Fiberglass gel coat color painted or.

I need to have some repair work done to my 2008 Mainship hardtop trawler which is a dark blue color. I was asked if the color was painted on or was added to the gel coat...I do not know. Also do I have a clear coat finish on the sides?

Can anyone give me some info regarding the fiberglass gel coat used when the boat was constructed? Thanks....Donna:

BellaDonna said:

I need to have some repair work done to my 2008 Mainship hardtop trawler which is a dark blue color. I was asked if the color was painted on or was added to the gel coat...I do not know. Also do I have a clear coat finish on the sides?

Can anyone give me some info regarding the fiberglass gel coat used when the boat was constructed? Thanks....Donna:

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To determine if it's paint or gel-coat, sand a small, discrete area and smell it. Polyester has a distinct smell over polyurethane. Since your boat was built in 2008, I'm willing to bet it's gel-coat.

Gel-coat can be matched color wise by an experienced glass guy and look as good as the day it was built. The thing you'll see over time though is that the repaired area will age/fade at a different rate than the original, particularly with colors other than white. What can you do? Keep it waxed and live with it. It will take more than a few years before you notice any difference.

Good suggestion, I will try it. Anyone else have ideas....thanks Donna

2008 Probably Gelcoat

Dark Blue is a hard color to match as it fades over time and you most likely have to have a special color made to match your faded hull. Most large boat manufacturers can supply original gelcoat by your serial number. That won't help if your hull is badly faded. There are providers of custom gelcoat that will match your faded hull. It's very expensive to paint over gelcoat and your boat is too new to need paint.