I'm gonna gelcoat the entire bottom of one of my sunfish. It's a 1986. the gelcoat isnt worn out but its getting there. The previous owner kept her covered on a beach and the motion of water occasionally hitting it has worn some good abrasions over the whole bottom. I have wet sanded most of them out but the bottom gelcoat is still not up to par. Also there are a few spots that I suspect are absorbing water due to some small cracks in the gelcoat.
Here's my plan... I will remove aluminum trim around bottom and tape off the hull number and rudder bracket sand the entire bottom of the boat with 100 grit paper getting any areas where fine cracks have formed sanded completely down. I will thin the gelcoat with styrene thinner and color match to the off white existing gelcoat. Then I will apply two -three thin coats of gelcoat. The first two coats without wax and the last with wax additive. Since I want to make this a easy gelcoat job I'm attempting to do this with a foam roller and after cured I will wet-sand and buff.
Im gonna take pictures of my progress. If anyone has anything im missing or suggestions please let me know. Im ordering a gallon of white gelcoat. Is that enough? I want to make it about 20mils I think.
Here's my plan... I will remove aluminum trim around bottom and tape off the hull number and rudder bracket sand the entire bottom of the boat with 100 grit paper getting any areas where fine cracks have formed sanded completely down. I will thin the gelcoat with styrene thinner and color match to the off white existing gelcoat. Then I will apply two -three thin coats of gelcoat. The first two coats without wax and the last with wax additive. Since I want to make this a easy gelcoat job I'm attempting to do this with a foam roller and after cured I will wet-sand and buff.
Im gonna take pictures of my progress. If anyone has anything im missing or suggestions please let me know. Im ordering a gallon of white gelcoat. Is that enough? I want to make it about 20mils I think.