There's A Hole In My Boat~ Gelcoat Color matching Part 2

Watch the ENTIRE Series HERE: • Fiberglass and Gelcoat...
Here we cover how to color match gelcoat for making repairs to your boat.
Factory Matched Gelcoat:
spectrumcolor.com
Where To Get The Fan Deck Shown In This Video:
express composites.com
BoatworksToday.com
/ boatworkstoday
/ boatworkstoday

[@johnnydeutschemark3620]

As an artist, mixing color is a never ending, mysterious process. Sometimes the Gods are with you other times you go off in the wrong direction never to come back. Some people are way better at it than others. I would've added the smallest amount of red to warm it up a bit (orange it up?) Hard to tell if that is a cool black or a warm black which is here? & How blue, green or red the brown is? Color is subjective, counterintuitive and a bit of a shape shifter. What is your light source? I would be tempted to take th test panel outside in the sunlight. Mixing colors/ color matching at night is never a good idea. This is a fun tutorial, thanks Andy!

[@jimrays2896]

Great video nice to see how you went about gradually zeroing in good job

[@JamesZuercher]

Andy, a year ago I purchased a 1988 hydrasports 202dc. The prior owner was heavy handed in drilling the console area of both the area around the steering and also the other side leaving large holes in the fiberglass. You video allowed me to make the repairs I felt were necessary for both aesthetics and function of the console are. So in short I am a fan and wanted to tell you thank you very much.

[@Shaitan-Dan]

I didn’t have the wide popsicle sticks, ended up cutting up some old plastic blinds, it worked very well, perhaps even better then the popsicle sticks as I could cut strips out of them to a length and width that were most comfortable to work with. Thank you for all your content, you enabled me to feel confident about and actually succeeding in doing all the repairs my boat needed!

[@michaeljbreault]

Andy, this gelcoat series is SOLID GOLD. Thanks for taking the time to produce this video (and all the rest), and publish them to the internet for everyone to view. Every video you've put out so far has been chock-full of great information, and they mean so much more when you know they're coming from someone that's actually in the business, and aren't just stumbling through the process themselves. Thanks again man. Now I just have to wait until the spring to finish off my repair. Mike.

[@chattanoogafiberglass]

Something to add, if pigment is too gummy you can add MEK to reduce it to safely add to your batch. I tint gel every day unfortunately for repairs. Also it’s good to reduce gel with MEK and when you get a batch that’s close you’ve been tinting, put a glove over the cup and let it sit for a couple hours and see if it still matches. Also when you get a batch that matches, throw it in a new cup and let it sit for an hour to make sure it’s the same color, with no stick in it.

[@TallTom77]

Great approach to color matching. I also do the matching under a 6000K CFL lamp. They are not expensive and provide close to pure white light. Eliminating one more variable.

[@neilrice5484]

Great Video! I have always struggled with mixing tints and your process makes me way more confident to tackle this. Thx

[@TheStevenc819]

Thank you for your help....I have a 1986 Bayliner 2150 which I am restoring, and your video put me on the right track. Paint and Body Work on Cars I've done for 45 years, but fiberglass boats is another animal

[@SailSmileReDo]

Love your videos. Thorough, deep, straight to the point. Thank You for your generosity in sharing your knowledge and experience. So far, it's the best video I've seen re the subject

[@PJ-ee5mc]

Another great video. The 'tint on the stick' idea is brilliant! Yours is the best I've seen on this subject. Many thanks.

[@loopydoo444]

First, let me thank you so much for your great videos. They have been invaluable in my DIY efforts to repair various areas of my ketch. It is September of 2020 and with the Covid issues, I am on the hard in a boatyard in Grenada with dozens of other cruisers, working on my boat. We all know your channel and refer to it often. I am midway through applying gelcoat to a few repaired areas and after some hands on experiments with color matching, I realize it is an art. I am fortunate that I have friends with better color sense than me to help critique the ongoing results. I have one suggestion for anyone diving into this process for the first time and that is instead of starting with a large batch of gelcoat when you start your color matching work, mix the tiniest bit of white in the cap of the gelcoat mix and work towards matching colors. Yes, you will have to go through the process twice, but, you will learn a lot about the colors that are required to get to the right match. It takes a lot of white base to correct any mistakes but if you start with really small batches, you will know what colors and proportions you need to get to a good result without wasting a lot of base.

[@iitywyswm]

Great stuff! Your videos really help me understand the black magic of these repairs.

[@geofmyers8081]

The videos that you publish show how knowledgeable you are when it comes to fiberglass repair! Well done! I have learned a lot from you thus far!

[@markbaxter9384]

Awesome Video! I learned a lot there thank you. You definitely know your stuff 😁

[@apellegrino81]

Truly an amazing tutorial. Thank you!

[@alexbowie6316]

I loved that and have always wondered about fine tuning colour.

[@fleminggp]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge through practical demonstrations. I have the materials on order to start on some scratches and scuffs on the hull of my boat. I have had some prior experience but feel better informed now ............. thank you :)

[@Eluderatnight]

Might I recomend using a dollar store paint pallet. Very handy for mixing colors. Base in big dish, pigments in small dish, bring base and pigment in to medium dish to mix.

