Kayak refurb

[GoingtoNarnia]

Hey guys.
I have a Stealth supalite x wahoo that has taken a beating from the African sun. I wondered if anyone has tried to renew the gelcoat on their kayaks. I've seen a few Youtube videos on using 3M cutting compound, but you cannot get it in SA. Any ideas?

 

[zulu-X-treme]

A few years ago I refurbished an old canopy that had 'yellowed'... I purchased a rubbing compound/polish from the local Auto Paints store... Worked like a charm.

 

[GoingtoNarnia]

Sounds about right, how did you apply it, I am planning to use a wool pad on an angle grinder?

 

[zulu-X-treme]

GoingtoNarnia wrote:

Sounds about right, how did you apply it, I am planning to use a wool pad on an angle grinder?

I used 'elbow grease'... Be careful with an angle grinder, due to the high speeds, there is a risk you 'burn' the fibreglass... I think a small test somewhere should help you decide which method to use.

 

[GoingtoNarnia]

You're probably right, I think I'll go at it the old fashioned way. Thanks for the advice.

 

[zulu-X-treme]

Wax on... Wax off...

 

[Steady]

You could use a variable speed polisher or a car polisher would do the job with a sheep skin pad. Use a bit of water every now and again to cool the surface and "clean" the pad as the polish will dry out and stick to the sheep skin. Make sure you get a finishing compound rather than a rubbing compound. The gel-coat is a lot softer than paint used on cars. Keep moving the polisher so as not to heat the surface otherwise the gel-coat will burn and eventually blister.

 

[zulu-X-treme]

Steady wrote:

You could use a variable speed polisher or a car polisher would do the job with a sheep skin pad. Use a bit of water every now and again to cool the surface and "clean" the pad as the polish will dry out and stick to the sheep skin. Make sure you get a finishing compound rather than a rubbing compound. The gel-coat is a lot softer than paint used on cars. Keep moving the polisher so as not to heat the surface otherwise the gel-coat will burn and eventually blister.

Exactly...

 

[GoingtoNarnia]

Now that's the kind of hi-tech response I like. I tried to get some stuff called 3M Imperial finishing compound but here in the Eastern cape we don't really have the stockists.

 

[Steady]

The 3M compound is called Finesse-it, it is the best IMO, however, you are using it on a fishing ski not a Ferrari, so a suitable alternative will do. I use a tin of stuff I bought at Builders Warehouse on my ski. The other trick is to wash the ski first. I use a sponge and car shampoo, wash off with a hose, while the ski is still wet I start polishing. Put a table spoon size lump onto the pad and manually wipe it onto the ski surface and then start the polisher. Wear some garage clothes as you will get splattered.

Here is a photo of a racing boat, read canoe, mould I made a few years back, polished with Finess-It and a foam pad on a Bosch variable speed polishing machine.

 

[GoingtoNarnia]

Thanks for the help, I'm off to Builders, man that mould came out great.