Weekend Workbook

KBS DiamondFinish Clear restores a lasting gloss to your boat’s aging gelcoat finish.

New gelcoat finishes project a radiate shine, but that new-boat gloss can grow dull and chalky over the years. Polishing helps bring back the luster, and applying quality marine wax products help protect it from fading. Eventually, however, it will grow dull again, and as time marches on, it gets tougher to bring it back to like-new condition.

Such was the case with a 1970s vintage Enterprise cathedral-hull bowrider restored and repowered by Nadean Corbisier, with help from her fiancé, Matt Cevallos, and her dad, Dean Corbisier, a district sales manager for Suzuki Marine.

The old boat looked nice. But the avocado-green gelcoat (a popular color in the ’70s) on the topsides needed help. Despite lots of polishing and waxing, elbow grease failed to restore the shine of its glory days. To help bring it back, Nadean decided to apply DiamondFinish Clear from KBS Coatings. This one-part clear-coat product is designed to create a glossy, super-hard and non-yellowing finish on a variety of surfaces, including metal, paint and gelcoat.

KBS DiamondFinish Clear can be brushed, rolled or sprayed and, once completely cured, allows for wet-sanding and polishing to eliminate minor imperfections.

Nadean decided to roll it on while using a brush to cover the nooks and crannies. Here’s how to do it yourself.

SURFACE PREPARATION

It’s necessary to remove contaminants such as grease, oil, grime, scum or residual wax, and lightly scuff the surface to ensure strong adhesion. Use KBS Klean, a concentrated water-based cleaning solution. Dilute with 10 parts warm water to 1 part KBS Klean, and use a spray bottle to liberally wet the surface. Scrub thoroughly with a scouring pad, continually wetting the working area with diluted KBS Klean. Scour all surfaces to be clear-coated. Then rinse with fresh water and allow to dry. Afterward, the surface should take on an even duller finish.

PROTECT ADJACENT

SURFACES Whether rolling, brushing or spraying, remove as many elements as feasible before getting underway to prevent inadvertently getting clear coat on these items. On the interior, this includes removing upholstered seats and panels, snap-in deck coverings, instrumentation, hand rails, teak or other wood items, and other elements. On the exterior, this includes windshields and frames, navigation lights, cleats and other hardware. To protect any adjacent surfaces that you can’t or don’t want to remove, use masking tape and masking paper to cover them up.

PREP THE MIXTURE

Do not shake the can of DiamondFinish Clear; this can introduce air bubbles that will mar the finish. Wear protective gloves and eyewear, and work in a well-ventilated area. Pour a working amount into a steel or glass container. The ideal temperature for rolling on the clear coat is between 60 to 82 degrees F with low humidity. Based on these conditions, thin the DiamondFinish Clear by 10 percent using KBS #1 Thinner (or Xylene). On hot days, thin by as much as 30 percent to ensure proper flow. Stir the container thoroughly and frequently.

APPLY THE FINISH

Use a bristle brush, foam brush or tight-knap foam roller to apply to a test area first. Don’t use polyester knit or a woven roller that might shed lint. When brushing or rolling, the self-leveling properties of DiamondFinish Clear allow the mixture to flow out evenly. Do not overwork the brush or roller because this forces out the solvents and can cause the clear coat to cure too quickly and lose its ability to level out. Apply to an area and then move on immediately to the next. At the same time, avoid applying too heavily in one area; this can lead to puddling, pooling and drips.

FOLLOW-UP STEPS

Average touch-cure time is two to three hours, depending on humidity levels. Remove any masking tape at this stage. The finish requires another seven days for a full cure under normal conditions, and it will continue to harden over the following weeks. Keep boat covers off of the finish until it is fully cured; the fabric can mar the finish. Once the DiamondFinish Clear is completely hardened, it can be wet-sanded with 1,000- to 1,200-grit wetdry sandpaper to minimize any imperfections such as dimpling (aka orange peel) patterns, small drips or an errant gnat.