Is it paint or gelcoat?

[Daddyo]

I need to touchup my nonskid but the problem is I can't tell if the previous repaint work that was done is gelcoat or paint. How can you tell?

 

[SomeSailor]

If you can get a small chip loose, drop it in a small container of acetone. If it dissolves in a few seconds and goes soft, it's likely just paint.

 

[Larry M]

I need to touchup my nonskid but the problem is I can't tell if the previous repaint work that was done is gelcoat or paint. How can you tell?

If the previous work was repainted then I would say ... paint? Sorry Daddyo, I couldn't resist. Nigel, our glass/painter guy should be here in the am and I'll ask him.

 

[Daddyo]

If the previous work was repainted then I would say ... paint? Sorry Daddyo, I couldn't resist. Nigel, our glass/painter guy should be here in the am and I'll ask him.

could have been repainted with gelcoat

 

[Larry M]

If you can get a small chip loose, drop it in a small container of acetone. If it dissolves in a few seconds and goes soft, it's likely just paint.

Be very careful with the acetone. Awlgrip's Aircraft 2000 is one of several marine paints that are a 2 part acrylic that are soluble in acetone. Awlgrip Top Coat says you can use acetone for cleaning? You can thin gel-coat with acetone? Who can figure?

 

[Larry M]

could have been repainted with gelcoat

Yes, but if your boat has always been in the US, other than some small local/area repairs, I would bet that it's paint. Spraying gel-coat is labor intensive so the $$' add up fast. How labor intensive, we just finished re-gel-coating everything above the cap rail with the exception of the non-skid and a blue stripe. Nigel sprayed on 5 coats of gel-coat after prep, then his crew started wet sanding by hand with 320, 400, 800, 1200, 1500 plus buffing and waxing. Two guys plus over a couple of months. It doesn't go fast but the results for us are worth it.

 

[Underway]

Yes, but if your boat has always been in the US, other than some small local/area repairs, I would bet that it's paint. Spraying gel-coat is labor intensive so the $$' add up fast. How labor intensive, we just finished re-gel-coating everything above the cap rail with the exception of the non-skid and a blue stripe. Nigel sprayed on 5 coats of gel-coat after prep, then his crew started wet sanding by hand with 320, 400, 800, 1200, 1500 plus buffing and waxing. Two guys plus over a couple of months. It doesn't go fast but the results for us are worth it.

I have what sounds like a similar problem with the white top layer eroding away on foredeck non-skid areas only. A light blue underlayment is showing through. Our boat has the diamond tread pattern on non-skid areas...which wouldn't be sanded, buffed or waxed in any case. I spoke with an Awlgrip tech rep who thought that gelcoat might be a better solution in this sort of application, as their paints would build up quickly and tend to pool in low spots, thereby ruining the diamond surface. I still don't know which material is actually on the non-skid on our boat, but suspect it's gel coat.

 

[Larry M]

I need to touchup my nonskid but the problem is I can't tell if the previous repaint work that was done is gelcoat or paint. How can you tell?

Daddyo: I asked Nigel. He said to sand a small area and smell it. Polyester has a distinct smell over polyurethane.

 

[Daddyo]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.