If you wet sanded starting with 400 and go up to 2000 it would have went way smoother. Don't be afraid to wet sand. That gel coat is much thicker than most think even on cheaper boats. Problem with not sanding is the oxidation will come back after a few months.
Grab yourself a drillmaster rotary polisher and an 8 inch wool cutting pad. That smaller polisher is nice for finishing/waxing but it wont cut the haze well. After trying literally hundreds of dollars in different compounds the best 2 weve found are 3M Perfect-It Gelcoat Medium Cutting Compound + Wax and Meguiar’s M9132 Marine/RV Power Cut Compound. Weve done 3 boats that spent over 10 years taking direct sun abuse in socal and with the wool pads and some patience they all came back to a factory shine that would last, and that last part is the real kicker. Those cleaner waxes give a good temporary finish but after a few weeks will haze and need more work. If they are applied to a property compounded surface they will act as an initial barrier and work great for protecting.
Both of the mentioned compounds in my first coment start medium/hard cut and will slowly break down to a fine cutting compound with propper use. The 3m has a slightly longer wet/work time that the meguires but both will get to a fine polish.
I’m not a big fan of rotary polishers. They’re a little too big and aggressive for all the curves and lines on a smaller boat. On a large boat with big flat surfaces, they’re perfectly fine. Harbor freight sells a great 5-6” dual action polisher for $90 that’s worth every penny. I’d run rubbing compound on a microfiber cutting pad, then polish on a finishing foam pad. Have a compressor handy and blow the pads out every section you do or so that way it isn’t dragging all that old material around the rest of the boat leaving swirls.
I did my nephews boat, started with 400, then 1000, then 2000, compound and polish came out like new. Wet-sand is the only way to go. Makes it much quicker, and it wont hurt the gelcoat if you take your time
I restore bass boats all the time it will save you so much time to get a bucket and some 1500 grit put some water and a little bit of soap and just do a quick wet sand. could wet sand that entire boat in an hour and just use a little rubbing/polishing compound. also make sure u have a spray bottle and mist the area with water.
I love those older boats. We had a Litton Bass boat when i was a teenager and I helped my stepdad polish it back to a showroom finish. That thing shined like new money. Yours is awesome. I really like the metal flake green.
Buffer wheel. 1 hour. I'm one of those yacht detailers. Wish I could have done it for you. I'm in LHC. Been tuned in to the TBN for a while. You convinced me to get a new tiller Merc 60. On a 1974 Smokercraft 1860 now. Going on an 18 glass or 22 toon next.
@@TinyBoatNation Mars Painting Company. I'm a residential painting contractor here in town. I have years of experience fluffing boats in FL. Glass and gel repair. Full restoration too. Learning a lot from your channel about aluminim fab and electronics setups. Thanks.
In order to get that oxidation out of that gel coat you almost always have to wet sand to get really good and long lasting results. That gel coat it pretty thick so don’t be scared to wet sand!
is this AZ? we moved here almost three years ago and just bought a 1976 terry bass boat. My husband and I are restoring the boat. Repairing some floor cracks doing our own seats,and spot check and clean out the old motor. We have had harleys camping travel trailers but a boat this is our first! super stoked about it. By any chance did you have any areas with really faded clear coat on the glitter?
It sure did help that boat. My buddy had a little 15’ bass boat that was really bad. He had someone sand it a little, mask it off and throw a thin gel coat on it. Everything but the drying was done in one day and it looked like a new penny. It was literally a copper metal flake boat.
Are you restoring this boat for someone? I’d love to have this boat in Fort Worth! Perfect balance between easy to store but big enough to handle and cover big water easily.
@@TinyBoatNation enjoy it. That’s going to be a fun boat! If you ever get tired of it let me know. You had me searching boat trader earlier and I was considering contacting a guy in Pennsylvania about his 😂
If the clear coat is gone and down to the paint, can I use these compounds to take the oxidation off the paint and then reseal the paint with a layer of some kind of marine clear coat?
