Gel Coat
The general attitude among boat owners is that Gelcoat work is ‘easy’. The opposite is far more the reality. Any boat owner who properly reads the instructions for gelcoat repair, and attempts even a simple job, quickly finds that the time required and the potential for horrible results…call for a professional approach.
Surface and color blending into the surrounding hull/deck is extremely difficult. Even professionals have limited success in making a damaged area ‘disappear‘ into the surrounding surface created by the manufacturer. Even if the color match is near-perfect, the area will change color quickly, if the owner does not keep up with buffing and waxing.
The impossibility of matching the exact tint mix with the new gelcoat material, plus the existing oxidation of the original gelcoat, requires the owner to buff and wax the entire hull area far more often than usual to avoid the unstoppable discoloring that will certainly occur over time. Gelcoat repair(s) are guaranteed to create surface color and texture imperfections, even when done by experienced professionals.