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My new to me 2002 X has 2 black stripes. The top stripe is splitting and flaking, the botton stripe is not. It is flaking off clear plastic like pieces. What is left is the black stripe with a nice finish. I tried flaking off some more, but its difficult to remove. Is this part of the finish that should not be flaking or maybe a protective finish that should have been removed before the boat spent 2-3 years in the sun.

I agree with Moe.

Sounds like a wax of some sort. Try using regular Johnson floor wax stripper on it.

This does not look like it could be a wax. The pieces are just too thick and uniform. I wish I could post a picture, but alas, limited computer wiz.

Edit
Also, it is just on the top black stripe, not the bottom one or anywhere else on the boat. And, the top stripe is flaking its covering uniformly around the entire boat.

It's understandable that the PO only coated the wide black strip that covers the windows. That's the segment that looks worst for UV punishment. Did you say the black gelcoat under this coating is in good condition? ... count your blessings! I'm curious if you judge the flaked material as having 'yellowed' in the elements?

Odds are the coating is either Poliglow or New Glass II, similar clear poly-plastics that are simply wiped over a clean gelcoat surface in very thin layers - but five, six, or more layers thick. Poliglow has this caveat regarding maintenance, " Avoid contact with ammonia based products, degreasers, teak or hull cleaners and abrasive cleaners." After removing the more obvious, large flaked areas, any of these should work to remove it.

These coatings were highly recommended by Practical Sailor - quicker, easier and longer lasting than any tested waxes. I have a quart Poliglow over at the marina, but never took time to apply it ... maybe this is the season!

Frank C wrote:Odds are the coating is either Poliglow or New Glass II,

Thanks, Frank. Those are the "miracle shine" products I was thinking of, but couldn't remember the name of.

Frank,
I don't see any yellowing, and its the top stripe not the black around the windows. The entire stripe is blistering. I was wondering if I should to go ahead and try to remove it entirely. Maybe then re-coating. The blisters pull right off but the area around them is still fixed tightly to the stripe.

Y'all may think I am crazy, but I am thinking of painting that damned black stripe.....I am sick of that fricken oxidized black gel coat.....this summer, I want to paint it with epoxy paint. I have had great luck with it on boats...it often looks better and holds up better than Gelcoat.....I have tried everything on my 96X...I find it will be showroom for a few weeks, then I am right back to where I started......and that is with waxing often....I have done all except the polys and I figure if I am going to do that prep, I might as well paint............
I liked the boat with the black painted white...wife thought it took some styling form the Mac, but I liked it..........we'll see... I get busy jet skiing and don't get anything done on the boat at times..... Randy

James B wrote:Frank,
I don't see any yellowing, and its the top stripe not the black around the windows. The entire stripe is blistering. I was wondering if I should to go ahead and try to remove it entirely. Maybe then re-coating. The blisters pull right off but the area around them is still fixed tightly to the stripe.

I don't exactly understand what stripe you mean. If not the eyebrow around the windows, then the ~2 inch stripe just below the rubrail? All of the Mac's black surface is gelcoat, applied during the hull-mold. You surely won't be able to remove it, but can fairly easily paint it as Randy suggests. At least one owner here did that, but the resulting look of the black windows would not be pleasing for me.

Assuming you want to just remove the coating - I'm pretty sure that's your intent - that's what I'd do too. Try any of the chemicals I referred to earlier. I'd probably try Starbrite Hull Cleaner first. You can get it at Walmart, it's a solution with oxalic acid, it should remove just about anything - follow directions.

After that - contrary to Randy's appoach - I'd be looking to simply recoat with some "miracle poly" stuff. They are essentially a much milder approach to completely sealing the gelcoat - like the epoxy barrier used on the hull bottom, but lots cheaper and easier to apply. Randy, you alluded to the prep-effort for the poly stuff? Read on their website, it's vastly less prep effort than a base for painting. Further, annual maintenance, per Practical Sailor, is a simple wash job and an hour of wiping on a couple more layers of poly.

Sorry - not speaking from personal experience, just from the magz articles and other owner reports. I'll gain my own experience - for sure - this coming Spring.

James B wrote:I wish I could post a picture, but alas, limited computer wiz.

Can you email one of us a picture? Then we can post it for you. An email that you can use for me is:

pics@saftillc.net (replace the .net with .com)

I will then post the picture(s) here for you tomorow.