Sorry, just seeing this question.
I use a Makita 9227C polisher, starting at setting 1, and depending on conditions (temperature, sunlight, etc), I may work up to setting 2 once the cleaner/polish has been worked enough (never higher than setting 2 though, and usually lower). The 2'X2' area you reference is the same area I work at any given time. The pad I use is a 3M 05713 with very light pressure against the hull. I transfer the cleaner/polish to a small squeeze bottle (looks like a translucent ketchup bottle I bought off of Amazon). It has a relatively fine tip compared to the 3M cleaner/polish bottle, which helps control how much is applied to the pad, less is better to start with until you find the right balance. After applying it to the pad and before turning on the polisher, I rub the pad against the hull to spread the cleaner/polish (sometimes I'll apply it directly to the hull and use the pad to smear it across the working area before polishing). When first starting the job, I make sure the wool pad is lightly wetted out prior to squirting the polish/cleaner to the pad. You also need to make ensure the pad doesn't dry out during the process (misting it when needed). These aren't my ideas. All these details I learned directly from Maine Sail's work captured in his post from 2010 (Tips For A Great Buff & Wax).
Hard to say what's going on as I'm not sure what surface you were working from. If you or the yard went through the same Maine Sail tutorial for the original compounding/polishing process, then I wonder if you may have debris in your pad causing swirling. I've been using the cleaner/polish every season for several years now and have had nothing but consistently positive results. You really don't want to be compounding your gel coat every season (nor should you need to).
I use a Makita 9227C polisher, starting at setting 1, and depending on conditions (temperature, sunlight, etc), I may work up to setting 2 once the cleaner/polish has been worked enough (never higher than setting 2 though, and usually lower). The 2'X2' area you reference is the same area I work at any given time. The pad I use is a 3M 05713 with very light pressure against the hull. I transfer the cleaner/polish to a small squeeze bottle (looks like a translucent ketchup bottle I bought off of Amazon). It has a relatively fine tip compared to the 3M cleaner/polish bottle, which helps control how much is applied to the pad, less is better to start with until you find the right balance. After applying it to the pad and before turning on the polisher, I rub the pad against the hull to spread the cleaner/polish (sometimes I'll apply it directly to the hull and use the pad to smear it across the working area before polishing). When first starting the job, I make sure the wool pad is lightly wetted out prior to squirting the polish/cleaner to the pad. You also need to make ensure the pad doesn't dry out during the process (misting it when needed). These aren't my ideas. All these details I learned directly from Maine Sail's work captured in his post from 2010 (Tips For A Great Buff & Wax).
Hard to say what's going on as I'm not sure what surface you were working from. If you or the yard went through the same Maine Sail tutorial for the original compounding/polishing process, then I wonder if you may have debris in your pad causing swirling. I've been using the cleaner/polish every season for several years now and have had nothing but consistently positive results. You really don't want to be compounding your gel coat every season (nor should you need to).