Waxes, Cleaners... All that Beauty stuff....

[Rootsy]

Lake i live on poses a challenge to me. It was originally a cement quarry SO as you can guess i get a nice white haze on everything from the calcium... Generally it takes a buffer and some cleaner or compound to clean it up nice and beautiful. WHat do you guys like to use for wax. I've tried a lot of things but nothing really stands up to the elements well on fiberglass... my latest attempt is 3M boat wax.. we'll see how it does!

[Kelly]

We usally use Meguires (sp?...the stuff in the red bottle). It seems to work good. Most people think our boat is brand new :D.

[Sam]

You can't go wrong with 3-M !!!! I use it on my Donzi and my big boat which sits out all season.

Sam

[Rootsy]

i find that the protection of meguire's is very short lived....

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Mequires, I do the 3 step process, Color Restorer (blue), Polish (marone), then Wax (blue), as long as you are using a good non detergent boat soap for washing the wax will remain, and the shine should hold up.
Good Luck.
Bryan

[Tomahawk]

I use Starbrite Premium boat polish and am very pleased with it.

[Blewbyu]

If your finish is at all hazed or chalky,use a buffer and 3M's Finesse It II, which is a very fine cleaner and swirl/scratch remover.Keep buffing it till it is polished bright....THEN use Starbright Premium Baot Polish with Teflon.This will give you a TWO season finish (unless you are on salt water,then only one season+).It's astounding compared to any other finish product!!!The combo cleaner/waxes are only good for about 6 weeks-most waxes about two months.Your boat will still bead water after 2 years with the Starbrite!!!You can also(if your finish is good)just use Starbrite-but do not apply it by hand-it will be blotchy after a day.Use a buffer with a WOOL pad!No poly pads!!!!!Will burn your finish. :D :D

[Moody Blu']

Hey I think Im gonna do what blewbyu does.
sounds good.
Do you think that wet sanding it might bring out the original color a bit more than using the 3-m compund??

[Riley]

Starbrite Premium Marine Polish is the way to go. Easy on, easy off, and great protection.

[JP BRESCIA]

I agree with Blu... Finess-it II is a great cleaner rub but I would then use Collinite Insulator Wax to seal it and keep the oxidation away. Be very careful if the surface gets wet. I have gone into the drink one too many times from slipping. Being in salt water, I use alot of cleaners/sealers. The collinite will last approx 10-15 washes.

Sky...I have seen your 18 and would start by wet-sanding. Your boat is 30 Y/O so I would test a small area to be sure you have enough gel to work with. Start with 600 grit, then a finish with 1500 grit, then compound, polish, seal with a pure wax. This is the process I used on my deck and I am still working on the sides. You saw how my topside turned out. Take your time!

By the way, I had a blast Saturday. My friend has called me everyday to remind me how much fun he had. He wants an 18 real bad now!

[Rootsy]

sounds like starbrite is the way to go! i'll have to look around for it... is it a marine/rv product?

[MarkGT]

Mequires, I also do the 3 step process on my boat & cars. I used Mequires fiberglass cleaner (for boats) agressively on my original gelcoat. It looks like new except for a few small spyder web cracks. No need to wet sand, and people can't believe the boat is a 1974.
BLEWBYU:
If that Starbright lasts two years I might give it a try!! How do you store your boat on & off season?

[Riley]

Jamie, you should be able to find Starbrite products at your local marina. I really like the polish, and their boat wash is pretty good stuff, too. Generally I polish the entire boat every other week, and wash/chamois before and after each weekend of use.

