Gel Coat Oxidation - Non Slip

[AlphaOmega]

I bought a 22' sailboat last year that was made in 1986 - and probably not waxed or polished since 1990.

The oxidation is....well...the deck looks like it's made of chalk. By some of the posts I'm reading, 'm expecting to have to spend a day with my rotary and a good, aggressive wool pad. But I need some advice on what compound to use. PLUS - the boat has non-skid sections molded into the gelcoat. It's your typical diamond checker pattern. Anyone know the best way to work those non-skid areas in order to get down into the countersunk lines.

Half of me is considering just giving the whole top side a good acid bath and re-gelcoat it.

[Pockets]

I have had great success with PWC on gel coats and we sell a lot of it to boat users. As for working the non-skid areas the wool pad should just get into the areas.

[JohnHenry]

AO,

Give me a call when you want to work on the boat. I'll lend a hand. I've got a new bottle of Collinite #920. Dynamite stuff. I also remember seeing something made specifically for non-skid at West Marine.

[CharlesW]

Originally Posted by JohnHenry

I also remember seeing something made specifically for non-skid at West Marine.

Like John Henry said, several products are available for use on non-skid without making it slippery.

Originally Posted by AlphaOmega

Half of me is considering just giving the whole top side a good acid bath and re-gelcoat it.

I don't know if this is what you need to do, but an acid bath is not all that harmful to gelcoat if the right product is used correctly.
Buy something that is intended for that use and follow the directions.

FWIW, my gelcoat was never in really bad shape, but I could remove any scum buildup at the end of the season with a product called Clean Shower. It is intended to be used on fiberglass and plastic showers so it isn't likely to hurt a fiberglass boat. I just sprayed it on and then washed the area with soap and water before it dried. Had to scrub a little at times. Pretty mild stuff and it might not be strong enough to take care of your problem. The Clean Shower and a brush might work on the non-skid areas, though.

[AlphaOmega]

I'll be happy to give you a holler, JH. Any help I can get would be great. We are taking the boat out to Cayo Costa sometime in middle OCT. Right after that I'll plan a weekend to work on it. It will be a good opportunity to experiment because even if we mess up the gelcoat, I have no objection to just re-coating whatever needs it. Plus I have several stress cracks in the gelcoat that need filling and fairing once I'me done.


CW: I have used a product I bought from WestMarine called ON & Off. It's an acid...it actually smokes when you pour it into bucket. You brush it on and rinse off with the hose. It has worked great on the scum and mildew. And with the gelcoat being in the condition that it's in, that black stuff tends to build up quick on the exterior.