topside paint

A couple of years ago we had a (pro) clean and wax the boat. It turned out pretty well considering the age of the surface. However, last year some stripes appeared on the side of the house, sort of like faint tiger stripes. It looks like the gel coat was burned with the machine with every circular pass. that's my guess any way. Does this sound familiar to anybody or even seem possible? If so, is there any thing that will remedy this condition short of painting?

Sounds like a good theory. What color are the stripes? Blue-blue/green?

I had some "stripes" on my transom when I got my boat. PO trying to compound the soot off no doubt. I was lucky that International Paint had a variety of whites available in their 2part paint (now called Perfection) and one matched the color of my gelcoat very close. I painted just the transom using some of their flattening agent in the paint to match lower gloss of the the gelcoat. You could never see it and still can't years later.

They are a faint or watered down kind of orange, that's why I called them tiger stripes. Also, it's why I thought it might heat related from the polishing machine giving it that slight burned look.

My stripes were blue but then that is the color of the resin used on this boat when viewed from inside. Orange could be resin too. Orange could also be traces of orange compound (a no-no on gelcoat) too. Try some On & Off on it and see if it bleaches right out.

I'm not familiar with On & Off, what is it and where do you get it. Thanks.

Slowboat 37 said:

I'm not familiar with On & Off, what is it and where do you get it. Thanks.

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On & Off by Mary Kate available at any marine supply. It's acid / detergent and may be marked as a teak cleaner. It's great on hulls. I have been whitening my hull with it for years b/4 waxing. If you try to compound your stains out every year, even with white compound, you will go through your gelcoat shortly. My '71 Bruno has not been painted (except transom as mentioned b/4) and the gel coat still looks like new thanks to On & Off, CarNu polish, and no compounding. Granted a N.E. boat.