Paint

[Blue Heron]

Any one have any luck matching 30 year old white gel coat? I have some nicks and dings and want to refresh. Color shade?

 

[psneeld]

Any one have any luck matching 30 year old white gel coat? I have some nicks and dings and want to refresh. Color shade?

I used to do the gel repair work for a marine electronics firm that always seemed to have screws 1/4 inch longer than they should be.

I have a decent eye...but matching gel is truly an art.

Some have luck brining chips to a paint tinter and have them tint close.

I always tried to contact the manufacturer for the original gel tint if they still had it in their records. There's a gel coat company that has a boatload of original gel coat tints...couldn't find it quick if they are even still in business or bough out. A more thorough search may turn them up or some experience other TFer may have it at their fingertips.

gel is one of the few coatings that gets DARKER with age so if matching...there's a lag period before you'll ever get it to stay matched.

 

[FF]

I have a decent eye...but matching gel is truly an art.

YES! Hire an expert .

No problem DIY swopping a pair of engines , but this is an ART!!!!

 

[Carolena]

I think the gel coat company the OP is thinking of is Spectrum Color. You can order most of their products from iboat.com HOwever, keep in mind that getting the original color may not be a great match due UV and other exposure over the years. When we had a bunch of dings fixed on our sailboat a few years ago, our glass guy said that he had to mix four different colors for each quadrant of the boat. Your best be may be to hire a professional (in our experience not too expensive for a small job) or get a kit and tint it yourself. If you can get a ten foot job out of it, that wouldn't be bad.