REgelcoating?

Spraying gel coat is tricky. You have to use a special gun that mixes the hardener with the coating. It is much thicker than paint and subject to runs if you are not careful. You can do it, just practice a lot first on an old fiberglass shower or tub.

I have not done it so I can't say anything from personal experience. But, I've been around it and don't ever recal any primer being used. BUT... maybe take this opportunity to upgrade to paint?

I stripped the bottom paint off my hull and re-gel coated and it came out great. 3rd year now and all is still good!
Since, I have re-gelcoated most all hatches, bow pulpit and lower transom under bracket where bottom paint was. No issues so far.

Lots of reading on this with lots of folks that have figured it out. I used to paint professionally, so it was not hard for me to adapt. I use a normal Siphon feed spray gun, but with large tip so it will let out more GelCoat and used Duratec High Gloss additive so I did not have to worry with curing, wax, issues, etc. http://www.fibreglast.com/product/durat ... t-additive

As mentioned, if you have a good Air Compressor and Spray Gun, you can do it. Just practice with it. However, this is a lot of work just to change a color. GelCoat you spray and allow cure. You will have orange peel that needs to be sanded and buffed. Lots of time and labor.

Don't regelcoat the hull unless you want sholder surgery from wet sanding. Remember, you're not working with a mold. Awlgrip the hull you'll love it. Well worth the $. BUT, the nice white hull will make the eggshell topsides look bad. You're opening a can of worms.

I disagree about the gel-coat. I have found it to be superior to paint for boat. If scratched, easily fixed. Paint, not so much. I used to paint with high end paints on auto's to construction equipment for years and still prefer gel-coat.

Sanding and Polishing is not as bad as one thinks. Just like waxing in regards to work. However, it is true one has to dedicate the mind to approach it.
My first approach was not wet sanding at all. Just used dry paper on orbital Porter cable electric sander up to about 600 grit, then used polishing compounds to finish it out with wool pad. After a few months, I could find some spots showing up that needed another round of polishing so hit it and quickly it fixed those areas. This of course is the bottom which I was not too worried with, but when you walk up and look at it even now, it still pops.
For other areas on top surface, I did dry sanding to 600, then went wet with 1000 on a air jitterbug. Then hit with wool pad and polishing compound and it is excellent.

I have found most folks that use the Gel-Coat get way too much orange peel and that drives more sanding. If they get enough layers on to allow for sanding off the heavy Gel-Coat, then they can start off with a heavier sanding grit to knock off the surface of the peel, but if they sprayed wetter up front, it would reduce the peel greatly.

I am in 3rd year now since resurfacing the bottom of my hull and it is still holding up perfectly. I think one thing that has changed the negatives from the past about Gel-coat is the Duratec additive. It does not require a mold anymore.

Dont get me wrong....I hate sanding and polishing. But hate scratched paint more. I have had to perform some fixes for dings already in the gelcoat on the pulpit due to anchor damage and it was very quick and easy to fix and no one can tell where it was fixed after repair.

Check out the latest episode from Ship Shape TV. They finally took the out of mold approach and used gelcoat on that old glastron boat they are restoring. It turned out really nice. Only thing for them was they did have to spend a lot of time sanding since they got lots of peel because of their techniques and also they didn't use duratec.

The guys very first experience with gelcoat will be an entire hull......go ahead but remember I warned you.

I agree from that perspective, first time experience can be a disaster.

I spent a lot of time researching, reading, studying and of course testing some smaller projects before I took the plunge. But, this is no different than using paint. If paint is not mixed properly, surface is not prepped properly, sanded/cleaned, etc, then if product is not applied properly, then disaster whether paint or gel-coat.

If one can realize spraying of gel-coat in comparison of paint is how it sprays is so different. Much heavier base product, thicker. Gel-coat application is much more volume of product at each layer vs paint. In both cases, watch the lay of the product as it is applied and watch it flow. If not flowing well, use heavier coat and slow down some on the gun pass, etc.

Just trying to make the point that Gel-coat is not really that hard if you learn it.

How's the project coming? Did you remove all the decals and through hull fittings yet? Do you have bottom paint on the hull?