Many coats of gelcoat to hide primer issue

Discussion in 'Fiberglass and Composite Boat Building' started by aaronhl, May 27, 2022.

  1. KD8NPB
    Joined: Mar 2018
    Posts: 162
    Likes: 39, Points: 28
    Location: South Carolina

    KD8NPB Senior Member

    For a lake boat in red color, you're really better off with paint.

    Gelcoat for exterior UV protection is best in black, white, or shades of gray.
     
  2. aaronhl
    Joined: Aug 2012
    Posts: 333
    Likes: 3, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Central Connecticut

    aaronhl Senior Member

    Yea it's going to turn pink and oxidize in no time but im sure spending most of the days in the yard with a cover will help
    I really just wanted to do the same as original and learn to work with gelcoat at the same time
     
  3. aaronhl
    Joined: Aug 2012
    Posts: 333
    Likes: 3, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Central Connecticut

    aaronhl Senior Member

    So I wish I bought a dump gun last year when I started my boat painting project, what a waste of time messing with HVLP guns and thinning the gelcoat !!
    Today I used a DUMP GUN for the first time and I was able to hide the gray primer very easily (I DIDNT THIN WITH ACETONE)
    It was like holding on to a fire hose it shot SO much red gel out of it the gray disappears after a few coats !!
    There is a little learning curve because of how heavy the gun is and making sure it's in the right position so it doesnt leak, I also had to get a cleaning process down so I didnt have cured gelcoat blowing chunks, after the first round I got the process down... I will be re-sanding the whole boat again top and bottom and then putt another layer of red since i got some chunks and want it to match the lower half I had to thin (slight color difference) Here are the pictures...will move onto the cabin gel spraying soon, I am excited because this dump gun is going to make it A LOT easier, now I just have to figure out out how to not get trapped in when spraying

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    ondarvr likes this.
  4. Anthony Garifo
    Joined: Aug 2022
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Freeport, New York

    Anthony Garifo New Member

    Gelcoat was never intended to be used as an extensive overcoat, outside of a mold. It's always better, if possible, to use a top quality marine topcoat paint from Alexseal,Interlux, Awlgrip, etc. Gelcoat is too often misused as an extensive topcoat. Spot repairs are acceptable. Both spraying and tipping on a smaller boat will provide better results than trying to coat a large, non-mold, surface with a polyester gelcoat.
     

  5. aaronhl
    Joined: Aug 2012
    Posts: 333
    Likes: 3, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Central Connecticut

    aaronhl Senior Member

    OK so I think I am done with the gelcoat spraying for now, will need to wet sand and polish it, seems like I need to go down to 320 or 220 wet to start and then work my way up...but anyways with the gelcoat dump gun and some good quality gelcoat I had no issues with hiding the primer behind it, check out the pics and give me some good ideas on how to wet sand and polish

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