[TRU-JACK]

How about upholstery? I've been using 303 UV protectant on my mastercraft and zodiac for 11 years, and they are both in mint condition. I just spent some time this weekend doing the upholstery on the 89 16 classic and i'm very impressed. It provides amazing UV protection and is not petroleum based so it does not eat the vinyl. After reading their website info (www.303products.com) i tried a small area on my black stripe that was oxidized, and it came out great with almost no work. Just spray on, rub, and rub off. I'm going to see how it stands up before i do the whole stripe. ;)

[Moody Blu']

YEAH!
saturday was awesome,
especially that blast across barnegat bay to tyses shole.
JP and I were blasting across the bay at around 50-55mph in 4-6 foot waves.
with frank civintano cruising along in back of us watching us get airborne like we were racing for the lead.(obviously frank was cruising-he would spank our little classics)
stay tuned for pics from sat......

one thing though, barnegat bay was fun and all but I was very happy once we got back into litle egg harbor. because barnegat bay gave me a beating, I was holding onto the steering wheel with a grip of death and the other on the throttle! :D

Jp and I must have gotten airborne a total of 100 times AT LEAST in barnegat bay.
It was how don arnow would have wanted it!

[MXRoadster]

Sky, I would try using the 3M rubbing compound with a machine buffer, instead of wet sanding. I used the 3M rubbing compound then the Finesse It II, followed with their protective liquid wax. The transom on the Hornet looks great now, it was the most oxidized part of the boat.
David

[Blewbyu]

Marc-My boat is in open moorage for 6 months,and in the garage for 6 months.It shows scratches from sandy feet,etc.,but is STILL super slick and HIGH gloss!This is year two/month 5.Very slick,even when dry.
TRU-JACK I believe the 303 product to be the BEST ever.It's really rather miraculous on most surfaces.Never tried it on my black (painted)stripe-gonna do that right this minute!Let us know how it holds up for you. :D

[TRU-JACK]

Blewbyu, the 303 is amazing. I just stopped by my boat on the way to work to wipe some rain water of the tonneau cover, and it's totally waterproof, just beads the water and collects little puddles. As for the black stripe on the deck, it looks great and it's been almost 2 weeks. I think that a little buffing once the 303 has had its chance to lift the oxidation and it will be like new. Check out their website. www.303products.com (http://www.303products.com) for tips on removing the oxidation. I'm very pleased with the results to date. :D

[Blewbyu]

TJ-Is your stripe gelcoat or paint?Mine is Sterling Polyurethane,10 yrs old.It needs help.S'pose I could just try it.........DUH,Big Red Truck....
I have only used it for tires and interior before-didn't enter my addled mind to shoot a little on the paint! :rolleyes: :o

[Scott Pearson]

Guess I'm the odd ball in this thread. I use Mothers wax. But none of my stuff is gelcoat just paint. Finesse It II is a great product... I use it all the time. Infact all the new 3M stuff is top of the line.


(NJ)Scott

[Scott Pearson]

David (mxroadster),

Thats a bench seat Hornet you have right? Are you ready to sell her yet? How about a Trade?

(NJ)Scott

[MXRoadster]

I just tried the 303 product this week and wow, this stuff works on everything and is so easy to apply. I'll have to wait and see how long it lasts.

Scott, yes the Hornet has a bench seat, which I am beginning to like a lot. It provides extra storage space and I used it to sleep on when I was camping. As for selling her, as soon as I can afford a new Special Edition Classic I'll sell her (I have about $1.97 saved now, so it might be a while). :D

[Formula Jr]

Question, how do you ever,.........ever, clean a surface for re-fair, repaint paint, re-gelcoat if It has had teflon applied? There ain't no solvent on earth that will get it all out.


........just 2 cents of opinion........Thats three bucks Canadian!

[smokediver]

as a part time boatkeeper, i will give you my 2 cents.do not use a machine unless you have heavy oxidation. i use collinite fiberglass cleaner followed by 3m marine liquid wax for light work. i just tried the new meguires flagship and i am happy with the results.for heavy oxidation 3m super duty is hard to beat. 3m has a perfectit3 line out but the compound is not as aggressive. i follow the superduty with micro finishing compound using a foam waffle pad.on dark colors i follow that with machine glaze and then wax.for teflon wax i think the superduty will remove it but believe me teflon is great for cooking but not for wax. PPG DX-440 wax and grease remover is also a good clean-up product.I maintain a 44 Hinckley talaria that is dark blue on the hull sides and the foam pads give a swirl free finish . good luck