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How Do I Restore The Chalky Gelcoat On My Boat

  Skipper

C Carter asked:
Grady-White recommended I use your product due to chalky gel coat. The boat is 33′ long and the beam is 13′. How much boat scrub and premium boat shine will I need? I’d like to do the hull, deck, cockpit.
Is there a minimum temperature for using the product?
Do I apply the boat scrub by hand or with a polisher?

Answer:
For your convenience, I’ve highlighted the hyperlinks. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the selected product.

The amount to buy depends on the condition of your boat. Premium Boat Shine will cover about 400 sq. ft. and you need 2 coats. The first coat will soak in because if your boat is chalky, the gelcoat is dry and porous and will absorb more. The coverage on the 2nd coat will be greater. To restore the finish, first wash the boat with Boat Clean Plus at a concentration of about 1:4 with water. The easy way is to use a Marine Power Mitt. This will remove the surface pollutants and make the deoxidization process easier and faster and you will use less Boat Scrub.

Boat Scrub can be used by hand or with an orbital buffer. Most people find it is just as easy to use it by hand, with the Marine Power Mitt. Simply rub away the oxidation until the gelcoat shines and then apply the Premium Boat Shine.

For the deck use Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub to clean and deoxidize the surface. Use the Marine Power Mitt on the smooth surfaces and a deck brush on the non-skid areas. You can then apply 2 coats of Sure Step to the decks. It will give your decls protection against UV, seal the pores, makes the deck, including the non-skid super easy to keep clean, restore the new boat shine, and it’s not slippery when you stand on it. On many boats, it will improve the traction, especially when the decks are wet. Coverage of Sure Step is about 200 sq ft per jar and you need 2 coats.

You will probably need between 3 or 4 bottles of Boat Clean Plus and 4 to 6 bottles of Boat Scrub. In addition to using these products to restore the finish on your boat, you will continue to use them for regular maintenance such as washing your boat, cleaning the upholstery, dissolving and removing bird poop, cleaning fenders and rub rails etc.

Ideal temperature is room temperature, about 72º F, however Aurora Boat Care Products can be used at temperatures + or – 25º F. Of course the hotter or colder temperature will make them a little more difficult to work with in terms of application and removal. The temperature of the surface is more important than the ambient temperature. If the product freezes or evoporates on contact, you will have a difficult time.

If your boat bottom has antifouling paint, you will probably want to continue to keep on painting because stripping off the old paint is such a big job. If not, or if you are willing to strip the old paint, I highly recommend VS721 Bottom Coat. It has a lot of benefits such as reduced fuel consumption, better speed and performance, protection against osmosis, easier to clean and is environment friendly. Coverage is about 400 sq ft per bottle.

Other products that will help you restore your boat to like new condition are: Vinyl Guard for the exterior seats, Odor Free for the head, Bilge Bath for the bilge and Clear View for the Isinglass windows and acrylic or polycarbonate hatches and portholes.

Grady White makes a great boat. With a little effort you should be able to restore her and maintain her in new condition for a lot of years. The key is to keep her clean, polished and protected. Once your boat gets neglected and starts to deteriorate, it takes a lot more effort to bring her back.

Thanks for your question,
Captain Aurora


The Skipper Recommends:
ODOR FREE
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PREMIUM BOAT SHINE
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CLEAR VIEW KIT
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BOAT SCRUB
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VS721
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