I had leaking rivets on my 1236 so I fill the boat with water and almost every rivet leaked. I decided to coat the entire bottom of the boat with gluvit, was this a good idea or a bad idea
@@TinyBoatNation I will have to see how it turns out as I just put it on today. Is gluvit flexible? I'm not to concerned about it delaminating do to the cold since I live in florida.
@@TinyBoatNation also for the carpet trim bass cat sells exactly what you need I used it on my hydra-sports restoration as well as my polar Kraft build
yeah that orbital is good for doing a wax job but if you are compounding a low speed rotary with wool is the way to go. 1500 rpm is what my makita is. and always keep moving watching your pressure you apply. too slow or too much pressure will burn or cut through especially on gelcoat.
Cerakote has some permanent plastic trim restorer kit. I have not used it yet but I have used the headlight restore kit and it is light years ahead of others I have seen.
Black Friday Sale: TBNation.net
RV Masking Boat Cover: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8MX6D9S?ref=myi_title_dp&th=1
Do you know any companies in socal that can restore a boat I bought? Near alta Loma CA
I love what you do! I would love to find something just like this when my daughter is a little older.
If you wet sanded starting with 400 and go up to 2000 it would have went way smoother. Don't be afraid to wet sand. That gel coat is much thicker than most think even on cheaper boats. Problem with not sanding is the oxidation will come back after a few months.
Grab yourself a drillmaster rotary polisher and an 8 inch wool cutting pad. That smaller polisher is nice for finishing/waxing but it wont cut the haze well. After trying literally hundreds of dollars in different compounds the best 2 weve found are 3M Perfect-It Gelcoat Medium Cutting Compound + Wax and Meguiar’s M9132 Marine/RV Power Cut Compound. Weve done 3 boats that spent over 10 years taking direct sun abuse in socal and with the wool pads and some patience they all came back to a factory shine that would last, and that last part is the real kicker. Those cleaner waxes give a good temporary finish but after a few weeks will haze and need more work. If they are applied to a property compounded surface they will act as an initial barrier and work great for protecting.
Both of the mentioned compounds in my first coment start medium/hard cut and will slowly break down to a fine cutting compound with propper use. The 3m has a slightly longer wet/work time that the meguires but both will get to a fine polish.
Thank you!
I’m not a big fan of rotary polishers. They’re a little too big and aggressive for all the curves and lines on a smaller boat. On a large boat with big flat surfaces, they’re perfectly fine.
Harbor freight sells a great 5-6” dual action polisher for $90 that’s worth every penny. I’d run rubbing compound on a microfiber cutting pad, then polish on a finishing foam pad. Have a compressor handy and blow the pads out every section you do or so that way it isn’t dragging all that old material around the rest of the boat leaving swirls.
That right there is the exact boat I always wanted as a kid!
I did my nephews boat, started with 400, then 1000, then 2000, compound and polish came out like new. Wet-sand is the only way to go. Makes it much quicker, and it wont hurt the gelcoat if you take your time
You sand in straight lines, you don't do circles right?
I restore bass boats all the time it will save you so much time to get a bucket and some 1500 grit put some water and a little bit of soap and just do a quick wet sand. could wet sand that entire boat in an hour and just use a little rubbing/polishing compound. also make sure u have a spray bottle and mist the area with water.
Thanks!
I love those older boats. We had a Litton Bass boat when i was a teenager and I helped my stepdad polish it back to a showroom finish. That thing shined like new money. Yours is awesome. I really like the metal flake green.
I'm getting my money's worth right now.
Thank you for sharing this video!!
Buffer wheel. 1 hour. I'm one of those yacht detailers. Wish I could have done it for you. I'm in LHC. Been tuned in to the TBN for a while. You convinced me to get a new tiller Merc 60. On a 1974 Smokercraft 1860 now. Going on an 18 glass or 22 toon next.
Sweet! What’s your company name?
@@TinyBoatNation Mars Painting Company. I'm a residential painting contractor here in town. I have years of experience fluffing boats in FL. Glass and gel repair. Full restoration too. Learning a lot from your channel about aluminim fab and electronics setups. Thanks.
As others have mentioned. So much time and compound could've been saved with wet sanding first. Thank you for the video and explanation!
