Click for Westport Click for Glendinning Click for MotorCheck Click for Westport Click for Northern Lights

Clear Coat Questions...

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Blue Ghost, Dec 25, 2015.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    299
    Location:
    The Regina systen in the Spinward Marches
    Okay, I just saw an add for a clear coat called 9H. Normally I dismiss clear coat products and claims, and whatever else that comes along claiming to offer protection for my boat or car.

    But, I was wondering if anybody had ever used something similar instead of wax on either their boat or cars. Do they actually work, or is it really just BS like the experts, friends and parents say?
  2. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
    I retitled this thread for better indexing. I can't imagine someone using the keywords "dumb product question" in a search for information.
  3. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    They might....but since you're not going to be ranked there, they'll have to settle for reddit, Forbes, Business Insider, etc.
  4. YachtForums

    YachtForums Administrator

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2002
    Messages:
    20,353
    Location:
    South Florida
  5. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    299
    Location:
    The Regina systen in the Spinward Marches
    True, but I didn't have Google in mind when I titled the post. :)

    Is clear coat really myth like everyone's told me, or is there something to it?
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I have seen several people wet sand a faded gelcoat boat and then sprayed clear coat directly over it and it made it shiny again and lasted a while.
  7. Oscarvan

    Oscarvan Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2015
    Messages:
    969
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay
    Define "a while"........
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    A few years (2-4) that various friends owned them, they sold the boats after a few years. It's very common to do on bass boats/race boats and boats of that nature that have a very unique metal flake gelcoat that is very difficult to recreate. I know someone that did it on a red 32' Nordic tug as well.

    But understand the clearcoats used were from reputable paint manufacturers like Awlgrip. Not some snake oil from "as seen on TV"
  9. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    299
    Location:
    The Regina systen in the Spinward Marches
    Thanks. Whenever I or someone I knew bought a new car there was always the "clear coat" option that the dealer offered you, and I was always told it was a scam. Then this ad streamed before a science vid on YouTube or Vimeo that I wanted to see. Normally I skip ads, but there seemed to be something to it, so I figured I fish for opinions here.

    Thanks for the reply.
  10. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2013
    Messages:
    7,132
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    On the car, it's often a combination of factors. First, it may not be necessary at all. Second, it's being charged at many times it's cost.

    I grew up on the lake with many of the high performance bass boats having clear coats to enhance/protect their metalflake or high gloss paint.
  11. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    I recently had clear coat put over the top of Awlcraft 2000 on the transom only so soot would be easier to remove. Love it for that reason.
  12. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    This is different than your car comparison. The clear coat used is a paint. BUT, traditionally when you re-paint a yacht let's say with White Awlgrip, you're sanding down the gelcoat, applying the Awlgrip Primer (for better adhesion and to fill small voids) and then the paint on top of it.

    If you're just spraying clear over gelcoat (or paint many years after the paint has been applied) all you're doing is lightly wetsanding the gelcoat (or paint) so that you don't sand through the gelcoat color to get the adhesion for the clear coat. It does make old gelcoat shiny again, but it's also not as solid of an adhesion as a total prime and repaint so you risk sooner or later, the clearcoat peeling off of the gelcoat.

    Skip- at about the 6 month mark, apply to the transom with the Awl-Care product from Awlgrip and that will also help with keeping the soot out of the paint so it just washes off easily and will remove stubborn stains that the soap isn't removing.
  13. CSkipR

    CSkipR Member

    Joined:
    Aug 16, 2008
    Messages:
    965
    Location:
    New Smyrna Beach, Fl
    Thanks Capt J just purchased some and will do that.
  14. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,432
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    I'd wait about 6 months before doing that though..... let the paint off gas and cure for a good while first....
  15. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    A coat or two of Awl craft 2000 clear wont make it any easier to remove soot or exhaust from your transom as its the same chemical formula as pigmented or colored Awl Craft be it medium or high solids clear . If you truly want a long lasting easily cleaned transom (in lieu of waxing) than a ceramic coating on top of your Awl craft is the answer. Try something on the order of International Super Yacht Coatings ISC-CCI or Ceramic Pro Marine and you wont have to touch it again for 5 to 10 years but be forewarned that once a ceramic coating has chemically bonded to your Awl Craft coating you'll be married to it until your next paint job. Ceramic coatings and high performance films are becoming the norm in this area.
    Last edited: Dec 26, 2015
  16. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    With an Acrylic Urethane like Awl Craft 2000, any reducer & converter will have evaporated after 14 days or two weeks & the coating is considered "fully cured". Awl Grips applicator guide will confirm this.
  17. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    299
    Location:
    The Regina systen in the Spinward Marches
    Highly informative. Thanks for the replies.
  18. captholli

    captholli Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2010
    Messages:
    1,164
    Location:
    In The Bilge
    Just looked up your 9H product and found out it's a ceramic clear coat product or to use their lingo a "Nano based ceramic clear coat". That's pretty funny because I posted info on ceramic clear coatings in post #15 and have used ceramic clear coats like CCI & Ceramic Pro but not 9H. Excellent product name though derived from the Mohs hardness scale. Ceramic clear coats are absolutely not a myth or smoke and mirrors as ceramic coatings have been in use on running gear for couple of decades under the name of Prop Speed and Pro Pel Max and most people don't realize these coatings are ceramics. The three clear coat paint protectant formulas that I know of consist of polymers (wax's), nanotechnology ( various compositions but claims to be a true ceramic) (Si02) and true methyl silane ceramics. I'm sure there's plenty of automotive application videos out there on YouTube that prove the D.O.I. and abrasion toughness of clear coat ceramics. I've had the opportunity to have ISC- CCI professionally sprayed on a couple of mega yachts from the overboard exhaust ports aft to the stern and the deck crew raves about how easy it is to clean with no exhaust acid etching the surface. I now see it being used on stainless railings and hardware on many vessels. Aircraft use ceramic coatings on the leading edges of turbine intake cowlings etc. I believe that Alex Seal has a proprietary Methyl Silane or ceramic clear coat recommended for areas of exhaust that they've just released or getting ready to release to the public after a few years of field testing aboard a few chosen vessels.
  19. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2012
    Messages:
    299
    Location:
    The Regina systen in the Spinward Marches
    Very cool. Yeah, everyone I've ever known always doubted the dealer's offer making it seem like they just wanted more money for nothing. I very much appreciate the response.