The gelcoat on my older cruiser has gone really chalky and dull, and cutting compound only brings it back for a few months. I'm trying to decide whether recoating with gelcoat is realistic or whether I should just have the hull painted instead.
Chalky, faded gelcoat that no longer responds to compounding has usually oxidised right through its thin outer layer, so the decision comes down to how much sound gelcoat remains beneath. Where the gelcoat is thick and sound, a roll-and-tip flowcoat or a fresh gelcoat can restore a hard, durable finish, and the gelcoats and flowcoats range covers that route. Where it is thin, patchy or already crazing, a quality two-pack topside paint is often the more predictable and longer-lasting result, since gelcoat over marginal substrate can be hard to apply evenly on a vertical surface. Either way, thorough preparation, degreasing and keying is what determines whether the finish lasts. Tell us the boat's age and the state of the existing gelcoat and we can point you to the more sensible option.
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