Repairing Metal Flake Finish On A Bass Boat

In this video, we repair some badly weathered metal flake on a Javelin 279 B bass boat. I share some tips and tricks I've learned over the years on how to repair metal flake on your own. This process will work on fiber glass and also metal. I share different products and tools to use to help make the outcome a success.
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[@chad685]

Thanks for the tips . I’ve got a Stratos 285 pro bass boat that needs some love. Watching your video gave me more confidence on what to do. Not expecting a show boat. Just a finish that’s not an eye sore.

[@rustloversgarage]

I'm glad I could help. Take your time, and you will do just fine. Thx for watching!!

[@jasonbillings3574]

ENJOYED THE VIDEO! DEFINATELY LEARNED SOMETHING NEW!!

[@rustloversgarage]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@hueyang8202]

Looks awesome

[@Techangler65]

Great job and informative

[@rustloversgarage]

Thank you for the support and watching!

[@JohanaSellersConner]

Great video!!! Great Boat!!

[@rustloversgarage]

Turned out good because of the behind the scenes help I got on this one. Thx!!

[@Kevscancave]

Great video! 👍😎👍I’ve said it before..you do a great job of talking. I become more of a mumble mouth as soon as I start a video 👍😝👍 you are smooth! 👍😎👍

[@rustloversgarage]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@robertspeakman8107]

Great job and nice video buddy

[@rustloversgarage]

Thanks 👍

[@lindaelam5549]

Great job! Could you please post the nason activator (binder) number for ful-base coat? What is the black and gray rub you mention in your vedio? Thanks

[@ronjon5386]

That fan pattern should have opened up more. Either way as long as it turned out it’s all good. The way you are spraying in small sections helped with that small pattern. Good job

[@rustloversgarage]

You are correct. Thanks for watching

[@rustloversgarage]

You are correct. Thanks for watching!

[@sll-tt6bj]

You Can adjust the fan pattern on a siphon feed gun

[@rustloversgarage]

I had a hard time finding the "sweet spot" with this gun for some reason. Maybe it was just a LOT (lack of talent). LOL! Thank you for watching!!

[@thefishinpolock]

A quick fix will lead to a longer , proper repair job. Automotive 2 stage enamel does not bond properly with poly resins. It will bond for a year maybe 2 but will eventually start to peel off like a bad sunburn. Resulting in a ton of scraping and chemical disolvers to strip the enamel 2 stage back down to gel coat . Poly flake is what boats use in glitter sled looks, not a metal flake also. I have to agree with Randy vires in your comments. I have spent countless extar billable hours on customers boats removing automotive 2 stage water based enamels from gel coat.

[@ashtonschaffer4754]

Rust lovers garage bigggg question for u brother. I have an old bass boat I’m restoring. It still has some of the candy red with flakes on it but some of the paint and flakes are completely gone from over time sun absorption and much more. Do you recommend just repainting and spraying flake and getting it over with or try and use some clear gel coat first.

[@rustloversgarage]

I would lay down the flake first. I have found it does a good job binding to a less than perfectly clean base. Then go over with gel or clear. Which ever your budget and time will allow.

[@glenvickery8982]

Can you tell me more about the baby shampoo solution thanks

[@atbda]

Does the Nason Ful-Base binder you used for the flake have a product number? Can't read the small print on the can in your video. The other three Nason products you used have large, easily readable product ID numbers.

[@rustloversgarage]

I will get the number for you and reply.

[@ganeshnarayan5505]

Great video had a question can i do same process on a car bumper cover and is binder and intercoat clear same thing.

[@rustloversgarage]

Yes the same thing can be done to a bumper. However, the combination of products used may differ a bit, check with your local paint supplier. In most cases the intercoat and binder are the same thing, just using different words to say the same thing. Thank you for watching!!

