When looking through classified adds I often read about older boats that have been recently "re-gelcoated". What are the considerations for doing this (or when not to do this) and perhaps if someone knows what this process entails? Is this something one could do him/herself or leave this type of work to a professional? Finally, does anyone know how much of an effort this is and what it would cost (materials if done self or what a pro charges) for a 16 foot cat like my Nacra 5.0?

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Marc C.
Cleveland, Ohio.
Current love: Nacra 5.0
Old loves: Int Laser, Int Europe, Int 470, Int 420, Vaurien
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It's something that would go with major repairs, or just a desire to pretty it up. Cheaper than paint but far more laborious. It would probably cost a few hundred in materials, a pro to do it would probably run $1,500-$2,500.

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Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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its a TON of work and spraying gelcoat sucks. Gelcoat loves to harden in the gun/cup.



Edited by matt922 on Apr 27, 2012 - 10:39 AM.

If you can't do it yourself you may as well buy a good used boat.

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Nacra 5.2
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Gel coating is easy . First clean real good and then sand everywhere you need to redo the gel coat. Get roller and roller naps that are quality. Make sure the naps are tight cell foam and won't melt or mess up in any way when used with chemicals in gel coat. Get some gel coat and paint it on. Here's the need to know part. If you need a thick layer of gel coat, your gonna need to do more than one coat. Do yourself a favor and get the non waxed gel coat. You won't have to let cure and sand between coats. Just let it set till firm but not a real long time and apply another coat. Repeat this process till you have enough gel coat on to sand and polish if you want a high gloss finish. One thing to know is that after the last coat. you'll need to cover it with something called PVA. You can apply this with a good household spray bottle.The Gel coat needs to be isolated from air while it cures. Another way is to get some gel coat with the wax already added and just use that for the final coat and you won't need to do anything after that for it to cure. I put three coats on the lower part of my first hull and will do the same for the top decks when ready for gel coat. I used the un-waxed for two coats and then the waxed for the final coat. plenty to sand lightly and get looking same all over if I think the labor is worth the results. Likely not. I mainly wanted a thick gel coat because that protects everything under the gel coat like when beaching the boat or sliding a wet, sandy bathing suit across the decks.
PS. materials cost me less than $100 for the gel coat to do both hulls.



Edited by dtfuqua on Apr 28, 2012 - 07:04 AM.

here's a guy who did it right! (it wasn't me)

http://radesignz.com/nacra5.2redo.htm

i have used a small 1" foam brush to apply gelcoat to the bottom of hulls and minor patches. i use an 'Evercoat' one-step gelcoat that doesn't require PVA or a covering of any kind to cure and it is still a strong, hard gelcoat. the instructions on the can tell you how to dilute it with acetone in order to spray it. i've never tried but hope to have the chance to do it one day.
good luck !
j

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Aquacat 12 (sold)...'87 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'03 Nacra Inter18 (sold)
Venture 15 (sold)....'89 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'91 Nacra 5.8NA (sold)
'99 Nacra Inter20 (sold)
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