Partner there aint no DIY kits for a whole boat with gel coat LOL .. Gel Coat its self is not that expensive .. its about as cheap as paint at premium latex paints long as your using white or black and primary colors gallon runs between 40 and 65 dollars depending on the color for primary colors.
Then you have the MEKP which causes the chemical reaction that cures the gel coat, then there are other additives to make it cure outside of a fiberglass mold. such as surfacing wax, but I prefer Duratec Clear Hi-Gloss ADDITIVE.
Then before you even start to spray gel coat .. you have all the prep work involved.. many hours if done right .. all hardware, gauges, carpet, lids, and rub rail removed, if your doing the whole top cap .. its easier to remove the engine before the next step..
The boat has to be free of all wax, grease, dirt and grime, then needs to be sanded , washed again.
Then you get to tape off anything you dont want gelcoat on . trailer wheels etc.. you will need a dust free place to spray it , a big 60 gallon compressor, either a gel coat dump gun or a HVLP spray gun with a large tip .. like used when spraying large metal flake for a car.. dump gun is easier to keep clear and clean .. and a gel coat depth gauge
Lots of wet sand paper.. lots of elbow grease .. you will have to sand and buff every thing after gel coat is sprayed.
Metal flake is even worse . not something a novice should attempt .. unless you have a good bit of money to waste .. cause you may have to redo several times to get it right.
Now if its just a small spot its not so bad.. but the steps still have to be followed.. the DIY kits are ok for a small chip less than the size of a dime.. but you will never get the color to match with the kits.
I know of one place in Chattanooga that does this work .. that is Nam Lee .. on Hixson Pike.. but he aint cheap .. and if you ask for bargain rate.. just drive off lol .. tell him you want the best job he can do.. and dont ask the price.. just write the check .. it will be good it wont be cheap.
There is only one place in the State I would let touch mine if I couldn't or didn't want to do my self..that is
http://www.candofiberglass.com/ near Nashville 888-280-0140 best shop Ive seen in several states.
There is a guy in Cleveland,TN that does fiberglass work .. John .. someone here will have his number.. have never seen his work up close.. but others say he is ok ..
But My money is on Nam Lee or C and O Marine
The Price could be as low as 1000 upwards to 4000 for the top cap .. and 2500 - 5000 for the whole boat .. if its just a chip could be 50 - 500 depending on issues and size
If your thinking about DIY the whole boat make sure you read and study for a good 3 months .. make sure you know all the ins and outs before tackling this sorta project.
Another option is Urethane Paint and clear coat if your painting just the top cap above the rub rail still not cheap but easier to do DIY than Gel Coat you will spend about 400- 500 in materials for auto paint if you use the lower priced lines from Dupont, Sherwin Williams, or PPG and if done right and taken care of will last 8-15 yrs gel coat takes more abuse but it has its draw backs and life span is 10 - 20 yrs if taken care of properly.
I could go on and on but this is the short version LOL
