Hull looks foggy

E

earthmover17

New Member
Jan 3, 2008
706
land o lakes florida
Boat Info
560 sedan bridge
Engines
cat 3196
When looking at my hull from an angle you can see a fog ( for lack of a better word ) in the gel coat. It kinda looks like it does in the morning when there is a dew on it.
It is not oxidization. It's in the gel coat.
I have have yet to break out the arsenal of polish products that I have to work on it.
Anyone ever run across this.

Jack
 
Yes I did on my hull. Exactly as you describe it. I used a wool pad and Meguiars 67 compound and polish. It took two passes on some of the more stubborn spots on the hull. I still have some locations where I can see it a little that I have to go after.

It was tough to get off and it clogged up the wool pad causing it to skip over the surface and not cut. I had to change the pad 3 times while I was doing it...

The gel coat underneath was fine once it was off.

I thought it was oxidation, not knowing any better. I too would like to know what it was. It was worse on one side then the other of the hull..
 
Alegria said:
Yes I did on my hull. Exactly as you describe it. I used a wool pad and Meguiars 67 compound and polish. It took two passes on some of the more stubborn spots on the hull. I still have some locations where I can see it a little that I have to go after.

It was tough to get off and it clogged up the wool pad causing it to skip over the surface and not cut. I had to change the pad 3 times while I was doing it...

The gel coat underneath was fine once it was off.

I thought it was oxidation, not knowing any better. I too would like to know what it was. It was worse on one side then the other of the hull..
Click to expand...
I am going to attack it just as you did. I have found that #67 is good stuff. 1 pass on the light stuff and 2 or possible more on the tough stuff.
It's good to know you got through it with the 67. I will pay attention to my wool pad.

Jack
 
Just wondering, are your boats on the hard? maybe someone near you was sanding their bottoms?
 
Has there been anybody next to you with an A/C discharge that might be splashing up creating a hard water spotted area. I had a 38 Regal next to me last summer and his A/C discharge was like a fire hose, I was using "the works" toilet bowl cleaner on the area every other week and rewaxing.

Very annoying.

Do you have a picture of the area? I own a Marine Detailing company so I might be able to offer some advice with an easier product before you hang off the side and try buffing.
 
By any chance is that spot always in the shade? I'm not sure how well this helps, but what you're describing sounds EXACTLY like the way some boats come delivered to us from Sea Ray. In our cases, moisture has gotten in the gel coat (sorry, not able to explain it any more technically than that). We leave the affected area facing the sun for a day or two and it goes away.
 
Lazy Daze said:
By any chance is that spot always in the shade? I'm not sure how well this helps, but what you're describing sounds EXACTLY like the way some boats come delivered to us from Sea Ray. In our cases, moisture has gotten in the gel coat (sorry, not able to explain it any more technically than that). We leave the affected area facing the sun for a day or two and it goes away.
Click to expand...

Now that you say that thing about the shade--it make sense, the south side of my boat--outstanding, the north side, like others--I thought it was oxidation and just could not get rid of it--I guess I have to get her in the water, anchor with the port facing south, grab a beer and lay out on the deck all day to see if your advice fixes it--the horror.
 
Even though you think it isn't oxidation, it is...that plus a dose of salt.

You are in Florida.........I know, I've fought the effects of the sun and salt water for 25 years. A high speed buffer and a decent clear-coat cleaner cuts it. I like a HiTemp product that is called High Speed Leveler. It is water soluble so you cut it about 25% with water, paint about a 3'X3' square with a throw-a-way brush then go to it with the polisher. Unless you have a bad case, one coat is usually enough. Follow that with whatever polish is the flavor of the day.
 
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My hull also looked hazy as I removed all the previous years wax and had some hazing of the gel coat.

I have been using 3M Finesse it II for years and before that 3M Micro glaze. Just finished the stbd side... no wax yet.. Just wool pad and Finesse. I swear by 3M products.
I did do about a dozen nicks and scrapes with gel coating repair too...

IMG_0253a.JPG
 
Very helpful info. guys. I have it the same on both hull sides equally. I wanted to get some thoughts here before I went to work as my hull is rather large. So if I screw up I've turned a 40 hour job into a 80 hour job.
I think I need to do a test area.

