Gelcoat match

[DEcosse]

I have an 06 232 - there are a couple of areas of the Gelcoat I'd like to repair - my question is how to identify the colour?

Per the 2006 catalog this is the 'sport' graphic (essentially white, with a navy stripe)

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It looks like the available Spectrum white for 06 could be one of two: there is a white for 98-08 and one for 05-20

I'm thinking it's the 98-08 just because it looks 'whiter' vs 'cream-coloured' ?
And also looking at images of boats prior to 05 with colour scheme that looks pretty much the same, I would think it must be the 98-08

Advice?

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[DEcosse]

I did get a nice reply from Cobalt Support who confirmed it would be the '6000' for my year/model which is indeed the 98-08 one above

[Krob1114]

Is this a DIY project?
I'd like photo documentary if you can.

[DEcosse]

I'll upload some pics of before and after once it's all done.
I'm very much a novice at this but it's going well so far.
Currently I have the various surface scrapes and scratches buffed out by wet sanding and cutting/polishing (the results of which I'm really pleased about) and filled and sanded some deeper scratches with a marine filler.
The lead time on the GelCoat is about a couple of weeks to ship so I'm currently inholding mode for that.
I honestly need only about an ounce of Gelcoat but unfortunately it doesn't come in less than a quart (at ~$170 with tax and shipping!).
The only requirement for the gelcoat is to cover the areas that were filled with the marine filler (I'm wishing now that I had got the paste patch kit - I hadn't realized how that would work exactly, as these gouges were through to the base glass - however having seen the results of the filler and how well it blended into the existing gel after sanding, I think the paste/patch would have been maybe more efficient and more economical)
My plan is to try spraying with a Preval Sprayer kit - Or I may just roll it on - I will be sanding and polishing anyway, to blend into the surrounding area.
I'll upload the 'before' and 'intermediate' stages later today.

[DEcosse]

This is what I started with (all done by previous owner)
Also, below that first image gouge, the 'COBALT' letters on that rear starboard corner were knocked off and I have purchased replacements for those, but won't apply them until I complete the gelcoat repair right above it.

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[CBO]

This is what I started with (all done by previous owner)
Also, below that first image gouge, the 'COBALT' letters on that rear starboard corner were knocked off and I have purchased replacements for those, but won't apply them until I complete the gelcoat repair right above it.

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Checking back in with you to see how these repairs turned out. I have a few dock rashes very similar to yours from the previous owner as well. I plan on fixing mine this winter. I do have one question, how thin/deep were you able to apply the paste? Do you have any pictures of the completed repairs?
Thanks, Jeff

[DEcosse]

Checking back in with you to see how these repairs turned out .... I do have one question, how thin/deep were you able to apply the paste? Do you have any pictures of the completed repairs?

@CBO - Hi Jeff - sorry for lack of update. I completed 'phase 1' which was applying the Marine Filler compound to the really deep scratches, sanding those out, along with polishing out some lesser surface scratches.
My original plan was to spray thinned gel over the filled areas; however when I saw the success of how well I was able to blend in the marine filler, I am going to change tack. Now I am going to actually re-open some shallow vee-groove wells in those patches with a dremel (extending ever so slightly into the gel around the edges) and apply paste over that, then sand and polish again. A more experienced finisher would probably continue my plan A, but I believe I will get better results, personally, from my new plan. I am re-assured by my success with the initial finishing of the filler, that this should work out well, and be easier to blend than an overspray (I still have that option, based on how I am satisfied after the new plan B).
I've done filling/painting on cars before and I would say that in my limited experience working with the gel coat is much easier as you have a lot of depth to work with (relative to paint!)
As to your specific question, personally I'm not (now) going all the way back to the depth of the original scratches (which went all the way through the gel to the fibreglass) so can't give you first hand answer on that; but looking at YT videos, it looks to be capable of filling quite a moderate thickness.

Here are some pics of the filler sanded & polished (but not to full gloss, as awaiting the next step)
They may 'look' a little rough around the edges of the filler in the images, but that is just due to the blending into the original defect, they are absolutely smooth and you can't feel them at all. Note in the second image that there is a depression in the gel-coat just under the two filled sections - I plan to fill that with the patch paste at the same time.

