[Rhodes22-list] Wet Sanding vs. Buffing faded boat

[R22RumRunner at aol.com]

Carol,
Rum Runner was almost twenty years old when I made the decision to repaint  
instead of the normal buffing and waxing. What you do is your choice, but 
after  ten years it's probably time to repaint her. The bottom anti-fouling 
and  possibly a barrier coat can be easily removed with professional sand 
blasting  without removing the gel coat which protects the fiberglass beneath. 
The R22  does not have a clear coat finish to the best of my knowledge.
Which paint you use is your choice, as well as color, but DuPont has some  
really good marine finishes these days. I went with yellow and don't regret  
doing it. 
Glad to see you are still hanging around the old bar. Last May we were in  
Key West and consumed massive quantities of Pain Killers.
 
Rummy
 
 
In a message dated 11/12/2010 2:53:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
CarolN8 at aol.com writes:

My  Rhodes is now 10 years old. It has (had) a dark blue hull which has now 
  
faded and gotten extremely oxidized in the Colorado sun. I have gotten  
quotes to  have it wet-sanded for about $1800. But I just took it to  get 
the 
bottom acid  washed, and the guy there said he can get most  of the color 
back 
by using  chemicals to get the oxidation off and  then buffing it down. The 
stuff I've used  in the past to do this  hasn't worked as well as whatever 
he 
is using. This would  cost  between $800 and $1100. He did a small area 
while 
I was standing there,  and  it did get a much better color by the time he 
buffed it. It's  still somewhat  faded but much better than the rest of the 
 boat.

My question is whether to spend more money and go ahead and  wet-sand it, 
or 
spend less money (but still a significant amount), and do  the oxidation 
removal  and buff. The buff and wax guy said it's  better not to wet sand 
it if 
possible,  because it takes off the  clear coat and more of the gel coat. I 
just don't know  if that's  true or if it's something I should worry about. 

Does anyone have  suggestions as to which way to go on  this?

Thanks!

Carol
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