[@ganeshnarayan5505]

thanks.@@rustloversgarage

[@timdotson6907]

Thanks for this!! I have a green 379 T that i am having the exact same problem with. The clear coat on one side has completely peeled away but the other has only about 50 percent peeled away and looks awful. Do you have any tips on how to take the rest of that clear coat off? I’ve been picking and peeling for about a year now.

[@rustloversgarage]

It may be best to hit it with 1200 grit. Do not be too aggressive so not to damage the metal flake.

[@thefishinpolock]

You are in for a lot of scraping due to 2 stage water based enamel being used instead of proper gel coat poly resin. You can also use a chemical stripper to help with the process, but you are going to spend lots of hours removing the enamel to prep for proper gel coat application.

[@matthewgalvin940]

what was the size of the container of metal flake you used? My bass boat needs the same treatment although I think my situation is different in that my gel coat has spider web cracking (tiny fishers (sp)) so I am unsure if I can go over that.

[@rustloversgarage]

I think it is 4oz

[@rustloversgarage]

The smallest can House of Color offers. Thx for watching!

[@Beretta96Dan]

Rust Lovers Garage: If the base coat on my boat is in good shape, but the clear coat has "blistered," can I just "scrub" off the blistered clear coat, and re-finish with new clear coat? The base coat is a metallic Carolina blue with flake, and I would love to keep it that way. Enjoy your channel!

[@rustloversgarage]

Yes, it can be done. Feather in the edges and blend them in. Rub the entire area to be sprayed down with 1200 grit or something close. Cleaning the surface is MOST important. Thank you for watching!!

[@Beretta96Dan]

Thank you for the quick reply! Just bought this boat, and it will be my Fall and Winter project this year (2023).@@rustloversgarage

[@johncox6292]

If you use a 2k clear instead of a binder or intercoat clear you will have alot less problems I’m also in North Carolina the metal flake will suspend better and not as much product at the end to smooth out

[@rustloversgarage]

You are correct. Thx for watching!

[@kartchamp101]

Awesome video! I think I’d be able to call or message you sometime? I have a boat with the same problem and would like a little more info if possible

[@rustloversgarage]

Sure thing. Hit me up on Facebook. There will be more on this type project over the winter. Thank you for watching!

[@kartchamp101]

Sorry my boat project got put on the back burner. But getting ready to dive in sometime soon. I can’t seem to find you on FB?

[@darrenmccullough2180]

So you sprayed automotive paint over gelcoat?

[@rustloversgarage]

Kinda....I prepped the surface and sprayed metal flake first, clear on top of that. Thank you for watching!!

[@user-vx7bn3rl7u]

What type of clear coat you use

[@rustloversgarage]

The local supplier is a PPG representative. That is what I try to use most of the time.

[@zx12ss]

How much does it cost to do a top half boat

[@rustloversgarage]

Materials, all in was about $200. Thx for watching!

[@randyvires9576]

That will never last smh. I have to repair jobs like this all the time where people try to do auto finishes. Gel is cheaper than the nason setup you used too .

[@rustloversgarage]

You may be correct. However, at the time of this video, gel was hard to find in stock, and i was under a time crunch. If it does fail, I will do another video using gel for sure. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@willmillett]

@@rustloversgaragegel is always in stock. Also you have no idea how much work gel coating a boat is out of a mold. Takes months.

[@russelldevane5434]

BS! it will last. Doing just the top and not using gel coat is no issue. keep it waxed and it will be fine. I did it to a boat and kept the boat for 6 years before trading it. Not a thing wrong doing this to the top only.

[@24-7boats]

That 100% not going to last

[@jamescraig8601]

I didn't watch this dangerous video. You show in the intro spraying paint without a respirator. Very dangerous to teach.

[@rustloversgarage]

There were a lot of things in play that day that did not make the cut. Thank you for commenting!

[@shawnlambrecht1052]

Gelcoat is not much more than what you are doing, other than sanding and polishing.

[@rustloversgarage]

Correct.....the prep time was the main thing. Thanks for watching!