To Wax or Not To Wax?

[landonshaw]

Ok, so waxing the hull, compounding, polishing, then waxing is long and tedious. Many ways to possible skip a step. I just got done and it looks great. I followed all the steps. Actually in the washing I used miratic acid and it really cleaned the surface. Immediately rinsed with water. I did not have to be concerned about the antifoulant since that is being done also next.

What about the deck? What are you doing there? What steps do you do on that surface?


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[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

Ok, so waxing the hull, compounding, polishing, then waxing is long and tedious. Many ways to possible skip a step. I just got done and it looks great. I followed all the steps. Actually in the washing I used miratic acid and it really cleaned the surface. Immediately rinsed with water. I did not have to be concerned about the antifoulant since that is being done also next.

What about the deck? What are you doing there? What steps do you do on that surface?


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We have teak decks. But any of deck Fiberglass was polished and waxed last season, which created some extremely slippery areas especially when wet. So I'm not going to be doing that again this season. I'm just going to clean and then use the polisher with some soapy water, anything more just becomes dangerous.

[fallingeggs]

Originally Posted by landonshaw

Ok, so waxing the hull, compounding, polishing, then waxing is long and tedious. Many ways to possible skip a step. I just got done and it looks great. I followed all the steps. Actually in the washing I used miratic acid and it really cleaned the surface. Immediately rinsed with water. I did not have to be concerned about the antifoulant since that is being done also next.

What about the deck? What are you doing there? What steps do you do on that surface?


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Haven't done the deck yet, but when I do, I will stop at the polish for the nonskid. No wax due to slipping concern and it will just get worn away quickly will all the stepping on it. I may wax the areas where you don't walk, such as the sides of the cockpit and around the ports.

The hard part with the deck is fitting the polisher in all the tight and narrow spots...


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[landonshaw]

Won't polishing the deck make a slippery surface? In the past I wash the deck and use a waxing + cleaning solution. Star bright, I think.


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[barnakiel]

For speed of application, 3M liquid wax.

For long term effect, go harder waxes, car business grade (carnuba, etc.).

+ Sweat

= Glorious Glow

;-)

Put it short: to wax!

Shortcuts: wash down with detrgent a couple of times till the gelco surface is absolutely clean of any dirt and or contaminants.

If an area is very dry (say waxed last time more than a year ago). Go twice.

b.

[Lake-Effect]

I've seen a neglected boat given the properly-applied PoliGlow treatment (which is easier and less labour-intensive than sanding-buffing-polishing-waxing) and the improvement is astounding ("wet hard-candy" it is). on my friend's boat the PoliGlow finish seems to stand up after a few seasons with just good washing and touchups. But after a few years of neglect... I've also seen a boat whose hull is a yellowing and patchy mess. I hear it's relatively easy to get back down to the base with the proper "PoliGlow" strippers, and then you just start again.

When it came time to resurrect our small boat's 35-year old gelcoat, I opted for the full MaineSail wax regimen linked in this thread. It seemed the best way to get a real idea of what state the gelcoat is in, an opportunity to do gelcoat repairs as encountered, and as a form of penance for waiting so long to attend to the hull. (besides it's small, no excuse for not being thorough)

I wet-sanded with 1000 automotive paper where necessary, then progressed through compounding to remove oxides, polishing, then waxing. I used a Meguiars kit with the 3 bottles. I used an inexpensive orbital polisher, but I think everyone agrees that the bigger rotary machines are better. Haven't tried wool pads yet.

I never polish or wax the anti-skid.

What I ended up with... is not a new-boat look. I could have been more aggressive with oxide removal, but I wanted to remove as little gelcoat as possible. I do have a hull whose colour is much closer to the original cream, thoroughly clean looking and blemish free, and with a decent shine. Water beads and the boat is handsome to look at.

After the big makeover, I now just wash, inspect and polish/wax the hull every spring, usually with a 3M one-step cleaner/polish.

I haven't met any pros who recommend PoliGlow. One guy I met this year recommended the Harbor Freight rotary polisher - he liked it because it's lighter than the better Makita or similar units, and when it craps out after a year, he marches it back to HF and gets another.

[Kenomac]

I highly recommend the Dewalt DWP849x polisher. It's a quality legacy tool that'll save you lots of time. A worker in the yard has been screwing around with a smaller polisher for two weeks polishing a fifty foot powerboat, the Dewalt would do the same job in less than half the time.

[Opie91]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I highly recommend the Dewalt DWP849x polisher. It's a quality legacy tool that'll save you lots of time. A worker in the yard has been screwing around with a smaller polisher for two weeks polishing a fifty foot powerboat, the Dewalt would do the same job in less than half the time.

Variable speed is nice. The top line Makita gets the job done too. Mine is 20 years old and still going.

Why not use the 3M Super Heavy Duty Compound? Makes a bigger mess, but it gets the job done fast.

One drawback is it is full of silica so a dust mask is recommended.

3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound - Marine and Auto

[senormechanico]

My wife waxed, and I watched.

She really paid attention to detail.

I closely inspected her work when she was done.




The boat of course... What were you thinking?

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Opie91

Variable speed is nice. The top line Makita gets the job done too. Mine is 20 years old and still going.

Why not use the 3M Super Heavy Duty Compound? Makes a bigger mess, but it gets the job done fast.

One drawback is it is full of silica so a dust mask is recommended.

3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound - Marine and Auto

I do use the 3M Fast Cut.

[smj]

While compounding our boat a year ago we were told by a professional boat detailer to not use the 3m products as they contain kerosene which gives a short lived shine. I can see the thought behind this but the 3m products have always seemed to do the job for us. Thoughts?


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[Opie91]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I do use the 3M Fast Cut.

3M Super Duty Rubbing Compound is even more aggressive than Fast Cut.

[barnakiel]

I am using 3M liquid wax. I have no issues with this.

With 3M liquid I can go thru the whole superstructure of a large yacht in one working day. No brainer.

So I will stick to this product for this application no matter what.

b.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I am using 3M liquid wax. I have no issues with this.

With 3M liquid I can go thru the whole superstructure of a large yacht in one working day. No brainer.

So I will stick to this product for this application no matter what.

b.

I assume you're talking about this stuff? I've had a container of it hanging around for a couple of years, it's good for touch ups and small areas, but the wax doesn't seem to last as long as the 3M paste wax. Plus using the 3M fast cut (green bottle) then the polishing compound (blue bottle), followed up by two coats of 3M marine paste wax, I get a brilliant, mirror-like finish that lasted an entire year.

My back is killing me.... sore muscles from waxing the hull over the past two days.

[rourkeh]

I had my boat painted a few years ago with Awlgrip and had them apply the Awlgrip Clearcoat over the paint. This stuff is magic. Just wash and walk away. No waxing, buffing, etc. Finish still looks new. Just harder to repair dings.
You can polish with Awlcare polimer product, but if you don't no big deal.