Sanding and polishing of yacht gel coating

Production and maintenance of gel coating of yachts and other ships

Salt, water and wind affect the surfaces of ships. In order to obtain the perfect gloss and shine of the gel coat surface of a newly built yacht or other vessel, the most important thing is the outer layer of the gel coat. Yacht gelcoat surfaces are manufactured to be durable, resistant to UV rays and harsh sea conditions, but require maintenance to ensure long life. And you need to take care of the surface of the gel coating not only for the sake of appearance. By properly maintaining the surface of the gel coating, you will also protect your yacht or other vessel from salt, dirt, mold and excess moisture.

With Mirka solutions, it is easy to maintain the perfect finish of the gel coat. Sand the surface with a sander using Mirka® Galaxy or Abralon®, then deburr and polish the surface with Polarshine and finish the job by protecting the surface. You can find the product that best suits your polishing needs using this handy compound scale. To make it even easier, we also offer ready-made trim kits.

For the perfect shine of yachts and other vessels. Sanding and polishing of gel coating surfaces.

1/8 - Full process. Grinding and polishing of gel coating surfaces of yachts and other ships.

The following explains how you can sand and polish gelcoat surfaces on yachts and other vessels. If you add more sanding steps, you can reduce the polishing time. This will save you time and money. If there is a lot of orange peel effect, we recommend to start sanding with Mirka Galaxy 240 grit sander.

Extending the sanding process and additional sanding with finer grit means will shorten the polishing time and reduce overall production time and costs.

You can watch the full video here or check out this listing for the practical details of the detailed process.

2/8 - Step 1. Sanding.

Start sanding with Mirka Galaxy 240 grit sander along with Mirka DEROS 650CV if there is a lot of orange peel effect. Otherwise, start with a 320 grit tool.

3/8 - Step 2

Next sand with 500 grit Mirka Galaxy.

4/8 - Step 3

Then proceed by attaching the Mirka Net base to the DEROS 650CV. Sand with an 800-grit Galaxy tool.

5/8 - Step 4

Finish sanding with 1000-grit Mirka® Galaxy sandpaper and Mirka Net base.

Use 1200 grit sandpaper for dark surfaces.

Clean the sanded surface with a microfiber cloth. The polished surface is ready for polishing.

6/8 - Step 1. Polishing.

First, attach the rolled wool backing to the Mirka PS 1437 polishing tool.

Apply Polarshine 45 polish to the wool backing. Start polishing.

7/8 - Step 2

Light colored surfaces

Attach a wafer-type foam polishing base and apply Polarshine 12 polish to it. Polish the surface.

Dark colored surfaces

Change to a black Wafer M type foam base, apply Polarshine 12 Black polish and polish the surface.

8/8 - Step 3

Wipe the polished surface with a microfiber cloth.

Questions and answers: The condition of the factory gel coat is important for the final result

Why should a yacht be gel coated in good condition?

Factory gel coating and its condition is very important. Yachts and other vessels use composite materials such as fiberglass with an outer layer of gel. The surfaces of the gel coating are long-lasting, resistant to ultraviolet rays and hydrolysis. And we are not only talking about the appearance of the maintained surface. Preventing cracks and smoothing out a cracked gel coat will protect your yacht or other vessel from salt, dirt, mold and excess moisture.

What is the difference between gel and clear topcoats for yachts and other boats?

Gel and topcoat coatings vary in thickness. The gel coating is harder and more effective in protecting the surface from harsh sea conditions.

The top coat also protects the surface, but is sometimes used more for aesthetic reasons. In the manufacture of yachts or other vessels, a gel coat is created by pouring a layer of resin into a mold and then pouring it.

A clear coat is a very thin layer of varnish that is applied to the part after it has been formed.

Strong grip. Less than 3.2 kg. Extremely flexible. Mirka® Leros-S - reach all corners.

Mirka® LEROS-S has the well-known features of LEROS, but is shorter and even easier to control. Therefore, it can be used to sand larger areas faster, such as yachts and other vessels. The LEROS-S has two special grip points for full control.

Thanks to its lightness, balance and easy maneuverability, the LEROS-S allows you to sand large areas faster and easier. The large sanding base with a 5mm orbit is particularly good for smoothing putty.

It has an extremely flexible sanding head for easier and more ergonomic sanding. A better working position makes sanding easier and improves the end result and productivity.

Nautor's Swan, Finland. High quality finish.

For Finnish yacht builder Nautor, high-quality finishing is a tribute to the company's roots and heritage, and requires the best power tools and abrasives. Benny Brännbacka from Nautor shares what it's like to work with Mirka and how important customer satisfaction is to building impressive yachts with Mirka solutions.

"It's great to work with Mirka, we cooperate constantly."

Save health, time and money. Dust-free sanding.

Do you end up in a cloud of dust while sanding? Try Mirka's advanced grinding solutions and see how a dust-free working environment can contribute to your business success.

Benefits of dustless sanding

A healthier work environment - prevent dust from entering your lungs

You save time - there is no need to clean up after sanding, and clean abrasives sand better

Save money - anti-clogging, so you can use the same abrasive for longer

Quality finish - due to a finer scratch pattern

A better choice for you and the environment. Water-based polishes.

All Mirka polishes are water-based and manufactured in Finland. Water-based polishing compounds have many advantages.

• Effective long-term scratch removal - water-based compounds remove scratches permanently. Solvent-based compounds may lose their gloss after cleaning with a degreaser, and in some cases they only temporarily hide scratches.
• Safer for the user - no dangerous chemicals
• Sustainable – Water-based polishes are more environmentally friendly because they do not contain benzene or similar hazardous chemicals.

"Solvent-based polishes may be effective in the short term, but they are more damaging and damaging." - Kim Rönnholm. Portfolio Manager, Mirka.