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Help with scratches.


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I was wondering if anyone could help me on repairing hull scratches. I had to store my 247 lsv outside this year while building a new home. I put an extra tarp over it to help with the weight and amount of snow I get in Montana winters. I didn't check on the boat enough, and of coarse the protection I had over the bungy cords fell off and they rubbed against the hull of the boat most of the winter. I have 4 1ft. by 1ft. wear spots on the hull. They look horrible. Does anyone know if they can be buffed out? They are through the gel-coat and even took a large amount of paint off. Will it have to be profesionally repaired or even repainted? Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

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I was wondering if anyone could help me on repairing hull scratches. I had to store my 247 lsv outside this year while building a new home. I put an extra tarp over it to help with the weight and amount of snow I get in Montana winters. I didn't check on the boat enough, and of coarse the protection I had over the bungy cords fell off and they rubbed against the hull of the boat most of the winter. I have 4 1ft. by 1ft. wear spots on the hull. They look horrible. Does anyone know if they can be buffed out? They are through the gel-coat and even took a large amount of paint off. Will it have to be profesionally repaired or even repainted? Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

Well you don't have paint, per se. The outside layer is gelcoat on all exposed fiberglass. Are you saying the wear is thrugh the gel to the fiberglass? What color are you seeing? Can you take a picture?

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It is a very light grey almost white. When I rubbed my fingers over it, it was rough and there was a white powder. It is a black hull. If we got it wet it still looked scratched and was no where near as black as the unscratched gel-coat next to it. I won't be able to take a picture till tonight, but I can.

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It is a very light grey almost white. When I rubbed my fingers over it, it was rough and there was a white powder. It is a black hull. If we got it wet it still looked scratched and was no where near as black as the unscratched gel-coat next to it. I won't be able to take a picture till tonight, but I can.

How different is the texture from the "non-scratched" area? REALLY different? or just like it had been rubbed on by the cover?

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I was wondering if anyone could help me on repairing hull scratches. I had to store my 247 lsv outside this year while building a new home. I put an extra tarp over it to help with the weight and amount of snow I get in Montana winters. I didn't check on the boat enough, and of coarse the protection I had over the bungy cords fell off and they rubbed against the hull of the boat most of the winter. I have 4 1ft. by 1ft. wear spots on the hull. They look horrible. Does anyone know if they can be buffed out? They are through the gel-coat and even took a large amount of paint off. Will it have to be profesionally repaired or even repainted? Thanks in advance for any help or advice.

They can probably be wetsanded and buffed out. I'd have a professional take care of that for you, it's not something you want to take on yourself if you haven't done it before. Call up your dealer and find out who they use, call them up and have them take a look at the boat. They will give you an idea of what needs to be done to fix your issue.

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How different is the texture from the "non-scratched" area? REALLY different? or just like it had been rubbed on by the cover?

The texture is different, very rough compared to the smooth gel-coat around it.

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They can probably be wetsanded and buffed out. I'd have a professional take care of that for you, it's not something you want to take on yourself if you haven't done it before. Call up your dealer and find out who they use, call them up and have them take a look at the boat. They will give you an idea of what needs to be done to fix your issue.

I figured that is my best bet. I was just hoping it might be easier. Thank you.

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I figured that is my best bet. I was just hoping it might be easier. Thank you.

Well the only question really is whether you have rubbed "through" the gelcoat or just marred it up. Pictures will help. If gelcoat has been rubbed through then you'll need to re-gelcoat. If it's just marred up, I don't think a dealer needs to sand and buff for you, the worst thing you can do is do a lousy job in which case it would still probably look better than what it does now. Sanding and polishing is not hard, it's just a question of whether you have any gelcoat to sand!

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Well the only question really is whether you have rubbed "through" the gelcoat or just marred it up. Pictures will help. If gelcoat has been rubbed through then you'll need to re-gelcoat. If it's just marred up, I don't think a dealer needs to sand and buff for you, the worst thing you can do is do a lousy job in which case it would still probably look better than what it does now. Sanding and polishing is not hard, it's just a question of whether you have any gelcoat to sand!

:rofl: Ok, especially if someone hasn't done it before. If it's not done properly the damage can turn worse very fast.

Edited by 06vlx
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:rofl: Ok, especially if someone hasn't done it before. If it's not done properly the damage can turn worse very fast.

I have never seen a marred area of gelcoat ever look worse after sanding. Have you ever sanded a boat 06?

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I have never seen a marred area of gelcoat ever look worse after sanding. Have you ever sanded a boat 06?

Yes I have, thanks for asking.

Clarrification, I wetsanded boats don't need any confusion on this subject.

If you've actually done it you should also be aware of the potential issues that can come up, you know like sanding to much material away. You can't fix that with a buffer.

Edited by 06vlx
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Yes I have, thanks for asking.

Clarrification, I wetsanded boats don't need any confusion on this subject.