[@johnkerr4699]

Brilliant video. I worked in a paint shop for a while and hot pretty good at colour matching, but now I need to do it with gelcoat. This vid was invaluable.

[@ynotsail]

Hi Andy, "liked" your video for sure, but more than liked it, it was excellent. Truly impressive what you did. Sure you showed us how its done, but what I lack is the experience to add this or that color. Not to mention lots of patience. I truly understand the value that a professional offers after watching your video. Thanks

[@andymiller8853]

Thank you!

[@bodnarboats444]

Very good video well said, Dana Bodnar owner of Bodnar Boat Works Gel-coat and fiberglass repair PHX AZ.

[@josephlautier8750]

Hi thanks tor your interested programs. I have a 1995 sea Ray sun 300 which the colour is Arctic white and I don't know the spectrum to mix with white gelcoat paint. I m from malta and is hard to find the staff ready to buy your programs are very helpful keep it up. Thanks goseph lautier

[@mikefriend1039]

Very instructive and I will be following your colour swatch mixing trials!

[@montiraystyron1546]

Thanks for your videos. Has improved my glass work 300%

[@Bedfordboats]

Thanks Andy for another great tutorial - very well explained

[@Finelineboatworks]

Once you spray it you can tell if it matches..if it doesnt wipe it off adjust the color and spray a small spot and so on... best results.

[@nerka992003]

Great info! almost makes me think I can do this. Great info!

[@luck2013]

Great video, thank you very much for the new two videos! Congratulations and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness with your little baby girl!

[@orlandofurioso5354]

We found Bob Ross of Gelcoats.

[@darinhoneycutt7142]

Nice work sir. Great color matching!

[@BarrettRSmith]

Great tutorial!

[@nelloagostini4389]

not only was my nose six inches from the screen but i actually had clean my screen lol great videos love them all

[@bolindahl9893]

Rofl. my nose was actually about 6 inches from the screen when your comment popped up

[@boatworkstoday]

Well, if the repair is going to be visible then you're pretty much limited to using poly as you'll need to gelcoat overtop of the glass. If you're able to paint and have it blend in (or not be visible) then I think I'd go with epoxy for the added strength. Either way, be sure to use a fin roller to get all the little air bubbles and excess resin out! A lean laminate is a strong laminate :-)

[@teatimetim]

awsome. I'm prepairing to repair the Gel coat on my Catalina 22 which is yellow, more confidant that I can do it.

[@hugomoratillo8453]

Thank you!

[@padraicdoherty3514]

Hi I'm getting into glassing and in the middle of doing up my own boat and slowly figering out different products and how to use them and would you be able recommend a book on it to learn more ur video are amazing I would just at times love to have book to refer to when there's no WiFi thanks keeping up with your videos every time thanks so much

[@go4itpc]

If a Pre-Mixed gelcoat is available for the original color would it be easier to simply add white to simulate a faded color?

[@marierosemcfarlane3040]

great vid. followed your steps to the letter.. can't see the hole with your colour matching system but can you now tell me how to remove all the colour matching swatches from the gull of my boat hull.. only kidding.. your tutorials are fanastic. even for a fool like myself.. great job!

[@boatworkstoday]

Sorry for the delay; acetone! As long as the gel was not catalyzed acetone will take it right off!

[@paulpaul9914]

I might try a colour app with the camera on my phone, a cheap jewelers weighing scales for mixing in 0.1 gram amounts & a day light lamp. The Android app ColorGrab has a white balance facility to allow camera color calibration, might be able to generate some calibration numbers by taking pics of a color Swatch dab of a RAL color then comparing the ColorGrab app RGB numbers with the RAL color RGB numbers. Will try & do the color (yellow) first then gray (black) level second per stage / step done in 3 stages adjusting / calibrating the amounts used in the second & third stages according to the changes measured after the first stage. I'm aiming to get an accurate match in 9.5 minutes that will be undetectable by most people in most situations without having to depend on my eye & brain color vision functionality working right or working at all depending on what day it is & how much I drank yesterday.

[@boatworkstoday]

Thanks Mike!

[@ENTEprimitivo]

Excellent! nice workshop

[@1954BJohn]

Great tutorial - Thanks Andy.

[@olekils]

Super helpful video. I followed this process and after having the off white color very close, the first cured repair looks just a tiny bit too green? I only used yellow and brown pigment on a white base so far and it’s very subtle. Do you think red would help reduce the greenish tint or just more yellow?

[@patrickpeterman8585]

I,VE REALLY LEARNED ALOT WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS; I HAVE QUESTION REGARDING THINNING THE "GELCOAT"; USE STRAIGHT M.E.K. OR STYRENE LIQUID AS A THINNER?? APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT; PATRICK.P

[@Rpmsailor]

Thanks Andy

[@bobbitchun8659]

Thanks for a great video. I am a subscriber now. I know I will do a much better job matching my gelcoat repair after watching this.

