your gelcoat is fine :) Don Casey talks a lot about gelcoat in "This Old
Boat" (have I plugged that book enough lately?). gelcoat generally lasts a
minimum of 10 years. It can get dull by scrubbing it or other factors. I
thought my gelcoat was pretty toasted (88) because it had large sections
where it was just dull. I took Don's advice and went over some of these
sections lightly with (I think it was) 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper, followed
by boat wax. I did some testing with various car and boat waxes and found
the best shine from West Marine's fiberglass wax with teflon. The results
are VERY shiny. When I pull the boat for the winter (this week probably)
I'll do the rest of the topsides. Maybe I'll even get creative and strip the
bottom paint off and hit it down there too.
> >I understand that the paint is expensive AND even more to have it painted
> >... but if painting the bottom of my boat even if the need is marginal
> >will extend the life of the boat then its worth the expense (doing it
> >myself) to me ... unless painting it when it's not absolutely necessary
> >does more harm than good
I'd absolutely wait. fiberglass basically lasts forever, and you're a decade
away from having to worry about it. Blisters don't seem to be a problem on
potters. It isn't clear to me whether you plan on trailering or mooring the
boat, but if you trailer exclusively, your fiberglass hull is likely to
outlive us all :) But if you must paint it, the modern two-part poly paints
make for a real shiny finish.
> Yes, the bottom was originally shiny like the rest of the hull. My boat
> also has bottom paint applied by the previous owner, unfortunately. It's a
> dull brownish gray, apparently a copper antifouling paint. I've considered
> removing it but didn't want to mess with the probably toxic material. I
> don't see any need for antifouling paint if the boat is always trailered,
> not kept in the water. It will collect barnacles and other growth if left
> in the water without annual cleaning and repainting, especially in warm
> water. I don't think saltwater, per se, is any harder on fiberglass than
> fresh water. It's just more corrosive to metals.
Agreed. Barnacles don't live in freshwater, so thats an issue :)