If you've actually done it you should also be aware of the potential issues that can come up, you know like sanding to much material away. You can't fix that with a buffer.

Sure, does that mean he has to run straight to a gelcoat repair shop because he's never done a sand job?

To OP: Nevermind my questions, I'm sorry I said a word, no need to post pictures, you have no hope of curing this gelcoat scarring yourself because you have never wetsanded a boat before (which is extraordinarly difficult :lol: ), and therefore you must be incapable of performing manual labor involving rubbing sandpaper on your boat. You are simply not qualified to do this work and you are incapable of learning how because if you don't do it right you could have incurable "issues", despite the fact that you already have a "very rough" surface. Take it straight to a gelcoat repair shop and tell them that that was the best recommendation you could get from your friends on The Malibu Crew and that you would prefer that a sixteen year old with a summer job be the one who does it. He'll probably be more conscientious than you and his vast experience will be well-worth the likely thousands of dollars that a full sand will cost you. Sorry we could not help more.

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Sure, does that mean he has to run straight to a gelcoat repair shop because he's never done a sand job?

To OP: Nevermind my questions, I'm sorry I said a word, no need to post pictures, you have no hope of curing this gelcoat scarring yourself because you have never wetsanded a boat before (which is extraordinarly difficult :lol: ), and therefore you must be incapable of performing manual labor involving rubbing sandpaper on your boat. You are simply not qualified to do this work and you are incapable of learning how because if you don't do it right you could have incurable "issues", despite the fact that you already have a "very rough" surface. Take it straight to a gelcoat repair shop and tell them that that was the best recommendation you could get from your friends on The Malibu Crew and that you would prefer that a sixteen year old with a summer job be the one who does it. He'll probably be more conscientious than you and his vast experience will be well-worth the likely thousands of dollars that a full sand will cost you. Sorry we could not help more.

I never said anything about a gelcoat repair shop did I? No I said who the dealer uses for scratch repair and they can decide if wetsanding is the right solution or if it's beyond that.

4 square feet of wetsanding is alot to take on your first time, but I guess if you're superman and know everything like 85 does it's no big deal.

To the OP, don't try to drysand your boat, you wetsand. I hope that's not what 85 is implying here.

Edited by 06vlx
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I never said anything about a gelcoat repair shop did I? No I said who the dealer uses for scratch repair and they can decide if wetsanding is the right solution or if it's beyond that.

4 square feet of wetsanding is alot to take on your first time, but I guess if you're superman and know everything like 85 does it's no big deal.

To the OP, don't try to drysand your boat, you wetsand. I hope that's not what 85 is implying here.

You're right 06, you were clearly not talking about a gelcoat repair shop. What was I thinking?

Yes OP, I admit, I know everything like 06 says. Can't you tell? You asked for help with your situation, I tried to get some more information on the condition of the gelcoat while 06 tells you to call your dealer and publicly questions your aptitude to fix this yourself because you've never done this before, while throwing a jab that I think I know everything because I actually have some confidence in rookies' ability to sand. He's right, I'm just a know it all. Don't worry about any pictures, just call your dealer. Again, I'm sorry I ever even said a word.

OP, yes, wetsand. Sounds like your cover thing already drysanded :biggrin:

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You're right 06, you were clearly not talking about a gelcoat repair shop. What was I thinking?

Yes OP, I admit, I know everything like 06 says. Can't you tell? You asked for help with your situation, I tried to get some more information on the condition of the gelcoat while 06 tells you to call your dealer and publicly questions your aptitude to fix this yourself because you've never done this before, while throwing a jab that I think I know everything because I actually have some confidence in rookies' ability to sand. He's right, I'm just a know it all. Don't worry about any pictures, just call your dealer. Again, I'm sorry I ever even said a word.

OP, yes, wetsand. Sounds like your cover thing already drysanded :biggrin:

The original post says his damage is through the gelcoat and you're telling him to just sand it :crazy: >

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The original post says his damage is through the gelcoat and you're telling him to just sand it :crazy: >

Read much?

Post #8 (from me) says: "the only question really is whether you have rubbed "through" the gelcoat or just marred it up. Pictures will help. If gelcoat has been rubbed through then you'll need to re-gelcoat. If it's just marred up, I don't think a dealer needs to sand and buff for you, the worst thing you can do is do a lousy job in which case it would still probably look better than what it does now. Sanding and polishing is not hard, it's just a question of whether you have any gelcoat to sand!"

The OP also spoke of paint, which we don't have, hence the importance of pictures to make sure he was identifying the layers correctly. I clearly didn't suggest sanding if it was through the gelcoat, need me to blow it up bigger for you?

Eskimo, send your thank you card to 06 for his wealth of contribution to your issue. Good luck.

Edited by 85 Barefoot
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Read much?

