scamp gel coat smoothness

[ericw]

I just bought a 2009 13' scamp. The sides are very smooth. The top is a little rougher (something like a fine sand paper). I even noticed that on the hump in the middle of the roof, the side of the hump was smoother than the very top facing the sky. A coat of polish helped the whole thing, but there still is a notable difference between the vertical and horizontal surfaces when you run your hand over them.

Question: Is this due to how it was manufactured or did a few years of sitting outside do this?

Thanks for your help!
Eric

[Ray N]

My EggCamper was the same way even when it was factory fresh. It bothered me at first, then I realized that I shouldn't care if the top of the roof felt a bit rougher - not many people are going to be running their hands along the roof, and it looks the same unless you climb a ladder and closely examine it.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by ericw

Question: Is this due to how it was manufactured or did a few years of sitting outside do this?

When I bought my Fiber Stream, it was totally oxidized from sitting out in the harsh California sun... top, sides, front, back... as it did for many many years. I kept cleaning and applying Gel Gloss until I had built up a nicely smooth waxed finish. When it sits for more than a month between road trips, the front above the window shows the dullness as if all the wax was gone. The front faces south in my yard and gets full sun all day. When the upper front is dull, I know that the whole roof will be dull as well. The back and street side retain their shine the longest. The street side is next to a shed and gets no sun exposure.

It only takes one application of Gel Gloss to bring the shine back.

[Darwin Maring]

Forgetaboutit!

Not worth the worry.

[Carol H]

I suspect that when the trailers come out of the factory the fiberglass does get a cut polish and they probable don't pay as much attention to the top as the sides. But as others have said a year out in the sun can also have an impact. I use a 3M product called Cleaner & Wax - if heavy oxidation they have another product called Restore & Wax that does the trick at smoothing it and shining it up very nicely.