Ok, i have a root beer/metallic flake finish on my 75 tahiti and it has started to get cloudy on the bow.  The finish is also getting a little rough.  Does my finish need to be completely re-done or is there something else i can do to take the cloud out and smooth it out like original?

Any suggestions?  Help

Sounds to me like the gelcoat has worn through.........Got any pics?

I have seen people have limited sucess with Duratec Clear (gelcoat with a Duratec addative sprayed over colorsanded flake)..

IMHO I would do something soon before it gets too bad....

GT

my buddy just used automotive clear to topcoat his 76 hawiian.we rub it out to 3000 grit by hand and it look brand new! just my suggestion.......                             jake

Just don't use Vertglass or other polymer gel coat treatments. Might be OK if you're trying to spruce up to sell, but then the buyer is going to be pissed, because it just won't last. Ask me how I know.

i need to go over and get full size pics.but you can kinda see what it looks like    (yes,that is me in the pic)

He started with 1200 sanding,then shot the whole top.They used old school transstar clear.If and when I paint my project I would use ppg.And to let you know ppg clear is expensive. :banghead:The clear is the best and will last up to 25 years.I know this because I rub out cars for a living.As for keeping up the hawaiian,we never set anything on the with out a towel underneath.It does scratch, so when you lay down clear I do mean lay it down!!! most of the time we rub on it every time we go out.I will get some more pics soon.

The boat was his dad's,he bought it when the boat was 11 months old.This is the boat I learned to ski,wakebord,kneebord on.His dad just bought a house at the river and his parents after 33 years wanted something to cut through the chop better.If you need any more help on preping,or laying down the clear let me know!

   I am a professional painter and have done these repairs with automotive paint.  I agree using the clear but go with an acyrlicurethane or polyurathane clear.  Use 500 or 600 grit wet paper to prep for the clear.  1200 is much too fine.  Gelcoat is very hard and so it clear paint.  They don't stick well unless you ruff it up enough.  I would also put down an adhesion promoter before the clear(bonding clear for best adhesion)  Lay on 3-4 coats of the urethane clear.  Wait a couple of days and color sand with 1200 then rub out with buffer and finishing glaze.  3000 grit will never get the impurfections out. (dirt and orange peel) The finish will look better than new because urethane clear has a much higher sheen than gel coat.  You will have to treat it like the paint on your car but the gloss will last for years and years.  Let me know if you have any other questions
     Darryl

   For those who are wondering what shine improvement you will have putting clear over a cloudy gelcoat.  Run the hose over the cloudy area and the gloss you will see when the boat is wet is pretty much what you will see if you put the clear on on colarsand and polish after.  Metalflake will be glittering all over the place.  Like I said , have done this many times. Same as sanding, sand with 500-600 grit wet.  The clear will fill these scratches.  Wet the area that has been sanded and thats what the finished clearcoat will look like.