Anyone done any wet sanding?

[suprasam]

I have an 86 Sunsport, the gelcoat is in good shape.....but has lost some of its shine/gloss. I don't want to paint, I have read somewhere that if you take a very high grit paper, and wet sand, then wax you can bring back your shine. Sanding gelcoat scares the hell outta me, if I screw this up my boat will have freaking sanded swirl marks all summer. Let me know any suggestions, I am finalizing my winter projects hopefully this month....so I thought I would add an extra one. Thanks!

[iwakeboard]

I've done it before with pretty good results. I started with a coarser grade (in a remote area behind the swim platform) to see how it came off - and boy did it come off. It really did revitalize my glass. I went to a very, very fine grade after that to finish it off. I wish I could remember the exact grades I used, they're in the shop. When I'm down there on Friday I'll try and remember to look and I'll post it up. I never got around to doing my whole boat but will this Spring.

[sybrmike]

Start eating your spinach now - cause you're gonna get Popeye arms :)

Did mine last year (still yet to complete the running surface). If it's lightly oxidized & light colored (and you're chicken), you can start with 1000 grit. Start in an inconspicuous area (transom under swim platform, etc.) to develop your technique. I had to drop down to 800, then 600, (and even 400 in a few spots) to cut through my black that was gray. I was too scared to power sand, so hand sanding block only. Then worked my way back up to 1000. Keep the paper wet, paper & hull rinsed, & swap new paper often. After 1000, I switched to Presta (I've heard 3M is good also) gel coat compound with a wool pad on a Harbor Freight orbital, then Presta cutting cream on wool, then polish on a foam pad, and finally wax. LOTS of work, but amazing what can be brought back.

Before 8711

After 8712

[wotan2525]

Mine was almost as bad as it can get. Started by block sanding with 800 (but if I did it again, I'd start with 600). Sand paper is cheap so keep it wet and change it frequently. Blocked with 800 - 1200 - 1500 - 2000 and then I used a rotary polisher with 3M Marine Rubbing Compound followed up with Finesse It II Polishing Compound and then 3m Marine Wax. My arms and back were sore for weeks afterwards. I figure I had at least 40 hours into the process.

Boat looks brand new now.

In the past I have tried rubbing compounds and almost every kind of "restoration" system available. They all worked but not for very long because I just wasn't getting deep enough. This wet sanding feels like it is back to new and it's been a full season and it still looks great. I wish I would have done it sooner.

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/9041/dscn0440y.jpg

[suprasam]

Thats the help I was looking for, since this can be done now I am going to get started the next weekend or so. This isn't something I need to tackle all in one day(as long as I have a good stopping point). I think I will block it by hand, then use my orbital with wool........woo hooooo can't wait (BS).

[Okie Boarder]

I did the same as most except I started with 1000 grit. After a couple years I am noticing some areas getting a little hazy again. I'm debating doing it again and getting more aggressive in the hazy areas. I followed the wet sand with 3M compound, 3M Finesse-It and 3M Finish-It on wool, foam and foam with a rotary. It definitely looked really good and has held up well on the majority of the areas.

[suprasam]

All the pictures shown look great! I stopped by advance auto parts picked up 2 packs of 1000 grit, new sanding block, a bottle of 3m compound and a bottle of 3m polish.....now all I need is a couple of new buffing pads. I'm sure a ton of beer, and advil from sanding the whole freaking boat. Any advice on how to sand.....I mean light pressure, light over whole boat?

Ngavdba.....I'm guessing since you're Marietta you're boating on Allatoona? Where do you usually hang out? Were usually in Flamingo cove. Did you grow up in Marietta? I grew up in Kennesaw.

[chrisk]

It's worth the hours and sore muscles...

http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz345/chriskuecker/IMG_4691.jpg

http://i842.photobucket.com/albums/zz345/chriskuecker/IMG_4704.jpg

[iwakeboard]

How long are you all seeing the wet sanding lasts? My concern is, if I put the work in to do the whole boat, that it will be back the way it used to be by mid-summer or the next year. I'd like to do it if it'll last for a few years.

[wotan2525]

How long are you all seeing the wet sanding lasts? My concern is, if I put the work in to do the whole boat, that it will be back the way it used to be by mid-summer or the next year. I'd like to do it if it'll last for a few years.

I only did mine at the beginning of last summer but I can tell you that all of my previous "restoration" efforts only lasted half the season. My boat guy told me that the various compounds and waxes were like trying to put make-up on the real problem and that wet-sanding was actually "refinishing" the surface. He said with proper waxing and keeping it stored out of the sun, it should last forever.

[86 century]

After looking at some of the results here I may haft to wetsand mine I thought buffing it did a lot.

Thanks for making alot of work for me or well making the boat look like crap again.

[Okie Boarder]

One recommendation is to keep an eye on the color of the water and use light to medium pressure. You will see the white oxidation rinsing off with the water and once you get through that you will see some of your base color in the water. That's a good indicator you've gone deep enough.

[mr.jrc]

If you are going to do it yourself, i recommend getting a auto-siphon wet sander... you put the pickup in a 5 gallon bucket of water and it siphons the water up to the pad of your sander... really makes the job easier. I wet sanded my saltare 10 years ago and it still looks great. (Storing the boat out of the sun is a big contributor to how the gel-coat holds up). Here is a link to a typical siphon wet sander: http://www.hutchinsmfg.com/content/7044.html.

[wotan2525]

Storing it out of the sun is your best bet.

This! After spending 40 hours wet-sanding mine, it seemed reasonable to spend $900 on a cover so that I'd never have to do it again. My new cover comes over the rub-rail and keeps the sun off the dark parts. This has to help it last.