In order to get that oxidation out of that gel coat you almost always have to wet sand to get really good and long lasting results. That gel coat it pretty thick so don’t be scared to wet sand!
The boat has so cool
Looks awesome!!!!
I bought a 99 Nitro 205 Sport SF. I have to do some gel coat repair on the transom and back corners. Did you do any painting on the bottom?
is this AZ? we moved here almost three years ago and just bought a 1976 terry bass boat. My husband and I are restoring the boat. Repairing some floor cracks doing our own seats,and spot check and clean out the old motor. We have had harleys camping travel trailers but a boat this is our first! super stoked about it. By any chance did you have any areas with really faded clear coat on the glitter?
Great Video!
It sure did help that boat. My buddy had a little 15’ bass boat that was really bad. He had someone sand it a little, mask it off and throw a thin gel coat on it. Everything but the drying was done in one day and it looked like a new penny. It was literally a copper metal flake boat.
If storage is an issue you can get a bench seat with a flip up bottom to make into extra storage
These boats are much better investments.
I hate detailing cars or anything for that matter lol. Looks like you got it looking a lot better though. can't wait to see more
Get rid of the drivers middle and Pass seats and get new Nitro seats from the mid 2000's. Find a good used sectional
Look up hula Boat Care. They make the best marine polish products out there. Plus some of the best how to videos.
Rotary would’ve saved you a ton of effort. Have to be careful using them on modern cars, but gelcoat is more forgiving.
Are you restoring this boat for someone? I’d love to have this boat in Fort Worth! Perfect balance between easy to store but big enough to handle and cover big water easily.
Its for me for the time being.
@@TinyBoatNation enjoy it. That’s going to be a fun boat! If you ever get tired of it let me know. You had me searching boat trader earlier and I was considering contacting a guy in Pennsylvania about his 😂
Do you think I could help Ryan on a boat build over at your shop in Oxford Georgia so i can learn some tricks on doing my john boat?
You gotta ask them 1st
If the clear coat is gone and down to the paint, can I use these compounds to take the oxidation off the paint and then reseal the paint with a layer of some kind of marine clear coat?
I have no idea.
I had leaking rivets on my 1236 so I fill the boat with water and almost every rivet leaked. I decided to coat the entire bottom of the boat with gluvit, was this a good idea or a bad idea
Long-term, it will fail but if it works now then enjoy it. Eventually prep to re-buck all the rivets and you'll be much happier.
@@TinyBoatNation I will have to see how it turns out as I just put it on today. Is gluvit flexible? I'm not to concerned about it delaminating do to the cold since I live in florida.
Start wet sanding with 800 ,1000, 1500 then polish with a buffer if it’s not smooth to the touch you are through the gelcoat
Thanks!
@@TinyBoatNation also for the carpet trim bass cat sells exactly what you need I used it on my hydra-sports restoration as well as my polar Kraft build
Wish you would open shop in North Texas
I need someone down there who will be the trail blazer
yeah that orbital is good for doing a wax job but if you are compounding a low speed rotary with wool is the way to go. 1500 rpm is what my makita is. and always keep moving watching your pressure you apply. too slow or too much pressure will burn or cut through especially on gelcoat.
Thanks for the tips!
Cerakote has some permanent plastic trim restorer kit. I have not used it yet but I have used the headlight restore kit and it is light years ahead of others I have seen.
Thanks for the tip!
shark week haha
Lol
Yea, you need to get a real buffer/polisher.
Hope you do a giveaway
Dream
It's currently a nightmare, but we plan to make it a dream!
you need pour some foam in this boat. it needs some stability.
There is no foam in that boat at all
Really? there is multiple TH-cam video's on how to wet sand and buff Gelcoat using the proper buffer
I would offer free labor just to learn some stuff.
Dude gel coat is way way more forgiving than paint … this makes me sad Mike that you didn’t research any of this.
Yeah none of that stuff works anywhere near as good as wet sanding.
Yeah, you’re probably right. But the compound is the easiest way for a newbies to not mess it up.
I just don't get it about beautiful Boats. The best boat in they water is a Nitro's Boats. Polisher good she will look beautiful. 🚤