I hope to move onto phase B this week - if the weather holds and we get one more good weekend, may defer for another week

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[DEcosse]

p.s. going through each of the pics from the initial post of the problem areas:
Pic 1 became pic 3 above after repair (this is just above where the cobalt letters would be on the rear starboard side - the letters were gone leaving just the adhesive, since cleaned off; I have replacement letters which will be applied once the gel repair is complete)
Pic 2 became pic 4 above - you can see the section that was filled and the scratched area above the deep gouge was just wet-sanded and polished
Pics 3, 4 & 5 were all just wet-sanded/polished out - honestly I can hardly even find them at this point

[DEcosse]

So I re-opened the areas with the filler to make a shallow receiver for the Gel Patch

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[DEcosse]

Then Filled with the Gel Patch and allowed to cure overnight (the leftover patch from the mix was a solid hard lump)
Note - a little goes a LONG way - it says not to mix less than 1 oz, which is half the bottle. I was left with well over half of that initial mix for my first fill. It stays workable for quite a bit - it's somewhat runnier than the Filler Compound and tends to want to pull off as you spread it.
You must remember it's waxed so you can't build up layers as you go, without sanding between.

Anyway, here are the results after initial sanding 220/320/400/600/800 (then a 'used' 800) and 1500.

(The areas in the first two pics also have had an initial rotary buffing with a coarse cutting compound on a wool pad - these will be followed up with medium then a fine finishing polish on an orbital with a foam pad)

These images follow the same sequence as the post above.

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I hope you would agree the first two sections and the last (bow) section turned out really well
in fact if I had not put the piece of masking tape on the first one, I swear I could not find the repair.
And similarly the large gouge that was originally the second image in the 'before' pics (and this was the deepest, largest gouge of them all) is shown in the second pic, and I am delighted with that too.

Now - the third and 4th pics - the two rear sections on each side, the three defects on the port side and the long one (above where COBALT would be) on the Starboard side, I think you can see the issue - I simply didn't clear enough of the old filler material away from the edges when I re-opened them and you can see the outline. So now I have a good feel for it, I attacked those with the dremel again to re-open and re-filled those two (this time I only used about 1/3 of what was left i.e. about 1/3rd of an ounce or 1/6th of the whole jar, with three drops of catalyst. Re-applied and will wait to cure tomorrow before sanding again. (Incidentally even with just that seemingly small amount I was still left with about half of that)
One note in the user guide said to apply heat - I should have added I ran my heat gun over the patches (did this on both days) for about 5 mins on each patch.

I could potentially have just at this stage, again gone back to plan 'A' with just a light sprayed gel over those two that still showed the under-layer but given the really good blend of those other sections, thought I would retrace and just re-do them. I still have that option (to spray) if I need to.

[DEcosse]

One thing I would say, and I hope you'll agree is the colour match is first class - you just can't see it once it's blended and sanded.
Now that may not necessarily be the same for all colours, I believe the white is probably much easier and blue and black might be more difficult to be exact matches. But I'm certainly impressed with this.

The ultimate goal is to strip all the wax, polish it and apply ceramic (or graphene - haven't decided yet).

[Big Block Power]

Nice job. I've used yellow white blue red black and all colors have been right on like you said.

[Titaniumboy]

One thing I would say, and I hope you'll agree is the colour match is first class - you just can't see it once it's blended and sanded.

Outstanding job! You have developed some serious gelcoat skills there. I would let you touch up gelcoat blemishes any day on my boat.

What did you use to open the gouges back up again? Hand-held grinder? Or old-style can punch?

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[DEcosse]

Thank you @Titaniumboy! I'm pleased so far - looking forward to completing sanding those re-do sections and getting to the fine polishing.
HaHa! That might have been a useful tool I think!
I actually used a dremel with a tapered grinding bit - VERY delicate pressure on that with a steady hand!

I've been using Malco Trugrit on the Makita Rotary with wool pad so far - about to switch to Menzerna 3500 followed by 2500 on a Lake Country Orange Foam Pad on the Random Orbital (it's an old inherited Meguairs auto polisher - would love a Rupes but they sure are spendy!)

The other message I would give to fellow newbies is "don't be afraid to wet-sand" - just keep incrementing your paper grade and be sure you have adequate polishing tools. The gel is amazingly forgiving - and you can see, if you make a mistake, just go through it & do it again - as I have done!

[CBO]

Thank you very much for the tips and tricks you have learned and are willing to share. Those areas you are working on are turning out great. This is going to be an over the winter project for me as well as learning how to work gelcoat finishing. I have perfected auto paint for many years so I'm hoping this will come as second nature for myself.
Thank you again, Jeff