Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Hmmmm. A few choices: you could try to remove the chalkiness, you could get a decal or you could mask it off and use 1 part or two part polyurethane paint. Mine is pretty worn out too but I'm ignoring it!
You're making this way too difficult. Wet sand with 2000 grit paper, then a thorough polish. This should completely remove the chalkiness and restore the original deep blue. (Verify after drying thoroughly.) Then seal it in with a good wax.
That's what I did on my C250, and will be doing the same thing on my C34MkII later this week.
Rick S., Swarthmore, PA PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor) New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)
Rick is right, But It will only temporarily fix the colored Gelcoat for a few months. I use a buffing wheel to bring mine back to New condition every spring but it's all chalky by the end of summer. I was thinking of top coating it with PolyGlow like a clear coat on a car. Might work.
Scott-"IMPULSE"87'C25/SR/WK/Din.#5688 Sailing out of Glen Cove,L.I Sound
When I said polish, I meant using a rotating electric buffer. A good wax, like 885 fleet wax, should prevent chalking, although it will need annual maintenance just like the rest of your hull needs it to knock out oxidation.
Follow Maine Sail's instructions on Sailnet. It's in one of the links that I posted.
Rick S., Swarthmore, PA PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor) New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)
I think it was Practical Sailor that said Cololnite's Insulator Wax was their longest lasting. The problems described for boot stripes here are sorta what I have with my whole dark green hull. I start with a light-duty rubbing compound... Then I was using Insulator Wax but started using Nu Finish--a non-wax, polymer car polish that really lasts and doesn't seem to build up like Poli GLow. "Wipe on, wipe off" like the Karate Kid. (Doesn't sound very "nautical", but......)
Dave Bristle Association "Port Captain" for Mystic/Stonington CT PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage, USCG "sixpack" (expired), Now on Eastern 27 $+!nkp*+ Sarge
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.