Gelcoat care

What is the best way to prolong gelcoat life?

I have a friend that says that waxing, polishing is only good for the
pilot, does almost nothing for the gelcoat.

I really don't know much about this issue.
Would it make sense to cut a bit off like .002 every once in a while to
stop/prevent any crazing? Then wax it?

Does Gelcoat off gas over time and then start going bad?

Seeing how very little time most ships are out in the sun, a lot of them
look rough. Sailboats sit outside 24/7 and can look good for many years.
Whats up? Should I be parking my LS3a in a Marina?

Do nothing or try and work on the gelcoat to attempt to get the longest
life out of it; or something in between?

If Gelcoat does off gas, and kind of dries out and cracks,would it make
sense during the winter lay up to cover the gelcoat with a coat of wax, to
seal it, and then buff it off come spring?

Here is a good technical article. The two component process
mentioned in the article refers the Wx Seal and Wx Block.

http://www.wingsandwheels.com/Weather%20Block%20Tech.h
tm

John Galloway

At 13:32 30 October 2013, Nick Kennedy wrote:
What is the best way to prolong gelcoat life?

I have a friend that says that waxing, polishing is only good
for th
pilot, does almost nothing for the gelcoat.

I really don't know much about this issue.
Would it make sense to cut a bit off like .002 every once in a
while t
stop/prevent any crazing? Then wax it?

Does Gelcoat off gas over time and then start going bad?

Seeing how very little time most ships are out in the sun, a lot
of the
look rough. Sailboats sit outside 24/7 and can look good for
many years
Whats up? Should I be parking my LS3a in a Marina?

Do nothing or try and work on the gelcoat to attempt to get
the longes
life out of it; or something in between?

If Gelcoat does off gas, and kind of dries out and
cracks,would it mak
sense during the winter lay up to cover the gelcoat with a coat
of wax, t
seal it, and then buff it off come spring?

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:20:11 AM UTC-4, John Galloway wrote:
Here is a good technical article. The two component process

mentioned in the article refers the Wx Seal and Wx Block.



http://www.wingsandwheels.com/Weather%20Block%20Tech.h

I have read testimony from other pilots here that this stuff works but this
still does not explain why (massive) fiberglass boats, which probably never get
waxed, don't crack. Is it because they don't flex?
I have a friend with an old ASW-19 in which the wings are really crazed but
the fuselage is not.

Searching the archives I found a long 2003 RAS thread about Gelcoat. It was
a good discussion involving several top people.
What I got out of it was, there is not much a owner can do about Gelcoat
life. Some real experts advise not to wax as it may keep any water vapor [
? ] trapped in the Gelcoat and that could cause problems. They say you
want it to be able to breathe to some extent.
Other experts swear waxing is good for the surface and waxing will
discourage yellowing and fading.
Why sailboats look good after many years seem to come from the fact that
when they come out of the mold they are not worked on further, the
Gelcoat surface is left intact, while gliders come out of the molds and
there is a lot of work to be done to them, aggressive sanding to the
Gelcoat seems to open minute cracks that can propagate, it seems, says the
experts.
Me? I'm going to continue to wax. Makes me feel good. I like the smell.
Makes me feel like I'm trying to make a effort to keep the refinish man
away for as long as possible.

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:59:24 AM UTC-7, dogger wrote:
Searching the archives I found a long 2003 RAS thread about Gelcoat. It was

a good discussion involving several top people.

What I got out of it was, there is not much a owner can do about Gelcoat

life. Some real experts advise not to wax as it may keep any water vapor [

? ] trapped in the Gelcoat and that could cause problems. They say you

want it to be able to breathe to some extent.

Other experts swear waxing is good for the surface and waxing will

discourage yellowing and fading.

Why sailboats look good after many years seem to come from the fact that

when they come out of the mold they are not worked on further, the

Gelcoat surface is left intact, while gliders come out of the molds and

there is a lot of work to be done to them, aggressive sanding to the

Gelcoat seems to open minute cracks that can propagate, it seems, says the

experts.

Me? I'm going to continue to wax. Makes me feel good. I like the smell.

Makes me feel like I'm trying to make a effort to keep the refinish man

away for as long as possible.



Boats survive better in harsher conditions because they use better gelcoat than the German sailplanes do. This has mostly to do with certification requirements for anything "new". Tends to reduce innovation in that area. It's such a pity to pay top dollar for new glider with a finish that we all know won't last more than 15 years.
Craig

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 3:45:26 PM UTC-5, Craig Funston wrote:
On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:59:24 AM UTC-7, dogger wrote:

Searching the archives I found a long 2003 RAS thread about Gelcoat. It was



a good discussion involving several top people.



What I got out of it was, there is not much a owner can do about Gelcoat



life. Some real experts advise not to wax as it may keep any water vapor [



? ] trapped in the Gelcoat and that could cause problems. They say you



want it to be able to breathe to some extent.



