by badgley » Mon Aug 13, 2018 8:36 am
Mine is covered in those also (as are most 36 year old boats...). The approach really depends on a) what is in there and b) how cosmetic you want the end result. But basically, the process is that you need to get that stuff out/off, and then build it back up with something permanent that you can then finish properly. As far as (a), I'm not sure what that orange stuff is, but if it's rubbery you'll probably have to peel/dig and if it's hard you'll probably have to drill/sand to remove it. Right now, if it's anything really messy filling an old hole or crack, I've just been reaming/drilling/digging it out and refilling with thickened epoxy, and then sanding smooth - lightly, without removing surrounding gelcoat if possible. The microballon filler is great for that (as long as you're not making a structural repair) because it sands easily. If you're not familiar with epoxy repair, and the different fillers you should use for different applications (bonding, filling, etc.), look up some resources on the web and familiarize yourself first.
That leaves the root of the repair visible, but at least gets rid of the 'overflowing goop' look. If (b) above is also important to you, and you really want it as close to original you'd have to do either paint or, better yet, gelcoat repair on top of that. I plan to get to that eventually, but even just getting rid of the original mess does wonders for my pride and vanity! It's worth noting that it looks like someone used a lot of silicone around some of those bolt heads, and that can be a headache to finish over, so you might want to work on getting that stuff off too. I had good luck with peeling it off and then a very light (like 400 wet) sanding. There are articles everywhere on the web about removing silicone.
The nonskid is tricky. I have a couple of those also and I don't think it's possible to retain the original pattern and clean up the mess, unless it's something you can peel off or dig out. I plan to just sand down and repair with some gelcoat repair and if the spots are a little more smooth than the surrounding area, so be it. They will still look way better then they do now and as long as the areas are small enough they won't affect traction much. I'm sure others have other ideas.
Brian Badgley
1982 DS II #10911 EGRETTA
Blacksburg, VA, USA