When the gelcoat on your boat has faded, it can make your boat look dull, tired and lacklustre. It can certainly make you lose your enthusiasm for its appearance!
Through damage caused by the elements, the soft surface of the gelcoat is eroded and can leave it looking chalky and dull in its appearance. However, restoring your gelcoat is one of the easiest boat tasks that you can undertake and is easy to do yourself.
To help to restore the colour, shine and appearance of your boat, choose a gelcoat restorer. Gelcoat restorers are suitable for fibreglass (GRP) gelcoats and can help to give long lasting effects, wetting the pigment to restore a strong and vibrant colour and shine.
Waxes and polishes simply sit on the surface and will not have lasting results. Owatrol’s Gelcoat & Surface Restorer (Marine Polytrol) penetrates deep into the surface to help protect against corrosion and blemishes. Helping you to not only restore your gelcoat but also make maintenance much easier.
Gelcoat Restorer is full of benefits:
- Long-lasting effects
- Protection against corrosion
- Restores colour and shine
- Easy to apply
- Doesn’t need wax or polish.
It is natural for time and exposure to erode the appearance of a gelcoat. However, by restoring it, you are not only making your boat more pleasing to the eye, but you are making it last longer.
The beauty of Gelcoat Restorer is that you don’t need expensive waxes or polishes that merely sit on the surface. Applying waxes can be time-consuming and is often a fruitless task.
With Gelcoat Restorer, you know that the formula is penetrating deep within the gelcoat. This gives long-lasting and more effective results which restore the pigments, eliminating the need for frequent maintenance.
How To Apply Gelcoat Restorer
Gelcoat Restorer is simple and easy to apply and can be done in five short steps, some of which you can often omit depending on the state of your gelcoat to begin with:
- Firstly, tape off and protect all of the areas of the boat you don’t want to treat.
- Thoroughly clean the boat, this can be done with soapy warm water or more effectively with Owaclean hull and deck cleaner. If you have any mildew then use a bleach-based solution to get rid of it. If there is waterline scum or limescale you can use Owayell to remove it.
- With Gelcoat Restorer, drying times are short (usually less than 10 minutes) so section off your work in small, achievable areas.
- Soak a soft, clean cloth in Gelcoat Restorer and wipe onto the gelcoat. Remember to wipe off the excess liquid as quickly as possible. (Failure to do so may result in a patchy and uneven appearance).
- Gently buff the gelcoat with a lint-free cloth to achieve a superior sheen.
Ensuring The Best Results
For best results when using Gelcoat Restorer, do not apply in direct sunlight or when the gelcoat surface is hot to the touch. Gelcoat Restorer is designed to restore pigment, colour and shine to the gelcoat, so it is not suitable to be used on white surfaces – to reduce yellowing on white you can use Owayell.
With Gelcoat Restorer, maintenance is easy. The results are long-lasting but when you see they are fading, simply repeat the easy process again.
We hope you found this post on how to restore a faded gelcoat helpful. If you have any other advice or top tips, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. We love hearing from you!
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About Owatrol Team
Our team are ready and willing to support you with your requirements whether it is protecting your newly laid deck or renovating a luxury yacht, whatever the application Owatrol has the solution you are looking for.
Your website is very clear and helpful. We need to use Polytrol colour restorer to rejuvenate our 2008 Beneteau Monte Carlo. Are we better to buy from you direct or do you have a stockist near to Falmouth?
Many thanks
Brian and Glen Reeve-Fowkes
Hi Brian & Glen,
Thank you for your query.
You can purchase directly through us – we offer great customer service and support before during and after purchasing and all orders are sent next working day delivery if placed before 3pm
Alternatively, we have authorised partners that sell our products who have all been trained to have the latest technical knowledge and support for all Owatrol products.
If you would like to learn which authorised partners we have, please click here: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/authorised-partners/
Alternatively, if you would like to purchase directly from us, please click here: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/polytrol/
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi cani use your product on my campervan roof. It went dull so i used T cut on it which I now think was a mistake. I want to bring the shine back so will your product do this ? If the answer is yes then can i order it direct from you or do you have a supplier in the Derby Area I can purchase it from.
Many thanks.
Hi John,
So long as the colour of your roof is not white, then yes, Polytrol can be used to bring back both the colour and shine.
There is a supplier in Chesterfield that stocks some Owatrol products, but I am not sure if they stock this particular one. I would recommend calling them to find out just to be certain – Their details are:
CROWN DECORATING CENTRE
362-364 CHATSWORTH ROAD
BRAMPTON
CHESTERFIELD
S40 2DQ
Tel: 01246 563857
Email: chesterfield@crownpaints.co.uk
If they do not stock it, you can order directly from us.
Please do not hesitate to contact us further should you require any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Re the comment above about a motorhome roof being dull. What is your recommendation if the IS white.
Thanks
June
Hi there June,
Unfortunately we do not have an option for restoring white substrates.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Have just applied Owatrol Gelcoat restorer to our blue hulled Beneteau.
Will we need to apply polish on our next visit to seal it?
Hi there Don,
You can safely apply a polish on top of your gelcoat but there is no need to.
Please feel free to give us a call to discuss further should you have any more questions: 01582 592707
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi,
looks potentially like a good solution. A a few questions:
How long will the restored colour last? Will I need to reapply Owatrol?
Does the restored substrate need to be clear coated? With A clear lacquer or varnish?
And will that improve the life of the Owatrol
Thanks
Hi there Andrew,
How long Polytrol will last depends on a few factors such as the amount of UV rays, weathering and pollution the surface is subjected to. In some cases, surfaces will need a reapplication after 12 months but usually Polytrol will last a lot longer, more in the region of 18-24 months+
Using a clear coat over the top of Polytrol is not necessary.
I hope this was helpful, please feel free to give us a call on: 01582 592707 or drop us an email at: sales@owatroluk.com if you require any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
I am a user of this, I have an old boat that had been left in the sun for years with no protection, I cut back the hull with cutting compound then after a thorough wash and dry use this. I apply it with an old cut up towel. Rubbing it in well and at the same time taking off any excess. The result is very good.
I’ve used this in the UK, and an apparently similar product from PPG ‘Penetrol Wood Oil’ in New Zealand on GRP gel coat, both with good results.
Is Owatrol’s Gelcoat & Surface Restorer (Marine Polytrol) available in New Zealand? If so, who stocks it?
Or is PPG ‘Penetrol Wood Oil’ (or PPG’s Flood Penetrol 1L Paint Conditioner And Primer) essentially the same product?
Many thanks
Hi there Charles,
Our Australia and New Zealand stockist details are as follows:
Huehn & Partners
ABN 75077287953
PO Box 227
Cannonvale QLD 4802
Australia
Email: contact@deksolje.com.au
Website: http://www.deksolje.com.au
All the best,
The Owatrol UK Team