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**waterlogged882** · 11-05-2021, 09:20 PM

**ONTHECOAST** · 11-06-2021, 04:49 PM

A Few Questions

Do you remove the straight line tape while the product is still wet? At what point do you spray the clear. Can the gel coat be thinned down any more to prevent the orange peel? I can't imagine the factory doing the work required to buff it down. Also, if the clear coat is on, seems like it would be sanded or buffed off.

**WhiskeyTango** · 11-06-2021, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by ONTHECOAST View Post

Do you remove the straight line tape while the product is still wet? At what point do you spray the clear. Can the gel coat be thinned down any more to prevent the orange peel? I can't imagine the factory doing the work required to buff it down. Also, if the clear coat is on, seems like it would be sanded or buffed off.

Yes, the tape comes off while it’s still wet, or you’d be digging tape out of the gelcoat with a knife. Just wait 2 beers after you finish spraying. If the gelcoat is stringy, wait a bit more.

The flake + clear goes on first (3 coats was enough) followed immediately with just clear (I put on a lot - 4 coats - to bury the flake, and knowing I’d need to sand a lot to get the orange peel off). Wait a few minutes between coats.

You don’t want to thin too much or you’ll have trouble getting the amount of build you need. I thinned at 20% with Duratec high gloss.

At the factory, the gelcoat is sprayed into a perfectly smooth mold first, and they build up the fiberglass laminate on top of it. So, as long as the mold is perfect (and they spend a lot of effort to keep them perfect), there’s little polishing required.

**waterlogged882** · 11-06-2021, 05:56 PM

I think gel was originally (first into the mold) intended as the release agent from the mold and it was then later (upon discovery) transitioned for use as the finish look, thus further using wax in the mold as the release agent. I could be incorrect.

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**ONTHECOAST** · 11-06-2021, 06:03 PM

Originally posted by waterlogged882 View Post

I think gel was originally (first into the mold) intended as the release agent from the mold and it was then later (upon discovery) transitioned for use as the finish look, thus further using wax in the mold as the release agent. I could be incorrect.

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I believe you are correct. I did a tour of the Sportsman boat factory while I was there doing construction of their facilities. I do remember that was the process now that you reminded me. I have heard that people had flake resprayed under warranty. Just wondered how that was done.

**Ironhorse** · 11-08-2021, 09:55 AM

Originally posted by ONTHECOAST View Post

I believe you are correct. I did a tour of the Sportsman boat factory while I was there doing construction of their facilities. I do remember that was the process now that you reminded me. I have heard that people had flake resprayed under warranty. Just wondered how that was done.

Flake sprayed under warranty is not done well. I have had to reject my bow cover from my prostar twice and still do not have it back. This was dropped at the dealer in April. Not impressed.

**barneyferd** · 11-08-2021, 10:21 AM

Originally posted by Ironhorse View Post

Flake sprayed under warranty is not done well. I have had to reject my bow cover from my prostar twice and still do not have it back. This was dropped at the dealer in April. Not impressed.

I'd say it depends entirely on the skill of the person doing the repair. I had a horrible gouge in the Black Mica last year on my X22 - the result of trying to get off my lift on a very windy day, with a pontoon in the slip next to me with an outboard in a very unfortunate position. Not my proudest day, I panicked and goosed the throttle at the wrong time with the rudder in the worst position possible. I was sick to my stomach, probably only had 10 hours on her at that time. My friends at Action assured me their guy was an artist and I would never know the difference. Same guy that did the one-off Stars & Stripes Prostar they auctioned off this summer. He did just an unbelievable job. I would challenge anyone to find the repair. I consider myself pretty critical, and I cannot find it. Wasn't cheap, so thank goodness for good insurance. But even if I hadn't, I would have gladly paid for his work out of pocket.

**Ironhorse** · 11-08-2021, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by barneyferd View Post

I'd say it depends entirely on the skill of the person doing the repair. I had a horrible gouge in the Black Mica last year on my X22 - the result of trying to get off my lift on a very windy day, with a pontoon in the slip next to me with an outboard in a very unfortunate position. Not my proudest day, I panicked and goosed the throttle at the wrong time with the rudder in the worst position possible. I was sick to my stomach, probably only had 10 hours on her at that time. My friends at Action assured me their guy was an artist and I would never know the difference. Same guy that did the one-off Stars & Stripes Prostar they auctioned off this summer. He did just an unbelievable job. I would challenge anyone to find the repair. I consider myself pretty critical, and I cannot find it. Wasn't cheap, so thank goodness for good insurance. But even if I hadn't, I would have gladly paid for his work out of pocket.

That's great, I wish that guy was out west. You should see what they have tried to pass off twice now. The first one was a repair to the corner and they didn't spray any flake at all. It was just blue gel in one corner of the top. The next time they tried to give it to me, it had orange peel in the entire area and a couple of fish eyes. This bow cover fiasco has me wondering if I should have bought the "other brand" I was considering. I have now waited 2 months since the last rejection and still dont know when to expect it.

Sorry for the rant, lets get back to this great thread!

**WhiskeyTango** · 11-10-2021, 11:05 PM

Well, at least nothing has changed. Sanding still sucks.

Attached Files

**waterlogged882** · 11-10-2021, 11:11 PM

Originally posted by WhiskeyTango View Post

Well, at least nothing has changed. Sanding still sucks.

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**WhiskeyTango** · 11-18-2021, 02:56 PM

The learning continues. There were a number of “voids”, dimples or low spots in the gelcoat that I initially thought were fisheyes. However, after sanding, many of them came out, while some were deeper than I wanted to sand through. None went all the way to the substrate.

Given that I did not have this problem with the first panel, which was new material, and recalling the number of pinholes I filled on the doghouse after removing texture while doing body work, I now think these were small pinholes that sucked in gelcoat.

The solution was to spot fill with gel, then sand off the tops and then wet sand with multiple grits.

The last pics below are after sanding to 2000 grit and then the first pass with compound. It looks “ok” and I’ll post more pics after polishing is complete.

**waterlogged882** · 11-18-2021, 03:29 PM

Is the room's ambient temperature fairly steady?

**WhiskeyTango** · 11-18-2021, 04:52 PM

Originally posted by waterlogged882 View Post

Is the room's ambient temperature fairly steady?

Yep. Heat was on for a day prior, and it was warm when I shot it. I can also confirm the air to the gun was dry and double filtered.

I may get some more sprayed this weekend and will report back on learnings. I am going to adjust my process to lay the first coat on lightly and give it a few more minutes between coats to see if dimples start appearing as I build it up.