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Scratches in gel coat


wakebrdr94

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So the boat took a small beating at one of the docks at the river. The dock had the standard orange ball bumpers on it, and it was just so rough out there, I got small scratches along the sides between the letters of the wakesetter decal across the hull. Been to the same dock 100 times in the old 02 VLX and this never happened. What's the best thing to try before I search out a professional. I'll pay to have it fixed, but if I can doi it myself, I will

Thanks

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Hard to say without pics, can you get a photo?

Can you "feel" the scratch like it is a depression, or is it a scuff like there is extra material on top of the gel?

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There are tiny little depressions, not the scuff. I'll try to get a pic. I took a pic and you couldn't see the scratches in the photo. It looks like there was sand or dirt on the bumpers and just "sanded" an area. Not really deep, Bo enough to take the luster out of that area

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I guess the question should be, what to use trying to buff it out. I've worked on cars, but not boats (other than keep her waxed). I'm assuming there is a product that you would recommend that is gel coat friendly

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I guess the question should be, what to use trying to buff it out. I've worked on cars, but not boats (other than keep her waxed). I'm assuming there is a product that you would recommend that is gel coat friendly

I don't have any personal experience, but check out the end of this thread ...

- http://www.themalibucrew.com/forums/index.php?/topic/37516-surgery-on-the-skier/page__hl__surgery__st__80

He references "800, 1500, 2000 grit wet sand and then Meguiar's Medium Cut compound with a buffer. Still have the finish wax, but I'll do that last when the whole boat is ready."

looks pretty smooth to me ...

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I guess the question should be, what to use trying to buff it out. I've worked on cars, but not boats (other than keep her waxed). I'm assuming there is a product that you would recommend that is gel coat friendly

Boat finishes are a lot more forgiving than a car. A car has a shallow layer of color, and your boat has color deep into the gelcoat. For starters I would try getting some polishing compound and elbow grease and see how it comes out before getting to aggressive.

FWIW, I bought my boat and it was pink instead of red. I wet sanded it with 400, 800, 1000, then 1500. Then polish. then wax.

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