Removed decals, now wetsanded, and it didn't work. CRAP

[Commodore]

I finally removed the old worn out decals from the side of my Supra.
As expected, now my paint scheme is two toned. I have gone over the hull with Turtle Wax rubbing compound, but not a "true" rubbing compound, and it's not blending very well. I have made 6 passes.

Questions:
1) How many times should I be going over this thing to blend the colors?
2) I don't want to use a true rubbing compound because it's pretty abrasive, should I though?
3) What types of rubbing compounds have you used that worked? I have used 3M Marine grade, and Turtle Wax

My paint was already in top notch condition before so I don't want to damage it. It took me forever to get it that way. Or maybe I should just leave it. Since the rest of the boat is immaculate, it looks like ghost stripes.

Pics to come once I get back to my computer (at the shop now)

Any ideas guys?

[Wakebrad]

I had the same problem on my Nautique. I took it to a fiberglass guy and had him buff it out. He used a high speed buffer and polishing compound. I looked into doing it myself but it would have been more expensive to purchase the buffer+pad and compound. He did it as part of some other work so I don't know how much it would cost you individually but the result was immaculate. If you wanted to have it done you could probably call your local dealer and find out who they use for fiberglass.

Or they might sell the stuff at West Marine and you could talk to those guys for advice if you wanted to DIY.

[Commodore]

Thanks Wakebrad. I actually am using a high speed buffer, and the 3M stuff is a polishing compound. I am planning on doing some more passes, because after looking at it for a while I can tell it's slowly getting better. I would rather do this myself than pay someone too.

[smokedog2]

How many years were the stickers on?

I'm thinking of puling mine on an 05 Moomba


tx

SD2

[Cyclonecj]

This is what worked for me. It's rubbing compound, more aggressive but you hit it lighter with the buffer, it cuts right through it. Do it again with polishing compound and then wax and your boat will look like new.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/271018/159/2/3m/All_2/mode%20matchallpartial/105/0

[Commodore]

I'll try that out Cyclonecj, thanks.

Here are some pics:

[Commodore]

Here it is after

[Commodore]

Well crap. I deleted the double post, and it killed the new pics.

[DRAGON88]

Looks good Haugy, I went naked myself this year.

Removing the dated graphics really makes the boat look much newer. She's a beaut'!

[oshensurfer]

haugy,
After pics no worky for me. WTF, eh?

[Commodore]

oshensurfer, look two posts up goofy. For some reason it double posted, then when I tried to remove the double, it killed both. I'll put them back up tonight.

I am kinda liking the naked idea D88. Polish the living crap out of it, then run it for a season. I'm just not sure.

[Stanfield]

I pulled off all of the GG decals from my boat. There was some fading and oxidation most obvious on the rear black pieces of gel. I used 2000 grit sandpaper to wetsand, Meguires marine compound and polish with a high speed polisher, and finished with a Meguires mirror glaze wax. Turned out awesome and the gel looks like it did the day I picked it up.

Faded, oxidized, and generally unattractive looking


After wetsanding


Finished product

[oshensurfer]

haugy, Gotcha. I was funcused. The "looks good" post by D88 through me off.

[Commodore]

Stanfield, thanks for the info. You just wetsanded the area where the fading was correct? I am just afraid of doing too much, and ruining the paint.

[Stanfield]

I wetsanded pretty much the entire rear of the boat as it was beat up from boards and the sun and such. I also sanded other spots on the sides where decals were and other nicks and scratches. You say you're afraid of ruining the paint, but it's not paint, it's gelcoat. Gelcoat is significantly thicker than paint. 2000 grit sandpaper is also very very fine. I know it is unnerving to take sandpaper to a boat, but it can really bring the gel back to life. When you start to do it you realize just how little the paper is taking off and you don't have to do much at all to get rid of the fading. You end up taking such a minute percentage of the gel off. If you don't sand it, you'll at least need to take a good rubbing compound to it to take away the fading which is essetially doing the same thing on a smaller scale.

[Stanfield]

PS. This is all some backbreaking work to do on a boat. Getting all of the decals and ahesives off is the hardest part so you're over the bad part now. It will look awesome when it's finished w/o the pride decals all over it.

[Commodore]

Stanfield, yeah. I look at it now without the colors, I agree about the

Thanks for the tips. I keep forgetting this is gelcoat. And yeah sanding anything always makes me nervous.

I like the clean look on your by the way. That swoosh decal on the side is what I want to put on mine.

[Commodore]

And here we go again.

[Commodore]

Alright, well I took yalls advice and wetsanded. Happily I was real lucky and had my uncle who is our paint and body guru in town. I went to town and wet sanded my Supra. And nothing changed. Sure I have a helluva shine now, but I couldn't get rid of the old stripe marks. My uncle did make a good point.

