Removing Oxidation and small fixes

[mjohnh]

I have a 28 Albin TE with a blue hull. I used Mcguire's (sp?) last year with decent results. This year, I wanted to do a better job on removing some moderate oxidation. So, I purchased a new 3M product called "3M Mariine compound and finishing material".....I used this first; then I used a 3M product with a sun protectant and then Maguire's marine wax. The oxidation was lessened, but not totally removed. I am hesitant to use a wet sand paper or anything too abrasive. I also have one defect in the gelcoat about 3/8 inch by 1 inch....a large chip.......I also have a few 1/4 inch chips in bottom paint put on 1 year ago......

I am looking for any comments on good experience by others with such products and best way to fix the gelcoat chip.

Thanks, John Hefner

[Jeremyvmd]

im doing a major overhaul on my new to me albin this winter and spring...the current (and nearly last) project is refinishing the hull.
I have significant gelcoat damage on the starboard rear corner (basically the whole corner is down to epoxy) so that is getting color matched with a evercoat gelcoat kit today (thank god for my nephews GF who is a hell of an artist). Ive used evercoat before on other boats and have been very happy with the results - but does require you to custom color match the hull.

The rest of the hull was DA sanded with 220 grit, then 400 grit, and finally with 600 grit paper. The plan is to treat the hull with poliglow - so I still need to use their deoxidizer and then start applying. incidentally the sanding was done dry first then wet sanded (so 220 dry then wet, then 400 dry then wet, then 600 dry then wet) probably overkill but the hull is looking great. big picture plan is to awlgrip in the next year or two

[mjohnh]

Thank you...J. Hefner

[Tree]

I've bought the 3M product this year and I plan to finish with collonite wax. I've used meguires the last two seasons and the results have been good but not long lasting enough for me.

The key is if you do compound and polish, make sure you throughly wash the boat after before even considering applying wax. In my opinion, the gel on the Albin is pretty soft and doesn't really need to be hit hard with wet and dry unless you've got some serious oxidisation that run deep and if that is the case, it's almost certainly not oxidisation but sun damage.

This is where it starts to become a problem. UV damage is where the pigment in the gel starts to break down and no matter how much wax and compound you chuck at the boat, it will always come back with a white hazy bloom year after year and this is when you need to consider wet sanding and hope you've got enough gelcoat depth to do the job properly. Otherwise it's time to break out the cheque book and pay for a paint job

Oxidisation on the other hand will be a chalky like substance on the surface of the hull and can easily be removed with a light polish and the hull protected by wax.

We have a longer season in general to you guys over there. We've now been in the water for a year or more so our boats tend to take more abuse here probably because some of our best fishing is in the winter so we don't haul our boats out (also our water doesn't freeze over!) and as a result we suffer from a combination of both. I'm finding the Albin gel really needs to have a coat of wax every 6 months to keep the UV damage down but this isn't always practical so I'll have to put up with it until I've got the money to have a paint job done.

[Tree]

Oh one other thing you may notice, especially if your hull was laid up in winter is tiny little white spots all over the boat. They're easier to see in darker hulled boats and from what I understand, this is caused by the amount of accelerator put in the gelcoat to get the stuff to set! Polish as much as you like and hit it with wet and dry - you won't get rid of them!

[Jeremyvmd]

My problem is the boats new to me. I can say due to the damage on the corner there is a TON of gelcoat. Like 1/8" thick. At least on my boat. So I figured a nice sanding and refinish would at least give me a "new" hull to start with.

[Tree]

My problem is the boats new to me. I can say due to the damage on the corner there is a TON of gelcoat. Like 1/8" thick. At least on my boat. So I figured a nice sanding and refinish would at least give me a "new" hull to start with.

Let us know how you get on. I know that FP2 has never been wet sanded as I was able to make contact with the previous owner and he left everything to a boat yard with regards to maintenance.

As you can see, I can get the shine but maintaining it is a different matter!

[mjohnh]

Tree: The white spots are what I have.....much more on starboard than port and the spots are more prevalent in an irregular swath generally from the front near the water line then sweeping up toward the middle and back to stern primarily in the middle with no spots below the middle swath and none above the middle swath......strange.....I thought that it was oxidation, but now i believe it to be what you have described above........I did get some lightening of the spots by using the 3M product. The surface of the area where the spots are visible is noticeably rougher to the touch compared to the areas without spots, which is smooth to the touch....I guess that I have done about as well as I can if it is as you say.........

[catalina_mike]

My boat was really bad and neglected. If your hull is painted you need to be a bit more careful not to get it to hot using a buffer. I just got 3M Imperial Compound for heavy oxidation, Then use 3M Finesse as the next step, Then protect with Trewax. I just did this combination on one side of my black Duffy and wow! Our cleaner detailer for our bigger boats was right. Best combination he has found. Available at West Marine.

[Jeremyvmd]

Yea so after a lot of work mine is def uv/sun damaged. It looks better but still not happy with it:/

[mjohnh]

Update.....I used 400 grit paper......dry then wet....then, I used 1000 grit...dry then wet......then, I used Maguiar's Ultimate Compound...The oxidation appears to be GONE!!!....It really looks better........2 questions: 1. Poor lighting where it is, but there appears to be very tiny micro scratches in places....what should I use? 2. Would you follow with anything else....a polymer or a wax?

[Tree]

Here is last years armoury. I'm starting to get a white haze on the hull now but that's after 11 months so I'm happy with that.

[oceanluv30]

Not sure if you have seen this video by 3M

https://youtu.be/ke5kfYz9Ybw

[mjohnh]

Final report on this.......After using the fine grit paper as described, above, I followed with 3M Compound and Finishing Material, and then, a marine wax....it is 1000% better than when I started the process and I do not see any obvious oxidation whereas there was heavy whitish oxidation that looked like sea spray in manny places and heavy whitish oxidation over most of the blue finish......I thought is odd that the severity was not uniform but tended to be worse toward the water line.....I may put one more coat of wax on in 2 weeks and will probably use MaGuier's Marine Wax.......thanks for all the input.

[special k]

on my blue hulled 2002 28te i, too, had some oxidation and spotting. i buffed out oxidation but the spots still visible . been using poli glow for the past 5 seasons and happy with the results. it lasts all season and i strip and re-apply each spring. a bit of a process, easier than colliinite in my opinion. the finish looks great from a few feet away....mirror like but up close flaws are visible .....i'll keep using the poli glow over the $7k awl grip paint job any day. too many more important places for my cash!