86 Ski Nautique Restoration (Part 6 Gelcoat)

Decal removal, wet sanding, compound buffing, and polishing to bring the gel coat back to life.

Always consult the wife before posting ;) He left out a few key details with wet sanding.
1. Is it necessary.....YES! I would love to skip this step, but it is a must if you want your color popping and your oxidation completely removed.
2. Wash the boat with dawn dish soap and soft bristle brush first. Remove decals and sticky stuff (the wet sanding won't remove the sticky residue)
3. Keep your surface wet. I use a spray gun with water and a drop of dawn dish soap in it. I spray, sand, spray, sand, and wipe with a rag as I go. You can use an orbital sander or your buffer/polisher tool.
4. Don't be afraid of coarse wet-sand paper. I like using 500 grit and then 1000 grit. The Mirka Abralon pads are worth the money. They work way better. Link below.

Product Links:
Wet Sanding Discs:
1000 grit: https://amzn.to/3xTZebD
500 Grit: https://amzn.to/3tuENSk
Buffing Compound:
Gallon: https://amzn.to/2X2pm82
Pint: https://amzn.to/3DUZ604
Polish: https://amzn.to/3jT2VuK
Buffer/Polisher: You can use this to wet sand too.
Cheapest (we used): Bauer from Harbor Freight
Best Mid-Price: Dewalt: https://amzn.to/3jS3C7j
Best Results (what we will upgrade to): https://amzn.to/3zUYhlh
Heat Gun: https://amzn.to/3yRiveo