3M Finesse-it vs Perfect-it III

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FourPoints

FourPoints

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Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
I've been using the Finesse-it II on the buffer before waxing for the last few years with quite good success, but I was given a bottle of Perfect-it III, and I've been unable to get a grasp of what the proper use of it is compared to Finesse. From what I can tell, they are almost the same product, just marketed to different segments, but I'm not entirely sure.

Does anyone have experience with Perfect-it III and know where I would use it as opposed to just running the buffer with Finesse followed by wax?
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Which specific Perfect It III product is it.....? PI 3 is a product line with everything from clays to high cut compounds...

Presta...!!!! I stopped using 3M a while a go due to pricing and them constantly re-labeling, changing or discontinuing good products......
 
FourPoints

FourPoints

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Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
I didn't realize it was a whole product line, I thought it was just a single product, which now explains my confusion. The label was damaged (bottom paint spill to be specific) so I can only clearly read the side that is in French, which I don't speak, and probably why I didn't know it was just the product line...

I just threw some of the French into google translate, and it says "pate de polissage" = "polishing paste", but a google search on the bottle part number which I can read (05933) brings me to http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=8576

so I guess that answers my question, it's a rubbing compound, which won't do me much good for a pre-wax polish! Although if I read the description correctly it seems to be a very fine compound, somewhere in grit between regular compound and finesse?
 
C

chp

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Sep 13, 2010
431
Hunter 280 hamilton
This directs to Mainsail. I followed your recommend to restore my 23 year dull and chalked boat and after a lot of muscle and wet sanding, I have a nearlly new looking boat. This year I only polished with Finese it and waxed.

My question is do you strip the old wax off before polishing. I just scrubbed the boat down with dish soap which usually will strip most waxes.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
chp said:
This directs to Mainsail. I followed your recommend to restore my 23 year dull and chalked boat and after a lot of muscle and wet sanding, I have a nearlly new looking boat. This year I only polished with Finese it and waxed.

My question is do you strip the old wax off before polishing. I just scrubbed the boat down with dish soap which usually will strip most waxes.
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I usually go over the entire hull with Mary-Kate Black Streak Remover (BSR). StarBrite also makes a decent BSR. The other BSR products are pretty poor IMHO... I spray it onto a microfiber rag and then hand wash the hull using BSR. If you have rust/tannin stains at the waterline then use an acid based cleaner to remove those. Now you're ready for compounding and polishing.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
captcoho said:
3M Sharpshooter for the black marks and dirt.....No rinse
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I buy Sharpshooter in the 5 gallon bulk container and re-fill as needed. It is a GREAT SPRAY CLEANER and my favorite all purpose cleaner. I do find Mary-Kate BSR works better at removing the black streaks we get around here and also a better job at cutting through the old wax.... I don't rinse it when applied on a rag just let it dry and then buff. If you spray it directly on the hull then you will need to rinse.....

BTW you ought to try Sharp Shooter on an inflatable. It's almost as good as Amazon Inflatable Boat Cleaner at about half the cost... Sharp Shooter is powerful stuff so always test it on something first....
 
FourPoints

FourPoints

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Apr 8, 2010
1,606
Frers 33 41426 Westport, CT
Maine Sail said:
BTW you ought to try Sharp Shooter on an inflatable. It's almost as good as Amazon Inflatable Boat Cleaner at about half the cost...
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Have you tried this yet?
755034.jpg
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|309314|311480&id=1783475
I'm curious to hear how it compares.

They gave out small samples last year at the spring sale, I gave it a try on a couple spots I had on the dinghy and was very impressed. This year I was able to pick up a 32oz spray bottle at the sale for $8, but have not used it yet.
 
S

sesmith

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Jul 1, 2010
990
Catalina 350 Port Huron
A Presta fan here (don't think you can find a better quality group of products), followed by Collinite paste wax.