Jack
 
MaddyDean said:
Now that you say that thing about the shade--it make sense, the south side of my boat--outstanding, the north side, like others--I thought it was oxidation and just could not get rid of it--I guess I have to get her in the water, anchor with the port facing south, grab a beer and lay out on the deck all day to see if your advice fixes it--the horror.
Click to expand...

Water in the gel still may or may not be the case. I actually would gravitate towards thinking that oxidation is the cause before the water thing - especially on an older boat where the gel has had plenty of time to breathe. But, I did want to throw that possibility out - especially since it may be something that most people aren't aware of.

However, doing some boat work by simply cracking a few beers and seeing what the sun does (sometimes takes a few days) isn't all that bad!

Back to Jack - knowing it's on both sides pretty much eliminates water in the gel as the cause (as I'm sure you already figured out).
 
Heres my take. It could just be the gelcoat itself. I have been wheeling our boat for years and used some top quality products. The can get the gelcoat to shine like crazy and I KNOW im cutting all the oxidation off BUT. Even after rubbing and glazing it still has the haze you describe. I sometimes noticed that glazing sometimes gives the surface a haze it doesn't have if I just compound it. The glaze does hide any swirl marks though. Here is my theory. Gelcoat is a porous material. Even though you rub your balls off it's still gonna be porous and will not look like a painted surface that is solid. I know the new boats do shine like a new car but I feel this is due to the fact there may be a smoother top layer to the gelcoat left from the mold. Once this original smooth surface weathers off it will always have the haze since the natural pores of the gelcoat have now been exposed.
Our boat shines like crazy when viewed on angles but in direct sun it will show the haze you describe. Now 9 out of 10 boaters would probably never notice this but perfecionists such as ourselves do. I have come to the conclusion that since I know I've done the proper polish/wax techniqe I must accept the results as a characteristic of gelcoat.
 
Skuza said:
Heres my take. It could just be the gelcoat itself. I have been wheeling our boat for years and used some top quality products. The can get the gelcoat to shine like crazy and I KNOW im cutting all the oxidation off BUT. Even after rubbing and glazing it still has the haze you describe. I sometimes noticed that glazing sometimes gives the surface a haze it doesn't have if I just compound it. The glaze does hide any swirl marks though. Here is my theory. Gelcoat is a porous material. Even though you rub your balls off it's still gonna be porous and will not look like a painted surface that is solid. I know the new boats do shine like a new car but I feel this is due to the fact there may be a smoother top layer to the gelcoat left from the mold. Once this original smooth surface weathers off it will always have the haze since the natural pores of the gelcoat have now been exposed.
Our boat shines like crazy when viewed on angles but in direct sun it will show the haze you describe. Now 9 out of 10 boaters would probably never notice this but perfecionists such as ourselves do. I have come to the conclusion that since I know I've done the proper polish/wax techniqe I must accept the results as a characteristic of gelcoat.
Click to expand...
I think it's as you say 99 out of 100 boaters wouldn't notice what I'm talking about but I'm anal. I have to some times actually lay down on the dock to get the angle right so I can see it.
WHAT ME HAVE PROBLEMS.

Jack
 
earthmover17 said:
I think it's as you say 99 out of 100 boaters wouldn't notice what I'm talking about but I'm anal. I have to some times actually lay down on the dock to get the angle right so I can see it.
WHAT ME HAVE PROBLEMS.

Jack
Click to expand...

Ya I don't have "issues" either!
Ever notice some spots where the factory fixed the gelcoat. You can see the ring where they spotted it in if you catch the light just right!
 
earthmover17 said:
I think it's as you say 99 out of 100 boaters wouldn't notice what I'm talking about but I'm anal. I have to some times actually lay down on the dock to get the angle right so I can see it.
WHAT ME HAVE PROBLEMS.

Jack
Click to expand...

wife had to yell at me to stop--at least $80 in different wax's, 5 different applicators, a few pairs of socks and a broken burnt out electric polisher.

Not to mention metal polish, and wax removing cloths, Woodies Wax for quick touch ups.

then the next morning there is bird stuff on it so do the whole thing again so it even.
 
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