Gel coat scratch repair

I have some minor scratches in the hulls that I would like to repair, cosmetic issue only. Not beyond the gel coat.
The hulls are white so color match will not be an issue.
The Hobie catalog has some gel repair putty and epoxy putty.
Has anyone used these?
How well to they work?

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1977 Hobie 16
1992 Hobie 17 Sport

do you have any pictures of the scratches? If they are just surface scratches you might be able to buff them out with a little compound. If they are more like gouges than scratches you may need the puddy. The key to making puddy look perfect is sanding it with at least 500 grit wet paper and then buffing it back to a shine.

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'73 hobie 16 restored 2011
'00 Seaswirl fishin boat

The scratches are to deep to buff out. I could sand them out, but I don't want to loose that much thickness on the gel coat.
Do recommend one putty over another?

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1977 Hobie 16
1992 Hobie 17 Sport

I have used the Evercoat I got at west marine on my non-blow boat on some deep gouges i had and it worked pretty well. If you look close enough you can see where they were but only because the whites didn't match 100%. I just make sure I get some fish blood on those spots

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'73 hobie 16 restored 2011
'00 Seaswirl fishin boat

Unless the repairs are structural (in this case, they're not), you should always use a polyester-based product to repair your boat, since that's what the boat's made of. When epoxy cures, it develops an amine blush on the surface that must be removed before anything else will stick to it well.

The gel putty that Hobie sells is best for small repairs because it comes in small quantities.

You can make your own putty out of white gel coat thickened with fumed silica (WEST System 406 or Cab-o-Sil). The problem is that the smallest container of gel you can get is 8 oz. - that will fix a lot of scratches. You'll end up throwing out most of the can, since it has a definite shelf life.

Evercoat Formula 27 is polyester-based and very easy to use, but it's gray, not white. It's perfect for big dings that you plan to spray gel over.

Matt what is the general shelf life of gelcoat?

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

I've had stuff on the shelf for 1+ year be good, but it separates and needs to be mixed thoroughly. Still, I wouldn't trust it for a major spray job.

If I'm doing any serious work, I start with a new can - and not a dusty one off the shelf at West Marine. Order it from a real fiberglass supplier - or Hobie.

Keep the leftovers sealed tight and in a cool, dry spot. I used to have a dorm fridge in my basement that I kept my glass stuff in. Don't put it in the same fridge with food. It'll all taste like resin.

Don't ask me how I know.