Case Study
They Said It Couldn’t Be Done!
Restored 2000 Ranger 190C with Professional Ceramic Coating Application

Overview
1

Robert Griffin is the owner of a 2000 Ranger 190C. Given his busy schedule and the effort involved to actually take his boat out, it has seen little or no use over the last year.

Robert's hope is to sell the boat but it is in severe need of an overhaul. Obviously in its current condition the sale price would be significantly reduced.

BOAT TYPE:
2000 Ranger 190C
LENGTH OVERALL:
19 Feet
BOAT OWNER:
Robert Griffin
LOCATION:
Lake Worth, Florida
Challenge
2

The boat has heavy oxidization on the hull and topsides, it has also been subjected to heavy staining from leaves after being uncovered for a year in Robert’s backyard. Added to that, after sitting in the Florida sun, the once turquoise hull was faded and seemed beyond hope.

The boat was so bad, 2 other detailers had come out and advised Robert there was no way to restore the finish and bring back, not just the original color but a shiny, glossy surface.

Before starting any work on the boat, South Florida Marine Detailers took gloss meter readings of the hull and topside and readings ranged from a low of 2 to a high of 14. These are by far among the lowest we’ve seen on a boat.

The Process
3

The first step was to wash and clean the boat, removing all the leaves and dried dirt on the topside and the hull. Using a combination of Glidecoat’s Nano coating car wash and Soft Scrub with bleach, SFMD was able to bring back the white on the topside.

After washing the boat, they began buffing the hull.

Given the heavy amount of oxidization, it was evident that a heavy cutting compound would be required. In order to help restore the faded boat paint, SFMD used a super duty compound, a rotary buffer, and a wool pad. After one round with the super duty compound, some oxidization was still visible, so another round of the super duty compound was required. Finally, after two steps with super duty, the hull began to show signs of life!

In order to smooth out the finish of the hull and further remove oxidization, the next step was to use Glidecoat’s Nano Compound (medium cut). With the rotary buffer and a clean wool pad, the entire hull was buffed.

Once completed, the hull began to shine. The final buffing step was to use Glidecoat’s Nano Polish, which creates a smooth, uniform surface and further enhances the shine of the hull.

After four rounds of buffing the original color of the hull was restored. Before proceeding to the final step, they used Surface Wipe to clean and decontaminate the hull, removing any leftover residue from compounding and polishing.

It was now time to protect the surface. SFMD used Glidecoat’s UV Shield and Shine, which is a liquid Nano Polymer that fills the pores of the gel coat, providing protection for up to 6 months while enhancing the shine and gloss of the surface.

This product is far superior to wax, providing more shine, protection, and durability. In addition, the product will make the surface Hydrophobic, so going forward, leaf stains, bird droppings, salt or fish blood will not adhere to the surface, keeping the boat cleaner and easier to maintain.

Working in 3 foot by 3 foot sections, they sprayed UV Shield and Shine directly onto the surface, then buffed it in with a clean microfiber towel.

The boat was coated twice for increased gloss and protection.

After completing all the steps and applying UV Shield and Shine, the gloss meter readings went from a low of 2, to a staggering 82, which is almost equivalent to factory new gel coat.

Robert could not have been happier with the ranger boat restoration! He is still looking to sell his boat, and now with the like-new appearance provided by Glidecoat’s UV Shield and Shine, the value of Robert’s boat has been increased by several thousand dollars.

Highly oxidized and faded green color on Ranger boat
An image of the boat before our prep work. As you can see, heavy oxidization on the hull
4.2 gloss meter reading on green hulled boat
Before completing our 5 step restoration process, the gloss meter readings registered at 4.2 on the hull. As a comparison, brand new gelcoat registers between 82-88.
The Result
4

...

of Ranger to show the professional work by Glidecoat boat detailers

Before vs After comparison on deck

Before and After comparison after Glidecoat boat detailing on a green hulled boat

Before vs After comparison on the hull.

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