Post #8 (from me) says: "the only question really is whether you have rubbed "through" the gelcoat or just marred it up. Pictures will help. If gelcoat has been rubbed through then you'll need to re-gelcoat. If it's just marred up, I don't think a dealer needs to sand and buff for you, the worst thing you can do is do a lousy job in which case it would still probably look better than what it does now. Sanding and polishing is not hard, it's just a question of whether you have any gelcoat to sand!"

The OP also spoke of paint, which we don't have, hence the importance of pictures to make sure he was identifying the layers correctly. I clearly didn't suggest sanding if it was through the gelcoat, need me to blow it up bigger for you?

Eskimo, send your thank you card to 06 for his wealth of contribution to your issue. Good luck.

:stupid:

That's plenty big. Eskomo post some pics 85 will tell you exactly what to do and how to fix it. See he can tell you how deep the scratches are and if they are actually through the gelcoat or not just from a picture. He will then give you step by step directions on how to wetsand, what materials to use, and how to properly buff out the finished product. Don't worry about if it gets messed up, surely it will look better than it does now right?

Edited by 06vlx
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OP, just follow 06's advice and call your dealer. I, nor any of the thousands of other members on here could possibly shed any light on your situation from a picture. Hope it turns out well for you.

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:stupid:

That's plenty big. Eskomo post some pics 85 will tell you exactly what to do and how to fix it. See he can tell you how deep the scratches are and if they are actually through the gelcoat or not just from a picture. He will then give you step by step directions on how to wetsand, what materials to use, and how to properly buff out the finished product. Don't worry about if it gets messed up, surely it will look better than it does now right?

Why do you even bother with this guy, if we ignore him do you think he will go away. Looks like he fell out of the hot topics thread again...I wish he'd stay there so I didn't stumble across his idiotic posts any more...

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Why do you even bother with this guy, if we ignore him do you think he will go away. Looks like he fell out of the hot topics thread again...I wish he'd stay there so I didn't stumble across his idiotic posts any more...

The #e() did I do?! Guy asks for help, misidentifies the materials used to make his boat so I ask him for pictures to give him what he asks for...help, while 06 says "it's not something you want to take on yourself if you haven't done it before", and just says he should call his dealer. So so far I was the ONLY one in the thread even attempting to offer any help, and now you're piling on me that my posts are "idiotic"? I'm sure the OP is thankful for your contributions too, dawg.

OP, sorry about all this. I was going to give any suggestions I could, which may well have been to call your dealer, but I wouldn't have given up yet. 06 says you should (not try to do anything yourself), so you should follow his advice. He gets a new boat frequently so he's probably who you should listen to anyway.

Edited by 85 Barefoot
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Why do you even bother with this guy, if we ignore him do you think he will go away. Looks like he fell out of the hot topics thread again...I wish he'd stay there so I didn't stumble across his idiotic posts any more...

You're right I need to stop feeding the troll.

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You're right I need to stop feeding the troll.

You're right, 06, I'm a troll. Clearly it was my intent to have a conversation with you by being the first to respond to the OP's questions and yet I'm still the only person with a substantive response to the OP. Obviously I was trolling. You are correct again as usual 06.

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You're right I need to stop feeding the troll.

:biggrin: ............I thought I heard something......:unsure:

To the OP if he's still even following this, I actually somewhat agree with 85 on this, get us some pics and we can maybe guide you through the process, and then you can figure out for yourself if it's worth the hassle. I would suggest wetsanding lightly in 1 small spot with 320 grit then 1000 then 1500 or 2000, buff with a polishing compound, and apply a marine paste wax. If it still doesn't meet your standards then take it to a pro and you're not out much time or money.

Others may disagree or have other suggestions but I'm ok with that ;)

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It is a very light grey almost white. When I rubbed my fingers over it, it was rough and there was a white powder. It is a black hull. If we got it wet it still looked scratched and was no where near as black as the unscratched gel-coat next to it. I won't be able to take a picture till tonight, but I can.

Pics! My guess is the white powder was the gelcoat "sand-dust" caused by the item rubbing (sanding) on it all winter. As long as what you are looking at is still somewhat black, it is probably not too deep yet. I second NDawg's approach.

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I tackled some pretty deep scratches/gouges/rash in my boat this year with compound and polish. I used 3M marine compound with a wool pad and Meguires boat/RV Polish with a black pad and a rotary buffer. The scratches were deep enough that you can still see them up close but they have been smoothed out so the gelcoat all matches (no visible white etc from the scratch on my ged gelcoat). Outside 5 feet they are really hard to make out and some of the small ones are cleaned up completely. It isn't perfect but I didn't want to take off too much of the surrounding gelcoat if I didn't have to. I didn't find it very hard at all and at no time did I feel like I might be doing damage to the hull. Unless your damage wears all the way through the gelcoat you could try this process first. It is way cheaper than getting the dealer/a pro to do the job which would be ideal - but I know I didn't have that money laying around.

Edited by Wakes
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