Scratch repair

[reelnmn]

While washing the boat today found a scratch that I must have picked up on my last fishing trip. I've read a ton of threads and the sticky on the issue. Just not sure what category of scratch this falls into or where to start. I've attached pictures. Is this a simple clear coat scratch or will I need to mix flake? Would the best way be to contact Triton to get the exact match?


Thanks in advance!

Chris

[reelnmn]

[crank68]

You’re gonna need some Triton flake and clear gel for that....

[cape cod basser]

Looks Deceiving Can you snag a fingernail in it? Is it through the clear?

[reelnmn]

The pictures had to be taken at an angle to be able to see it so it is definitely a little deceiving. Finger nail catches a little but mainly due to roughness and not depth if that makes sense. I'm not sure how to tell if it is through the clear?

[CastingCall]

You can try dabbing some water on the scratch - sometimes that will make the scratch "transparent" and easier to tell if there is still flake beneath the scratch.
Too difficult to tell from your pictures, sorry.

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=482762

[reelnmn]

Alright here's two new pics. First one is dry. Second one is wet taken on Macro settings. Looking at this it looks like the scratch goes into the flake.

[crank68]

For me still kinda hard to tell...I’m still sayin flake and gel...

[1bluemcm]

It seems similar to a few I had on mine. You may be able to minimize it a lot with out a major repair but I think to make it "disappear", with regard to the surface defect of the scratch, it'll probably require a repair job. A couple on mine were well into the gel but not quite to the flake, I tried some very detailed, focused polishing of the scratch groove itself, basically compound on a rag with a fingertip, and was able to sort of shine up the scratch groove itself. So it was a bit less noticeable, but certainly obviously still there.

The catch 22 to me is making flake match the original in a repair job, by a pro at that, is difficult and it almost never is a perfect match. So on one hand you could have a thin scratch line that you deal with the best you can, or you can have a perfectly smooth gel coat surface with no scratch, but a broader area from the repair where the flake isn't a perfect match to the rest of the boat.