Hello,

I am re-coat a canoe. I've done this before and all went well. But, this time I think either the surfacing agent was bad or I misapplied it.

It’s been a week since I applied the gelcoat. I applied 3-4 coats with a roller. Each had the correct amount of catalyst in it and was well mixed. The final coat had the surfacing agent in it, but I fear here is where I messed up. In prior gelcoat jobs the surfacing agent was clear, but it cooled it would turn “cloudy” — I assume the wax coming out of solution. This stuff had huge bits of wax floating around even at 75+ degrees.

The surface is "hard" in the sense that it isn't tacky, but I still get tiny amounts under my fingernail if I pick at it. It looks fine until some water gets on it and then it “spots” where the water touches it. After the water is gone the original color returns. I’ve attache a photo.

What are my options at this point? Would covering it with wax work? If I can find it, would PVA work? Or, do I need to sand? If I have to sand, how much? (I ****really*** hope I don’t have to remove all the new layers.)

Thanks so much for any advice.

Sincerely,

Samantha

Hi,

Thanks for the replies.

I don't know the brand name of the gelcoat or the surfacing agent. We only have one store in town that sells the stuff and I bought from them. They'll open on Monday and I could ask them then.

I catalyzed 1 pint at a time with 8 cc of MEK and mixed it very well.

The surfacing agent, again don't remember the name, contained wax in suspension, but not completely dissolved at 75 degrees. In times past I remember the surfacing agent as being clear at 75 degrees, but would turn into a solid when it was cold, say, less than 50 degrees, but would become a liquid again when it got near room temp. 

I think my problem is that I used a baster-like gizmo to draw the surfacing agent out of the bottle and measure it. This worked in the past, but then that was with the agent described above that was clear. This time I think all I was getting was the solvent and very little wax.

Today, as the rain stopped and things warmed, the spots shown in the photo have totally gone. But, I know the gelcoat hasn't hardened. I took a bit of acetone and tested and immediately the surface got super tacky.

So, my questions are...

1. It has been a week since I applied the gelcoat. Is it too late to cover the surface in wax/PVA?

2. Assuming it is too late, what do I do now? Sand off the gel coat and start again?

3. I applied 3 coats originally, each catalyzed as described above, have the first two coats fully cured and it is only the top coat that is un-cured? In other words, if I sand off the final coat, can I apply a new final coat over the previous two?

Thanks again for your help. The only good thing about this story is my canoeing season is pretty much over and I won't need this boat until next year. But, I feel like a such a dolt....

-Samantha