bertram31.com

Had a question about where to buy and who to buy. I see quite a range in prices for White Gel coat, like $40/gal to $120/gal, so there must be a difference in quality. What brand is best or recommended? And what was the thinner that capt Pat recommended for spraying? A lot of sites say Acetone, but I have also read that it is not what should be used.

Scott,

There are three acceptable ways to thin gelcoat without greatly affecting quality. Styrene, patch booster, and straight polyester thin layup resin.

Styrene can be used up to 15% and is going to introduce plenty more VOC's into the atmosphere, but is the most compatible.

Patch booster is a highly refined clear thin polyester resin, again up to 15%, and it will reduce your pot life by about 30% - 50%.

Straight thin layup resin will work just like the patch booster, except that it will slightly discolor the gelcoat if you're shooting white or other very pale color. Doesn't accelerate the kick time as much as patch booster.

Also see: Re-gelcoating your boat in the tips section.

Buy your gelcoat from a local fiberglass supply, never from a big box store. If you order to be shipped, be aware of the hazmat charges in addition to general shipping costs...

And speaking of "NEVER": NEVER thin gelcoat or resin with acetone! Acetone is, in my opinion, only for cleaning tools.

Br

PAtrick

Thanks Capt Pat, I found the article you wrote after I posted, but finding gel coat locally is tough. Only west Marine and marina's with no clue. The last I bought from them, that I used on the 13 Whaler, was flashed in the can when I opened it and they wouldn't give me any money back. I know Gel coat does not last long on the shelf, so no one carries it. I was hoping to find a place that sold the no wax but did sell the wax for hardening. I can't remember the place I got "bertram white" from 8 years ago, but that include a bottle of wax, tinting etc., for the last coat and to this day the brige still looks great after soft scurb and wax.

I just don't want to take two steps backwards after 2 years of redoing the interior.

I use Valspar and armorflex, I have had very good results with both, I usally thin my gel coat with 10% styrene when spraying and coat with PVA, If I am brushing I do not thin it I only add wax/mold release(no PVA needed). The supply house by my house is $352 for a 5gallon pail. I found out where they buy from and talked the nice lady on the phone into setting me up an acct. I am paying less than $175 for 5gallons now. Joe

Scott,

I bought some gel coat from these guys. It was already mixed for the Bertram color and it blended quite well on my project.

http://minicraft.com/

Dick

I have only used little bits of gell coat sourced form the local marine store. I was only doing patches of screw holes and the like. What I found is that the pigment is expensive so the suppliers cheap out on it. All my patches showed through no matter what I did until I purchased extra (white) pigment and added it in. Then I suddenly had no trouble making good looking patches.

I don't pretend to know why one supplier might charge a lot more than another for gel coat, I am sure there are many reasons; but one reason might be the amount of pigment they mix in.

Peter

I buy all my supplies from these guys -- they may not be the cheapest, but they are high end products, nice people, and I have NEVER had a product issue with them. Everything that went into my B31 came from there.

http://www.lbifiberglass.com/POLYGELCOATS/polygel.html

Scott!!!! How the heck are you!!!!??? I second the LBI recommendation from Tom.

HI Scott,

Where are you located? Barnegat Light Fiberglass, NJ, sells it both wax and without. They are usually 20% cheaper than LBI if you have an acount. You can get gallons and 5 gallons pails. I think a 5 gal no wax white was like 180 about a month ago.

If you can pick it up from me...in NJ. I have an acount.

thums76@hotmail.com

Greg

Greg, thanks for the offer, but I am in MA near the cape.

Dug, it has been a while, I have not been able to put the boat in the water for the last few years due to college and ex wife, but using the time to alter the interior a bit. I would like to use it occasionally for weekends and the interior of a 31 is not really made for that. Hopefully next year I can get the boat wet again, if I win the lottery, well maybe not because the ex would get that too.

Just to add another source option, I have had good experiences with

http://www.fibreglast.com/

Scott,
I found that Cooks Armor Coat has the best fade retention (10 years), when I was building boats that's the only gel coat that I would even consider, It's also the most expensive, about twice as much as everyone else on the market. A local rep for one of the composite/ resin companies should be able to hook you up with the right material. What part of the country are you located in, I still might have some phone numbers if you haven't found a source for the gel coat yet. My cell is 561-310-7179 or e-mail me.
Pete Fallon

I have heard that Glue products in W Palm Beach,Fl will color match your sample much like an automotive paint store,fyi