[@chrisbostick4438]

Hi Andy how's it going?. Just thought I'd let you know I tried the citrastrip worked well had to let it sit for a few hours but it worked well on my ski boat. Also can you do a video on stringer repair or replacement . The fiberglass is coming off my stringers and I want to replace the glass and maybe the stringers. What would you use to replace the stringers. And do you have a direct email send you some pics if the boat and progress. Like your how to's. Keep it up.

[@olivierveyrac5034]

Great stuff. I need to repair a rip on the centerboard trunk of a dinghy - Should I use epoxy or polyester? It seems that epoxy is better for the repair but then the gel coat is polyester based and is better applied on a polyester repair? thoughts?

[@Eurocano]

Great video Thanks !

[@dase1001]

Love the videos ! :) I have a hard time finding pigments that are solid, i only seem to find powder versions. What kind of pigment do you use ?

[@nathandalleska6569]

Hi Andy. What about matching a red hull. Start with clear gel coat and add the red pigment? What color of P14 filler would I use before hand? Thanks for the great video series.

[@andymiller8853]

Yup, you'll start with a neutral gelcoat, add the necessary colors and apply / finish as outlined in the video. With the p-14 you can also get a red paste hardener (rather than white) to help the base start in the right direction. It won't be the "right" color red as what you're trying to match, but will certainly be much closer than white :-)

[@EvelOttos]

I found that trying to color match my gelcoat while outside in the sunlight to be difficult. I may try this again inside with a consistent light source or maybe setup a canopy outside to try and average out the sunlight. Any tips on this?

[@ianrenshaw6653]

Hi Andy. Thanks for the great video. Just a question regarding all the sample dabs of colour you placed on the sheet. Are you able to just wipe them off with acetone when you’re finished? Thanks!

[@CapeFrank57]

Andy, been have a problem lately mixing catalysts with gel coat 24 hours after applying to the bottom of the boat The gelcoat is not sanding well, gel coat sticking the the sand paper 73 degrees 10 drops of catalysts to one oz of gel coat. Thanks

[@willashbaugh1094]

Are you treating it as a finishing layer? Aka curing with PVA or using gel coat with wax additive?

[@Great0ne2012]

Would save so much time and effort if you would use oxide yellow pigment to white.

[@danielbarnes8694]

Who would dislike what’s to dislike ????

[@ronpruett294]

Question this is my first time ever replacing the core on a sailboat from the inside. The outer fiberglass is painted over with paint. When inside I can see faintly through the fiberglass and see the paint. Should I put a thin layer of fiberglass down before I put the Balsa wood in?

[@davidgulliver8690]

Does anyone know where he started

[@ClockmakerJeff]

Do you have to let the gel coat dry to see the color change? It doesn't look like you had hardener until you have the correct color.

[@paulpaul9914]

Test dabs would be without hardener & would be wiped away with acetone.

[@paulpaul9914]

According to Practical Boat Owner if the amount of hardener is correct & is not adjusted upwards for a faster cure the hardener & the elevated temperature during the cure process will not affect the color enough to be noticable.

[@mikejustice1196]

What product of paint did you use?

[@jeremynorton3832]

2:30 glove fart lol. Great video btw.

[@davidinfinger4500]

Where do I get the Gel Coat colors? Thank you in advance.

[@danimal4202danimal]

Would this work with home repair on a fiberglass sink? Looking to color match the repair spot with the rest of the sink.

[@boatworkstoday]

danimal4202danimal As long as it's gelcoat and not porcelain or enamel it should. Typically only tubs are finished with gel as it's a somewhat brittle finish (probably wouldn't hold up too well to dishes being thrown in the sink) :-/

[@danimal4202danimal]

BoatworksToday Is there a way to tell the difference between gelcoat and the materials you listed?

[@danimal4202danimal]

BoatworksToday A better question to ask is where can one buy the gel coat and pigments shown in the video?

[@boatworkstoday]

danimal4202danimal Really any composite retailer will carry what you need, but I tend to buy my stuff from expresscomposites.com

[@hedelmedina7955]

Quiero hacer una pregunta sobre getco

[@karlosp02]

Where is part 3 ??

[@charlescain7962]

HAHA, got ink from your pen on my nose.

[@RickSettle]

No wonder boat repair costs so much! :)

[@islandtime211]

Lol thums up if your nose is 6 inches away

[@lpedreros]

What pads are you using for wet sanding?

[@boatworkstoday]

+lpedreros I think in the vid I used a dense foam pad, but typically I use a rubber sanding block or a piece of wood :-)

[@lpedreros]

+BoatworksToday I usually make my own pads out of starboard or AZEK scrap pieces. I haven't messed with the soft pads much. Also, thank you.

[@MrAbhisheks32]

sir what is styerene use in fiberglass

[@hedelmedina7955]

Gel coal

[@ClihtYeastwood]

"Okily Dokily"

[@Etownstomp09]

This is beyond optimal and perfect condition/scenario to do a match. 85% of the time you won't be able to do 60 test patches and spend 4 hours doing it.

[@boatworkstoday]

About 1 hour for color matching is typical, not 4 ;-)