Collinite also has a boat cleaner that I have used in the past (#920). You rub it on and buff off by hand. I wasn't able to get it locally the last year or so (and waited too late to look for it and order online), but it made a good cleaner on a hull that had been buffed and waxed with Collinite the year before and just needed a good surface cleaning / prep for a new coat of wax the following year. Back when I used it last, I wasn't as good with or as anal with a buffer, so I'll be interested in trying it next year again, and comparing to the shine I got this year. I recently stripped Polyglow from the hull of our (new to us) boat we bought last fall, and then went though the process of buffing with 2 different grits of polish and waxing with 2 coats of Collinite. Time consuming but worth it.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Yesterday's project... 1979 Cape Dory 36 factory original 34 year old gelcoat and a 20 year old Imron boot stripe..

This is Presta Ultra Cutting Creme and a yellow 3M 05713 wool polishing pad. This is before the Collinite #885 wax was even applied... Would have loved to do the Chroma "polish" but budget only allowed for one round of buffing and two coats of wax.....

 
25yearslater

25yearslater

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Aug 20, 2010
1,399
Oday 27 Oak Orchard
That is sweet looking Maine. Following your instructions, even though it was a regelcoat, I am the envy of Point Breeze. Thanks for the tips.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
25yearslater said:
That is sweet looking Maine. Following your instructions, even though it was a regelcoat, I am the envy of Point Breeze. Thanks for the tips.
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Interesting to note that this owner was told in the 90's that the gelcoat was beyond its useful life and had to be repainted. This gelcoat will EASILY go 40-45+ years.. It is at 34 years now and is still vplenty thick and has a LOT of room left. Hopefully next time I can do the "full monty" on her.. I had to stop at Ultra Cutting Creme but would have preferred to go to Chroma Polish....
 
C

captcoho

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Oct 29, 2012
353
Catalina 30 TRBS MkII Milwaukee
Where can I find the Presta ??? So I can be ready next spring.......
It always looks so good till it's lifted and splashed.
And after the VC-17 looks like a shinny new penny! If only it would stay that way all season......
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
captcoho said:
Where can I find the Presta ??? So I can be ready next spring.......
It always looks so good till it's lifted and splashed.
And after the VC-17 looks like a shinny new penny! If only it would stay that way all season......
Click to expand

I buy it locally from a autobody supply shop but Amazon has some great pricing on it...

You can also buy it here: Presta Products
 
Rich Stidger

Rich Stidger

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Feb 10, 2004
4,096
Hunter 40.5 Warwick, RI
Maine Sail-

For several years I have been using Presta Super Cut Compound with a 3M 5701 Superbuff III double-sided blended white wool pad. I folllow-up with Colonite hard paste wax.

It looks great when I'm done, but year-after-year, would it be an easier job if I used Presta Cutting Creme with the same white blended wool pad? It looks like the Cutting Creme is more of a polish and less of a compound. I'm wondering if it would do a good job with less work or faster. My hull is in pretty good shape, no dull marks from fenders, etc.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,701
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Rich Stidger said:
Maine Sail-

For several years I have been using Presta Super Cut Compound with a 3M 5701 Superbuff III double-sided blended white wool pad. I folllow-up with Colonite hard paste wax.

It looks great when I'm done, but year-after-year, would it be an easier job if I used Presta Cutting Creme with the same white blended wool pad? It looks like the Cutting Creme is more of a polish and less of a compound. I'm wondering if it would do a good job with less work or faster. My hull is in pretty good shape, no dull marks from fenders, etc.
Click to expand
Rich,

I'd suggest using the yellow polishing pad (they make it in a double sided version) and Ultra Cutting Creme.... Starts out heavier at low speeds and diminishes in grit as you speed the wheel up. It ends up darn close to Finesse It II.. Alternatively the blue wool Presta pad and Ultra Cutting Creme does about the same.. it is darn hard to get a really good shine with a white wool pad because they are a cutting pad...
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
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