Normally the stripes would be darker, and the rest lighter that way you can bring the lighter back to full color and they blend. But on mine, the stripes are lighter?!?! How does that happen? Now I am confused.

So after a ton of polishing after the wetsand here is the final result. While it's hard to see in the pics, trust me the lines are there. I am not gonna put new decals on, when you can still see old lines.

Looks like it's naked and ghost stripes for me.

[wesgardner]

Haug,

Is yours paint or gel coat? Gel, as I'm sure you know can take alot more "tweaking" than paint...the RED color may be part of your problem...of course the pics you've posted look beautiful...

Wes

[Wakebrad]

haugy, hmm your uncle has a good point. The part exposed to sun usually has some oxidation on it and will lighten the finish, not darken it. At least that's what happened on my boat.

If you've wet-sanded it and it is still there I doubt there's much you can do without having it re-gelled or painted. I personally wouldn't put paint over perfectly good gel that just has some decal fading and re-gelling is expensive. I'd probably just leave it. Over time they should blend together.

[oshensurfer]

My guess is the discoloration is from the decal glue. I think it looks fine haugy.

[itch]

Haugy it looks beautiful stop being a girl, these stories are boring now go out and get into an argument at the fast food place or go get hit on by some women. those stories are wayyyyyyyyyyyy more entertaining.

[baggyman]

hey just wondering if you used a block or just fold the paper and go to town.. think i am going to give this a go on my boat. I took all the stickers off about a year ago and just finished getting off all the damn glue.

The Supra in the photos looks great... hope i can sand out some of the crap on my boat.

So just wet sand with 2000grit then polishing compound then wax.....

Weekend job or a weeklong job for the whole boat?

Or would you just take parts at a time and do what you can in a day?

[Commodore]

oshensurfer, good point, thanks though.

itch,

baggyman, It was a two weekend process, sort of. I did them each for one day on two weekends. So in reality I could have done it all in a one weekend, plus some of it was repetition.

I removed the decals with a heat gun, trust me, get the gun. Then I went over with a good solid rag (no papertowels) and sprayed the adhesive remover and rubbed it off. This took 2 hours, thanks to the heat gun.

Now wet sanding:
I used a block you can get from autozone or advanced, and put 2000 grit paper on it. Use a block so you get an even rub, you don't want too much pressure in one spot. Also WATER IS YOUR FRIEND!!! Let the sandpaper sit in a bucket of water for about 5 minutes to loosen it up. Then have a spray bottle handy with water. Do not dry sand it. Keep it wet. You will feel some friction and that's necessary, but when you feel the block resisting and you have to forcefully move it, it needs more water. Just give it one spray and go. If you are doing a section of gel, like mine is all red down the sides, do all the red. You want it all to be even. If it's an older boat you'll appreciate you took the time to do it all.

After wet sanding I used a rubbing compound and a high speed buffer. I went back over everything. Treat it like a wax, let it get in there good and then let it dry a little bit. Then buff out.

Follow that with a good wax. This should be a weekend job at most. What really helped was the power buffer. It let me get the compound and wax on fast, and thoroughly.

[baggyman]

Thanks for the info!!! Cant wait to get goin on this... actually going out now and getting my stuff. I have the buffer already so i am good there.... But one more question. Do you use a seperate cover for the wax, compound, and the buffing off of wax and compound? Not sure if that make sence but do i need 3 or 4 covers or can i do it with one?

[wesgardner]

I use one for compound and one for wax...when compounding, the pad tends to "load up" - you can remove the build up by letting it run against a trailer fender or similar metal edge...


Here's a good general purpose pad can be used over and over...


http://www.levineautoparts.com/3msup2plus2b.html

[Commodore]

baggyman, I swap covers for everything. I think I went through about 10-12 total.

1 for putting on the compound for both sides. One for taking it off PER SIDE. You don't want this stuff gunking up the pad, then it starts to actually scratch. 3 there.

1 for putting on wax per side since it was such a wet wax, after the one side it was just gook sliding it around, not really applying it. Then one per side taking it off. 4 there.

And if you wish to do multiple coats, well just double the formula above. Yes you can get by with one pad for putting the compound on, one to take it off. Then one for wax on, one for wax off. But you run a risk of it not doing as well.

Whatever you do, do not use the same pad for the compounds and wax. THEY MUST BE FRESH!! The wax is to polish out the shine. If it has compound on it, you aren't doing squat.

[DizzyG]

you know, if you put enough weight in it, you won't see those areas at all right? Add more sacks!