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**a64pilot** · 19-01-2014, 17:33

It's a butt load of work, and isn't easy work either. People that do this professionally, make their money.

**minaret** · 19-01-2014, 17:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoir

Whoa ! Two hours/foot was for the whole process.

I didn't have scaffolding so that added a bit of time continually moving the ladder.

Sure, sure. But let's just assume for the sake of argument that a 40' boat has 40' of hull surface either side, making 80', for a total of 160 hours to wet sand and polish a 40' boat. I'd get fired if I took 1/4 that long.

BriaF · 19-01-2014, 17:49

Use NYALIC

Same prep as others
Sand or Tcut
Then use some type of thinners
to remove wax oil silicone as if painting
Then apply NYALIC as per directions

This will leave a wet look ie glossy finish
Easy to clean will protect gel coat & mostly
the dirt will wash off
Supposed to last years (3-5)

NO MORE POLISHING WAXING FOR THAT TIME

savoir · 19-01-2014, 17:51

You guys keep on reading in stuff that isn't there. I took 100 hours all up to do a 50 foot boat, sand - compound - polish - wax. The hull had not been touched for about 5 years before I bought it. If I had all professional tools and scaffolding I could have saved some time but my tools must live on the boat so I'm limited. I do well being able to stow the stepladder.

**minaret** · 19-01-2014, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoir

You guys keep on reading in stuff that isn't there. I took 100 hours all up to do a 50 foot boat, sand - compound - polish - wax. If I had all professional tools and scaffolding I could have saved some time but my tools must live on the boat so I'm limited. I do well being able to stow the stepladder.

Yeah, there's your problem. You can rent rolling scaffolding for cheap. They even deliver it for you. Pays for itself and then some. Working off a ladder is madness, it's slow AND dangerous.

savoir · 19-01-2014, 18:48

Oh well Minaret, if you ever feel like strutting your stuff on the East Coast there's always my transom. Thar be definite bragging rights in this job.

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**minaret** · 19-01-2014, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by savoir

Oh well Minaret, if you ever feel like strutting your stuff on the East Coast there's always my transom. Thar be definite bragging rights in this job.

Attachment 74315

That's for sure. Red is always tough to work with.

eyschulman · 19-01-2014, 21:34

If its a dark color hull and you are going to the trouble of sanding why not go all the way and use two part paint like Alcraft. That way you are good for 10 years without all the waxing and the total work expended over that time is less for the painting and the boat will look better. I am on my fifth boat with two part paint four dark colors and I would never go back to gel coat.

Miniyot · 20-01-2014, 17:08

Years ago I used Petosol 202 or something that sounds like that. It worked great, and all I did was just wipe on, wipe off....

lifeofreilly57 · 21-01-2014, 05:44

Two hours per foot seems excessive. My original experience comes from painting and finishing custom cars, where the the amount of work after the paint is applied is as much as the prep work, if you want it to be perfect and have that 1000 mile deep smooth finish.
On heavily oxidized hulls you want to use a 1500 wet sand paper, wet sanding keeps it from clogging and helps keep frictional heat from sanding to a minimum. A heavier grit polish with a regular buffer (not an orbital) will start to show a good shine, then a finish grit polish and a good waxing, now with an orbital buffer will have it looking like new, if the gelcoat is in decent shape. The gelcoat from a 1998 shouldn't be that bad unless it's seen some serious abuse.
If your not experienced using a buffer I suggest going easy on at first until you get used to it, once you have an hour or two in you should have a good feel for how aggressively you can buff the surface, the last thing you want to do is burn or rub through the gelcoat. I've been able to knock out a 38 foot boat in two solid weekends but I will tell you that you'll find muscles in your arms and shoulders you never knew you had, it's a pretty good workout.
You can get a buffer decent enough for what you need at Harbor Freight tools pretty cheap, you don't need a professional one unless you plan to do it for living, the rest of the supplies like the sandpaper and buffing compounds can be found at local bodyshop supply companies or even Jamestown Distributors online.
With a little elbow grease and minimal money you can have it looking good, oh, and don't forget the ibuprofin for your aching muscles.

lifeofreilly57 · 21-01-2014, 05:50

One additional point. When your buffing it helps to have more than one buffing pad, keep them moist and clean them often, that way you can swap them when they get clogged up. Keeping the pad moist help keep the buffing compound from drying to quickly. And you'll also need a lot of old soft towels to wipe/buff off the dry compound when you done with the power buffer, I suggest doing that right away, you don't want to leave the dry buffing compound on too long.