Is this burnt gelcoat ??

I have been keeping an eye on a detailer who is polishing a friends boat while he is away. I think the detailer may have "burnt" the gelcoat in one area but I don't know what it looks like if you overheat gelcoat with a buffer. Can anyone help me with what happened to this area on the gelcoat?

Id say its a shitty paint job over gelcoat not gelcoat

That's classic orange peel. If it's gelcoat it can be sanded and buffed to make it a little better. If it's paint it depends on the brand as to sanding and buffing. Regardless it stems from poor application as stated above. Not the buffing.

Yea, not the fault of the guy on the buffer. Poor coating surface finish, and buffing brings it to being visible. Just buffed my whole boat, the shine brings out the flaws.

Ski in NC said:

Yea, not the fault of the guy on the buffer. Poor coating surface finish, and buffing brings it to being visible. Just buffed my whole boat, the shine brings out the flaws.

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I knew there was a reason I don't like to wax and buff.

The boat is a 2005 Kadey Krogen 39. I believe it's all gelcoat. The surface was perfect before the detailing started. Krogen seem to be high quality boats.

I am betting that the surface was dirty or chalky so that the orange peel didn't show. A buffer did not cause that. And that boat didn't come from the factory like that. Someone has re- coated that surface with paint or gel coat. Very poorly I may add.

Easting said:

I am betting that the surface was dirty or chalky so that the orange peel didn't show. A buffer did not cause that. And that boat didn't come from the factory like that. Someone has re- coated that surface with paint or gel coat. Very poorly I may add.

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This boat is seldom dirty and never chalky. It's always maintained in like new condition. I agree it didn't come from the builder that way. If not the buffer, what else. Chemicals?

Its been painted with a foam roller.

Does the owner say the surface is different post detailing? It looks well polished, no swirls, how could polish or chemical create orange peel. Surely polishing is more likely to reduce orange peel, not create it.

BruceK said:

Does the owner say the surface is different post detailing? It looks well polished, no swirls, how could polish or chemical create orange peel. Surely polishing is more likely to reduce orange peel, not create it.

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The owner says it wasn't that way. I have been on the boat many times in last 5 years and would have noticed it. It's very shiny. The last step was Collinite paste wax. I will be talking to the owner of the detail business tomorrow. I bet it's a few boat units to repair the surface.

fryedaze said:

The owner says it wasn't that way. I have been on the boat many times in last 5 years and would have noticed it. It's very shiny. The last step was Collinite paste wax. I will be talking to the owner of the detail business tomorrow. I bet it's a few boat units to repair the surface.

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That is interesting new information. But how to change a surface from smooth gloss to orange peel. You`d have to reconstitute the surface,like liquefy it and then it resets, orange peel. We have had detailer members who could comment, but not at present it seems.

I hope we can figure it out and learn a little here. The down side I fear is there is not enough material to wet sand it flat and restore it.

I'm interested to learn outcome. That is the reason for this post... i.e. so I will be email notified by TF as this interesting case evolves.

??Art

fryedaze said:

The owner says it wasn't that way. I have been on the boat many times in last 5 years and would have noticed it. It's very shiny. The last step was Collinite paste wax. I will be talking to the owner of the detail business tomorrow. I bet it's a few boat units to repair the surface.

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What was before the last step? Was it compounded before being waxed?

Ted

I'm not sure that's a hull of a 39? The rub rail doesn't look right.

https://www.google.bs/search?q=kk39...=isch&q=kadey+krogen+39&imgrc=W6FVt-X5kD960M:

O C Diver said:

What was before the last step? Was it compounded before being waxed?

Ted

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Yes, I will ask what they used. I saw gallon cans of 3M materials. I also saw the guy mixing several different products together when he polished out the boat before waxing. This boat didn't need compounding. Something like Finesset(sp) would do.

Is it possible the wax caked on the surface and the buffer orange peeled the layer of wax while polishing it. You could try scratching it with your fingernail and pretty quickly determine if it's wax buildup.

Larry M said:

I'm not sure that's a hull of a 39? The rub rail doesn't look right.

https://www.google.bs/search?q=kk39...=isch&q=kadey+krogen+39&imgrc=W6FVt-X5kD960M:

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Trust me Larry, there is no doubt.

Tamrow said:

Is it possible the wax caked on the surface and the buffer orange peeled the layer of wax while polishing it. You could try scratching it with your fingernail and pretty quickly determine if it's wax buildup.

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That would be an awesome outcome. I will check that out.

I have buffed tons and tons of old trailer boats trying to bring their gelcoats back to glory.

While I have never experienced orange peel as an outcome to buffing, I did learn that it was quite easy to buff through the gelcoat exposing the layup underneath. That is whats referred to as burnt gelcoat.

What I see in the pics is gelcoat that has flaked off and has been resprayed. Theres more that just orange peel under there. Look at all the sharp lines, some actually resemble craters where the gelcoat propped off.

Possibly a buffer could cause poorly "bonded" gelcoat to flake off (I've never seen it happen but it sure wouldnt surprise me) and the effort to repair was weak at best. Gelcoat is really brittle, so it doesnt take much at all to get poorly bonded gelcoat to pop off a boat. Think blisters.

What has the detailer said about it?

fryedaze said:

I have been keeping an eye on a detailer who is polishing a friends boat while he is away. I think the detailer may have "burnt" the gelcoat in one area but I don't know what it looks like if you overheat gelcoat with a buffer. Can anyone help me with what happened to this area on the gelcoat?

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On lower portion of photo... i.e. reflection of railing, stanchions and drain holes are somewhat puzzling. Especially as compared to the stanchions above gunnel. Or... is that a very close other boat reflecting into the gel coat and a window of the affected boat??

Gelcoat takes the surface of the mould. Could have been a really bad mould or prep.

I had a FG boat and had a guy that was working on a nearby boat come over and do mine. I made some reference to the "gelcoat" and was promptly told "that's not gelcoat .. it's been painted". I just assumed it was gelcoat. Was a very nice paintjob.

Also I can't imagine a buffer generating enough heat to damage gelcoat on FG.

Art said:

On lower portion of photo... i.e. reflection of railing, stanchions and drain holes are somewhat puzzling. Especially as compared to the stanchions above gunnel. Or... is that a very close other boat reflecting into the gel coat and a window of the affected boat??

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The boat has a full walk around. The picture is the salon/cabin wall and window. The reflection is the outer hull and cap rail. Refer to previous pic of OK 39.

fryedaze said:

The boat has a full walk around. The picture is the salon/cabin wall and window. The reflection is the outer hull and cap rail. Refer to previous pic of OK 39.

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Got it now. Thought the dimpled finish was on the hull, not salon wall.

Could it be the woven-roving mat printing through? My understanding is that if often develops over time. As as suggested earlier, is just more evident after waxing?

I still say its been painted

gaston said:

I still say its been painted

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It sure looks like fresh orange peel finish paint.
Sure the detailer didn`t buff through and do some remedial painting?

Curious. I'm surprised the detailer did not stop once the orange peel was apparent, and check with owner (or you if you were asked to monitor the job) before continuing.

My 35 year old hull buffs up quite well still !