Other experts swear waxing is good for the surface and waxing will



discourage yellowing and fading.



Why sailboats look good after many years seem to come from the fact that



when they come out of the mold they are not worked on further, the



Gelcoat surface is left intact, while gliders come out of the molds and



there is a lot of work to be done to them, aggressive sanding to the



Gelcoat seems to open minute cracks that can propagate, it seems, says the



experts.



Me? I'm going to continue to wax. Makes me feel good. I like the smell..



Makes me feel like I'm trying to make a effort to keep the refinish man



away for as long as possible.







Boats survive better in harsher conditions because they use better gelcoat than the German sailplanes do. This has mostly to do with certification requirements for anything "new". Tends to reduce innovation in that area. It's such a pity to pay top dollar for new glider with a finish that we all know won't last more than 15 years.

Craig

I suggest the difference to boats is due to the structural differences between the two. Boats use polyester based resins as the matrix between the glass fibers, all glider structure is based on an epoxy resins. Gel-coat is a polyester resin that seems to like the same as a base over which it is applied. Bonding between epoxy and polyester polymers is more difficult because of the chemical and physical(expansion coefficient?) differences.

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 4:45:26 PM UTC-4, Craig Funston wrote:
On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:59:24 AM UTC-7, dogger wrote:

Searching the archives I found a long 2003 RAS thread about Gelcoat. It was



a good discussion involving several top people.



What I got out of it was, there is not much a owner can do about Gelcoat



life. Some real experts advise not to wax as it may keep any water vapor [



? ] trapped in the Gelcoat and that could cause problems. They say you



want it to be able to breathe to some extent.



Other experts swear waxing is good for the surface and waxing will



discourage yellowing and fading.



Why sailboats look good after many years seem to come from the fact that



when they come out of the mold they are not worked on further, the



Gelcoat surface is left intact, while gliders come out of the molds and



there is a lot of work to be done to them, aggressive sanding to the



Gelcoat seems to open minute cracks that can propagate, it seems, says the



experts.



Me? I'm going to continue to wax. Makes me feel good. I like the smell..



Makes me feel like I'm trying to make a effort to keep the refinish man



away for as long as possible.







Boats survive better in harsher conditions because they use better gelcoat than the German sailplanes do. This has mostly to do with certification requirements for anything "new". Tends to reduce innovation in that area. It's such a pity to pay top dollar for new glider with a finish that we all know won't last more than 15 years.

Craig

15 years? I know of many gliders that look great after 30. I own one! I think the answer has more to do with the weight and finish. BTW I see many boats with gelcoat that would make a glider owner cry but on a boat it not a big deal. Not many boat owners stare down and whip every inch of their hulls every time they use them.

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 12:49:15 PM UTC-4, Soartech wrote:
On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:20:11 AM UTC-4, John Galloway wrote:

Here is a good technical article. The two component process



mentioned in the article refers the Wx Seal and Wx Block.







http://www.wingsandwheels.com/Weather%20Block%20Tech.h



I have read testimony from other pilots here that this stuff works but this

still does not explain why (massive) fiberglass boats, which probably never get

waxed, don't crack. Is it because they don't flex?

I have a friend with an old ASW-19 in which the wings are really crazed but

the fuselage is not.

Good article. Gelcoat is a petroleum based product and will dry out. Its easier to maintain then to bring back.

I though researched showed that waxing was not especially good for the performance of the wing. I recall testing associated with deturbulator tape, included findings of a wing surface sheen effecting performance. Various means of removing some of the sheen increased performance. Anyone??

.... Aaron

On Wednesday, October 30, 2013 7:32:14 AM UTC-6, dogger wrote:
What is the best way to prolong gelcoat life?



I have a friend that says that waxing, polishing is only good for the

pilot, does almost nothing for the gelcoat.



I really don't know much about this issue.

Would it make sense to cut a bit off like .002 every once in a while to

stop/prevent any crazing? Then wax it?



Does Gelcoat off gas over time and then start going bad?



Seeing how very little time most ships are out in the sun, a lot of them

look rough. Sailboats sit outside 24/7 and can look good for many years.

Whats up? Should I be parking my LS3a in a Marina?



Do nothing or try and work on the gelcoat to attempt to get the longest

life out of it; or something in between?



If Gelcoat does off gas, and kind of dries out and cracks,would it make

sense during the winter lay up to cover the gelcoat with a coat of wax, to

seal it, and then buff it off come spring?



I painted a sailplane several years ago and did a fair amount or research before actually applying the paint. My paint guys told me that sanding the finish actually allows for a more rapid (UV) degradation of the surface as the resin the encapsulates the pigment has been compromised. Waxing does slow the process down. I think that this would also apply to Gelcoat. The more completely a wax would seal the sanded surfaces would be more beneficial, and wax using nano technology such as WX Seal and Block would be closer to the ideal. Other waxes also are now advertising Nano technology. Whether or not they are as effective as the WX products may be open to discussion.