How much GelCoat??

[Yamtt125]

Alright guys,
The time is coming near where i'll be gelcoating the entire boat. Does anybody have an idea of how much i'll need to do the hull, and the inside? I know most of the members here have gone with paint, but hopefully somebody will have an idea of how much i'll need.

Also, has anybody changed the color of gelcoat buy using the color pigments? I'm thinking of doing the hull in iether a sea foam green, or an ice blue. I know the site mini craft sells colored gels, but that prices imho are a little steep, and thats why i was consodering mixing it myself.
-Andrew

[edloh]

andrew,

on my 23 sceptre, i used

7 gallons on the hull
8 gallon on the inside.

[1bayouboy]

Would love to see some pics of the gel coating process......

[Bigshrimpin]

15 gallons seems like way too much to me. Are you sure you don't mean quarts?

I sprayed a portion of a white hull . . . black and hardly used 12oz to cover the sides of the gunnel cap (20 MA). 1/2 duratec clear 1/2 neutral gelcoat mixed with black pigment.

[EBEACH]

Andrew,

What size boat and which style?

For a 20, I would guess 2-3 gallons for the hull (from the chine up and the whole transom). My 23 deck cap will take about 1.5 to 2 gallons. Yes, you can mix in the colorant to achieve what ever you want. It can be a bit of a pain in the a$$, because you have to over estimate how much you're going to use.

You will probably want to buy a no-wax gel coat, and add the surfacing agent for your last coat.

If you are really going to do it, I recommend buying the gel coat in a large tub. It is sold by the pound in large quantities. A 45 lb bucket is somewhere between 4-5 gallons.

If you are planning on a dark color (i.e. flag blue) you will need neutral gel coat and then add the liquid dispersion colorant. White gel coat can yield pastel and lighter colors.

I’m in the middle of this myself; I’ve had some problems with orange peel too deep in the coverage. Most likely my fault as it was a very hot and humid day that I made the spray. Long story short, I will most likely do a base coat, then sand out, and then come back with a duratec mix for the top coat. I will know more this week when I get back home and start sanding some new work I did last week. I'm not far from you if you want to come over to see what is going on.

Jim

[Yamtt125]

Sorry, it's a 20' SF...can't believe i forgot to mention that detail.

I'm gonna have to agree with Bigshrimpin, 15 gallons seems like alot.

EBEACH, i'm planning on gelling the cap, and the entire hull including the bottom. Do your estimates include the use of duratec, or another thinner to spray it easier? Even though, if i do use duratec, it wont be much, I've heard that it can make the gell look sort of blotchy if you use too much of it.

I'm most like likely going to go with a light blue color for the hull.

Where do you get your supplies? I've gotton stuff at LBI in groton, and at Mertons in Springfield. For the gel, i think i'm gonna go to LBI.
-andrew

[EBEACH]

That estimate would be without thinner. I get my stuff from Mertons. I bought the Duratec from Composites One in Bristol,RI. I plan to use the 50/50 mix that Duratec recommends. I would like to hear from others that have used it. If you don't use the 50/50 mix, will it cure properly??

I may be on the road to paint, but I had purchased the gel coat a few months ago by the pail. I will give that my best shot and take it from there.

I need to set up an online photo page so I can post some pictures. Sorry for not posting.

Jim

[JohnB]

I shot/sprayed some gelcoat with duratec a couple months ago. IMHO, this is what I would suggest.

Get the biggest tip lphv gun you can find, I used a 2.3. DONT use the duratec except for the last coat. If you have to thin the gelcoat to get it to flow out of the gun, maybe 10% or so on the duratec. Obviously, you don't use waxed gelcoat. It really takes 2 to spray, one to keep mixing, and one spray. I could get 1/2 the side of a 23' seacraft done with one quart mixed. You could shoot 2 cups before it "kicked" in the gun, if you worked fast. Then you had to "clean" the gun. Have lots of acetone on hand, get a paint suit and a VERY good mask. As for the result, this was the first time I used this product. I think I was a little thin in places. Plan on 3-4 med coats, especially if you have bare glass to go over, than one coat of 50-50 duratec. I would look at putting 3-4 coats on, than spending a day or so to wet sand back any peel/problems, then come back and hit it with the 50-50 duratec/gelcoat.

If you have any questions, let me know, or give me a shout.

[edloh]

it amount is in gallons. you want to leave enough gelcoat to allow for sanding. shoot 3 to 4 coats. go to the bertram website on how to spray it. i would avoid duratec as it would compromise the properties of the gelcoat. you have to sand anyways. once i figure out how to post pictures i would do so.