I have a skeeter bass boat and the clearcoat is flaking off. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to fix this problem. Thanks, Shannon
I have a skeeter bass boat and the clearcoat is flaking off. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to fix this problem. Thanks, Shannon
Hi Shannon,
I had the same problem with my 1984 Skeeter. I wet sanded the heck out of her! For mine I started with 1000, but had to go down to 600 to get the thick stuff off (the last owner had sprayed the boat with an automotive spray bomb clear coat.) Not exactly sure how bad the clearcoat is on yours, but maybe start with 1000, lots of sheets and lots of water. I used a bucket in one hand and my sandpaper in the other (around a sponge block). When you see a milky substance when sanding, the clearcoat is coming off, or at least getting down to the point where it might not be noticeable where the flakes are. Then go to 1500, then 2000, then compound (I used 3m), then i used Meguiars Flagship to finish. This is what I did for mine, hopefully will work with yours. Take some pics of the before and after. I wish i would have taken more before pics of mine! Here is my thread for before and after shots.
http://www.bbcboards.net...97196
Goodluck!
\"Better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission!\"
I will try this. Your boat looks great. Thanks
Shannon,
I am in the middle of restoring a 1984 Skeeter Starfire 90. The gelcoat on the top cap could not be saved. It just flaked off as you discribed. I am planning on using a very good clear coat on the top cap when I get to that point. I am not sure why it will not stay on for a long long time; it stays on fiberglass Vettes.
http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa14/biothree
Scroll down and click on pictures.
Modified by cliffgibbs at 9:00 AM 6/29/2007
Modified by cliffgibbs at 9:02 AM 6/29/2007
Modified by cliffgibbs at 9:07 AM 6/29/2007
[QUOTE=cliffgibbs]Shannon,
I am in the middle of restoring a 1984 Skeeter Starfire 90. The gelcoat on the top cap could not be saved. It just flaked off as you discribed. I am planning on using a very good clear coat on the top cap when I get to that point. I am not sure why it will not stay on for a long long time; it stays on fiberglass Vettes.
Cliff
Corvettes do not have gel coat on them, the fiberglass bodies are sealed and painted, that is why automotive clearcoat will adhere with no problems to a corvette body.
Gel Coat on your boat has different properties than the automotive paint. The Clear that flakes off older boats with sun damage is actually gel coat with no pigment added, basically clear resin.
To have a lasting clear coat a boat should be resprayed with the same material ( clear gel ) to get a lasting bond with the gelcoat.
I PERSONALLY PREFER A HIGH QUALITY AUTO CLEAR. OVER GELCOAT. IT BONDS TO GELCOAT BETTER THAN GELCOAT DOES. I WOULD DA SAND THE BOAT DOWN WITH 180 GRIT BEING VERY CAREFULL NOT TO GET INTO THE FLAKES. CLEAN IT UP GOOD WITH WAX AND GREASE REMOVER FOR FIBERGLASS AND SPRAY WITH DUPONT CHROMA PREMEIR OR PPG 2021 CLEAR COAT. SOME USE IMRON AND IT'S OK BUT NOT AS BUFFABLE AS THE OTHERS. IMRON IS JUST OLD TECHNOLOGY. I PERSONALLY USE THIS AS A PRIMER FOR GELCOAT ON REPAIRS. I HAVE DONE LOTS AND NOT HAVE ONE FAIL. THE NEW GELCOAT WILL STICK TO THE PAINT BETTER THAN IT WILL THE OLD GELCOAT DUE TO THE LACK OF THE CHEMICAL BOND THAT CANNOT BE ACHIEVED AGAIN. I HAVE EVEN ON SOME BAD SHAPE NEWER BOATS DONE THE ABOVE THE SANDED AGAIN AND PUT GELCOAT ON FOR THE HARDNESS FACTOR FOR ONE FRIEND OF MINE. THAT WAS ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO AND STILL HOLDING GREAT.
Well guys,
I have owned 5 vetts and am restoring a 1970 Vette as well as a Shadow Bassboat now. The body panels on Vetts are gel coated. Problem with your clear not sticking is all in the prep. try a 280 to 300 grit wet sanded of course. Also get some tack cloth and wipe her down good prior to spraying the clear and always swish that cup around when adding metalflake for even coverage, that or invest in a nice agetator cup. bassboats tend to flex a bit more than a Vett so eventually you will have some cracks as well as peeling due to same. keep it waxed to help slow this down.
Lunker Stu
Factory Vettes are painted on top of the gelcoat.
The outermost layer on a factory corvette is usually clearcoat on top of paint, not gelcoat.
Fiberglass boats outer layer is a clear on top of gelcoat.
I believe the only Corvette ever to have a true gelcoat outer layer was the 53 model, only available in white gel.
I AGREE WITH STU ALL VETTE PANELS ARE GELCOATED UNDERNEATH AND PAINTS ADHERE VERY WELL TO THE GELCOATS. WHETHER THE GEL IS CLEAR, BLACK , WHITE DOESN'T MATTER. PAINT WILL ADHERE TO GELCOAT WITH PROPER PREP WORK BETTER THAN MORE GELCOAT WILL. YOU CANNOT RECREATE THE CHEMICAL BOND FORMED IN THE MOLD WHEN A BOAT IS BUILT. THE CHEMICALS IN THE FIBERGLASS CHEMICALLY BOND TO THE CHEM.'S IN THE GELCOAT. THE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED BY MECHANICAL MEANS. THAT IS WHY I USE AUTOMOTIVE CLEAR AS A PRIMER EVEN WHEN I AM REPAIRING WITH GELCOAT. THE DOWN SIDE TO AUTOMOTIVE CLEAR IS IT IS NOT AS HARD THUS AS SCRATCH RESISTANT AS GELCOAT. BUT IT HAS UV PROTECTION GELCOAT NEVER DREAMED OF. THAT IS WHY I OFFER MY CUSTOMERS THE CHOICE. I AM DOING A 96 JAVELIN RIGHT NOW AND A 99 SKEETER WITH AUTO CLEAR RIGHT NOW. I HAVE BEEN DOING THESE FOR 15 PLUS YEARS AND HAD ZERO FAILURES.
Vette panels are gelcoated...but they are painted on top of the gelcoat...lets not confuse the issue any more .. LOL...
So when you are aaplying clearcoat on a Vette, you are putting it on paint...not onto the gelcoat itself.
If we agree the vette panels are gelcoated from the factory under the paint then we must agree that the paint adheres to the gelcoat. Otherwise they would have no topcoat. Clearcoat has all the same properties of a pigmented single stage paint.
maybe I should have kept my fingers off the keyboard. LOL. The point was that paint and or clear coat will stick to colored or clear gel.........
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