1974 Mako Center Console Resoration
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:02 pm
Hello guys! I found this site though the very helpful videos on youtube. Thanks again for posting!
Over the past few years I have been slowly improving and restoring our 1974 Mako Center Console. The first year it was a new t-top and electronics, motor rebuild and other misc items. This year I repaired and repainted the entire console but since it already had some enamel paint on it I stayed with enamel paint in fear that if I used polyurethane it would bubble any existing enamel I failed to sand completely off. Anyway, the job came out pretty good and I have faith the enamel will hold up because the console doesn't take too much of a beating.
Now we are almost ready to go into the water and I do not have time to repaint the remaining topsides or I will miss this fishing season. Instead I have opted to wash and use a heavy duty stain remover and then minor compound and wax just to get me through this season. Next year it will be time to paint and so I am doing my research on this now.
The existing condition of the gel coat is what any typical 35 year old gel coat would be like. Dull, fine cracks, porous and pitted you get the idea. My question is, there are so many paints out there and so many different technologies to use to say I'm confused would be an understatement. What would I have to do to bring this boat back to life without getting to crazy and spending lots of money? I mean it is a fishing boat and I will not be entering any boat shows anytime soon. I just want to make the gel coat look really good again. The gel-coat is just beyond repair at this point. I can sand it, then stage buff and wax and it still doesn't bring her back to life.
So with all this being said what would be my best bet for paint? I am thinking I have to epoxy all the cracks then prime the entire boat and then finish with a 2-part poly and roll and tip method. Just not sure on products at this point and roll and tip methods for complex areas like the gunwales where there are not that many flat areas.
Over the past few years I have been slowly improving and restoring our 1974 Mako Center Console. The first year it was a new t-top and electronics, motor rebuild and other misc items. This year I repaired and repainted the entire console but since it already had some enamel paint on it I stayed with enamel paint in fear that if I used polyurethane it would bubble any existing enamel I failed to sand completely off. Anyway, the job came out pretty good and I have faith the enamel will hold up because the console doesn't take too much of a beating.
Now we are almost ready to go into the water and I do not have time to repaint the remaining topsides or I will miss this fishing season. Instead I have opted to wash and use a heavy duty stain remover and then minor compound and wax just to get me through this season. Next year it will be time to paint and so I am doing my research on this now.
The existing condition of the gel coat is what any typical 35 year old gel coat would be like. Dull, fine cracks, porous and pitted you get the idea. My question is, there are so many paints out there and so many different technologies to use to say I'm confused would be an understatement. What would I have to do to bring this boat back to life without getting to crazy and spending lots of money? I mean it is a fishing boat and I will not be entering any boat shows anytime soon. I just want to make the gel coat look really good again. The gel-coat is just beyond repair at this point. I can sand it, then stage buff and wax and it still doesn't bring her back to life.
So with all this being said what would be my best bet for paint? I am thinking I have to epoxy all the cracks then prime the entire boat and then finish with a 2-part poly and roll and tip method. Just not sure on products at this point and roll and tip methods for complex areas like the gunwales where there are not that many flat areas.