods, and I did that.  for me, gel coat on the
keel is just there to protect the substructure.  I don't really care much
what it looks like.

Next time I'll search out a better source of the gel coat, for starters.

Just for the record, I found fairing the new gel coat into the surrounding
contours easy.  I think it is a little softer than the old, wizened stuff
underlying.  After whacking away with the trusted cabinet scraper to get the
gross stuff out of the way, a few hits with 220, then 400, then 600 grit (all
wet sanded) gave me something very close to a matte finish.  Then I converted
my orbital sander pad to a polishing pad with some thickish T-shirt material
(2 layers) and finished it off with some (supposedly) 1500 grit polishing
compound from 3M.  Worked like a dream.  If I get really bored (or anal) this
winter I might touch up some of the deck rash on this boat.  Eleven seasons
of paddle pounding has left a few areas pretty raw, but still rich in gel
coat to polish.  A Wind Dancer is never a fast boat, but this one has been
very kind to me, and I feel I owe it a little TLC.

--
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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