Gunwale non-skid repair/restoration...

[Recoil Rob]

My 2004 180 has the diamond pattern non-skid on the deck but the gunwale tops have a sandpaper like texture. I have some gelcoat cracks to repair, any tips on how to get that texture back so it won't stick out like a sore thumb?

Also, any tips on how to restore the color on those areas? I have cut all the flat geloat with compound and brought the color back but those areas are still sun bleached.

 

[DennisG01]

Non-skid is still gelcoat, so if you want to shine it up, the process is the same as the rest of the gelcoat. To repair hairline cracks, drill a small hole at the end to stop it from spreading. Widen the crack before filling/repairing.

There is a good thread in the tech forum about repairing non-skid, so no need to repeat it here. Your other option would be to paint.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Thanks, found it.

 

[MrD]

The way I am going to repair my non-skid is to dremel the spider cracks open, then fill with either using gelcoat or epoxy in some other non-gelcoat cracks. But to get the non-skid I am going to add some sand. The gelcoat coloring I will try match as well as I can to a 30 year old colored sun bleached gel coat as best as I can. The entire deck is going to be roughened up with 36 grit then painted with Epoxy layer, sprinkle sand over, then paint another layer of epoxy over. Finally paint some primer and paint over top of that.

 

[Recoil Rob]

What I don't understand is this color matching business, why not just buy GW gelcoat from a dealer, about the same price.

 

[Ky Grady]

What I don't understand is this color matching business, why not just by GW gelcoat from a dealer, about the same price.

Most of our boats are older and sun faded, mine included, so the new gelcoat repair you buy from Spectrum or Grady-White, is the original new color and will not be an exact match to the faded gelcoat, hence the color matching.

 

[MrD]

"GW gelcoat from a dealer, about the same price" I bought a quart of gelcoat for $50, I just searched for Grady White factory from Spectrum is $150. Besides the price difference, you will never match gelcoat right from the bottle when you have an older boat. The hues/tint will be off as the sun's UV rays have discolored the original gelcoat. Same reason when you take off lettering the gelcoat beneath is off colored and nearly impossible to buff out.

Recoil Rob: please indicate your price for a quart of Factory gelcoat, maybe I am mistaken. Also, can you please tell us if this gelcoat matched your newer or older boat?

 

[Recoil Rob]

I posted this a few weeks back in a post about transom repair...

"BTW, we needed gelcoat Tuesday to finish the job, the shop told they had always used Spectrum color even though it's $150/qt. and were going to have it sent overnight.

The local dealer was closed on Sunday so I found one further east that was open and asked if they had Spectrum color gelcoat #3801 which is for a 2004 GW. The dealer asked why I wanted that and then said why don't I just use GW factory off white gel coat, it's cheaper. I asked if he had it for a 2004. He tells me that GW Off White has been the same color since the early 1990's.
He had 2 qts in stock (GW part #30037) so I told him I'd be out Monday. Then I started to doubt if this was correct. I spoke with 2 other dealers that confirmed the same thing, all the same color over the years.

The price of a quart varied wildly, form $35 up to $80 depending on the dealer. The dealer I went to was $35, I picked it up Monday morning. The glass guy at the shop even asked me to get him a quart for another job he had."

It matched up just fine for my on my 2004 after buff and wax.

 

[MrD]

Recoil Rob: I know that they used the same gelcoat, I read that here a few times, and that is a great price. I will be calling to NJ dealers to see if I can find a price like this today. I am wondering however if your glass guy still had to tint further the gelcoat to match the 2004 paint job. I have never myself done this, that is my June project for the boat. My boat is an 1988, tinting must be done correctly and I here still it could be a pita to match. Thanks for the pics and the prices. I will search your post from a few weeks back but can you give me a Pm or post here on the forums the price and work you had done to your transom? Just trying to figure if I can DIY or just pay to have it done.

 

[Recoil Rob]

I know he didn't tint further, used it as it came.

Here's the thread, mine start on p.2.

https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...nyl-or-glass-it-over.31506/page-2#post-214283

 

[DennisG01]

Sometimes the pre-mixed gel works, sometimes it doesn't. Actually, plenty of times it doesn't when going to an older boat. One experience with it working doesn't mean it always will.

FYI, don't use sand. It's can be uncomfortably rough and doesn't last as long. Get the non-skid additive that you can buy (typically they're some kind of rubber based material).

 

[blindmullet]

For a recreational boat I like Kiwigrip. Much better grip but easy on the feet and can be tinted ANY color. It is also very easy to repair. The downside would be that it can be a bit harder to clean if you lay it to thick. My little boat was a feature boat on their site. I first used it about 10 years ago and it will be going back on after a recent upgrade.