Question about spring work

[expatbysea]

Hello All

Last year I brought my hull down to bare gelcoat using a rubbing compound. Next I waxed it very well, leaving a thick layer of wax that is still shining brightly this year.

What I have is dirt and grime over the wax. Most of this comes off when I wash it. What I'm trying to figure out is this:

Can I wash the wax surface to remove the dirt and then apply new wax over the old OR do I have to take the wax off completely again with the gritty compound and start over from bare gel coat?

Does anyone know the answer to this one?

[irwinsailor]

It all depends on what type of boat you have!

[irwinsailor]

I would se somethink like soft scrub on the dirty areas and apply wax.

[delmarrey]

There are two kinds of waxes. One that leaves a coating behind and ones that take coatings off (polish the existing surface) AKA polishing/rubbing compound.

ALMOST all waxes have a little bit of an abrasive but generally leave a wax finish. If your using the same wax as before you can just add another layer. Wax evaporates eventally, in the sun. And a wax is wax.

If you use a small amount on a rag and rub the hull hard and the hull color comes off on the rag, then it's more of a polishing compound. But, if you don't get any color then it's more wax.

A true wax will have distillates that evaporate as you rub it on, you can tell by the smell, and just leaves behind the wax. That's why the manufactures suggest you leave it on untill it dries, then wipe it off.

There are as MANY different grades of polishes/waxes as bolts in a bucket. One just have to find what soots them best for the condition of the surface.................................._/)

[GordMay]

The first step is always surface preparation - a thorough cleaning & de-greasing. You don’t want to apply a new wax coat to a contaminated hull.
Depending upon how clean your hull started, this first step may leave a little residue of the previous wax-coat; but cleaning a dirtier hull will have removed all the old wax. The thing to remember, is that you are removing dirt and other contaminants, and wax removal is only incidental to cleaning.

Application instructions vary among wax brands; but in general you apply the wax with a cloth or foam pad using a circular motion. Let the wax dry to a haze, then buff away the excess with a soft cloth, such as an old bath towel.

In a consumer magazine comparison, the longest lasting of the waxes tested were: Collinite #885, Meguiar's Professional Paste Wax, 3M Ultra Performance, and West Marine Carnauba.