Deck buff questions

[pateco]

Started compounding and polishing some test sections of the deck today, to figure out what steps I need to take to get the results I want. I started with Maine Sail's recommendations Tips For A Great Buff Wax , but I am looking for anyone's input on this
First I tried just using Presta Ultra cutting compound

on a high speed Makita buffer, and then finishing with Presta Marine Ultra Polish

.
This did not get the shine I wanted leading me to believe the surfaces are worse than I thought.
So next I started out heavier, with 3M 600 grit wet dry, followed by 1000 grit, and then the compound and polish. This worked a lot better, but is still not quite as shiny as I would like. I think I may add a 1200 grit step, or a more aggressive compound.

Please let me know what your experiences have been, and what you would try next. Also, is there any easy way to buff around the portlights, winches, cleats, etc?

Before testing

Test section on left after 600, 1000, compound, ultra polish, and NuFinish. Section on right untouched

 

[woodster]

did you use water with the sandpaper also you said high speed buffer did you use low settings on the speed and what was it ....also what compound did you use ...also hand sand only..also the kind of buffing pad makes a big difference

 

[pateco]

OOPS! I just reread Main Sails instructions, and I realize I am starting with the wrong compound. Need something heavier. I will try again tonight with some 3M Marine Rubbing compound.

 

[njlarry]

I used the same products as well but start with presta Gel Coat Cutting Compound first. Also make sure you use the right wool or foam pads as Maine Sail details.

 

[pateco]

I used the same products as well but start with presta Gel Coat Cutting Compound first. Also make sure you use the right wool or foam pads as Maine Sail details.

Using 3m Wool for the cut, and Presta green for the polish.

 

[JohnVTX]

Needs to be done at low speed

 

[pateco]

The buffing has begun.

I got about 1/3 of the deck done before it got too dark last night.

Deck is starting to look quite shiny.

It is amazing to me how good 33 year old gel coat can look with a little love and attention.

 

[pateco]

While I was at it over the weekend I also decided to try a section of the hull stripe area in preparation for our haul out next week.
Original faded stripe seems to be gel coat or paint with cracked vinyl striping over it.

Used a heat gun and plastic razor scraper to take off a section of the stripe.

I tried two different products to remove the adhesive residue. Goo Gone, and Turtle Wax label and sticker remover. Goo Gone didn't touch it, but the Turtle Wax stuff took it right off

after 600 grit, 1000 grit, 3M compound, Presta Polish, and Presta Chroma. I can tell I didn't do a good enough job, but I was working hanging over the side, and didn't want to foul my buffing pads with the unremoved decals. Once she is out of the water it should be easier.

Camparison of the Untouched stripe, with what should be a good finished product.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

Most of the tape and stripe adhesives will come off with xylene, which is the key ingredient in Goo Gone and other masking-tape-removing solutions. You can buy it at Lowe's or HoDePo. Acetone won't touch it because it doesn't stay around long enough (high VOC). Most other things are too chemically weak. West Marine (a California company) markets an 'acetone substitute' which is absolutely worthless for anything you'd want acetone for. The stuff is so anemic you could probably clean convertible tops with it.

Those Hunter decals are still available. You might consider getting her all clean of it and taping off a new stripe of Brightside, adding the decals later. One benefit: you'll be able to touch it up when you've smacked the dock again.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

I trust that, before you add wax to these cabinsides, that you'll mend that ding in the gelcoat forward of the portlight; right? That's open and water's getting into the laminate. It's easily fixed early; wait till later and you'll have blisters in the side below it!

 

[pateco]

Got a lot more done today. Its starting to look pretty good. This is after OnOff, 600 and 1000 grit wet sand, 3M Compound Prestu Ultra cutting polish, and Presta Chroma glazing compound. Still more work to do.

 

[Famos_Amos]

That looks fantastic.. this may motivate me to do some topside work!

 

[Dfisher]

Did you do any kind of wet sanding or prep on the non-slip areas? I will taking this project on this spring and I'm wondering the best technique to clean up the non slip. Your boat is looking great!

 

[BillBay36]

Come do our boat next. Like a pretty lady.

 

[Keith13315]

Compounding is like sanding the gelcoat away. I have used island girl it removes the oxidized gel coat not good gel coat and when finished it looks like a new boat. Finished is cleaned, sealed, and waxed with island girl product. I love the results.

 

[RussC]

Did you do any kind of wet sanding or prep on the non-slip areas? I will taking this project on this spring and I'm wondering the best technique to clean up the non slip. Your boat is looking great!

There is a buffer pad that amounts to a very soft bristle brush made for this purpose. it works pretty well on non-skid.

 

[pateco]

Did you do any kind of wet sanding or prep on the non-slip areas? I will taking this project on this spring and I'm wondering the best technique to clean up the non slip. Your boat is looking great!

After I filled the many many silicone plugged holes from old removed deck hardware and where the missing teak eyebrow used to be along the cabin side, I used 600 and 1000 grit by hand on the smooth surfaces, before I buffed and polished, but I did not sand the non skid areas at all, just buffed.

 

[Jackdaw]

After I filled the many many silicone plugged holes from old removed deck hardware and where the missing teak eyebrow used to be along the cabin side, I used 600 and 1000 grit by hand on the smooth surfaces, before I buffed and polished, but I did not sand the non skid areas at all, just buffed.

Probably a good call. On many boats, doing anything more that washing the anti-skid will destroy its antiskid properties. I have a friend with a older Hunter with that wavy 'cushion' antiskid, and its seems its never been great at stopping slipping. I'd try hard not to make it worse!

 

[Craig Cook]

Some things to consider:
The one suggestion using Brightside is a good one, just a few things from my experience though. The surface will need to be free of ANY wax or silicone or you will suffer with "fish eyes" where the paint pulls away from the silicone in small circles that resemble fish eyes. The second thing is that the product is really affected by the conditions it is applied in. Per instructions from Interlux technical advisors, you will need to take into consideration temperature, humidity and wind conditions using Interlux 303 Brushing Liquid and/or 216 Thinner added to the paint to either decrease or increase drying time. It needs to have enough drying time to allow the brush marks to lay down and the paint to get glossy. The third thing is to use a really, really good brush. They suggested badger hair, using a cheap brush (like I did the first time) looks like you applied the paint with a broom.
On our Island Packet, I wanted to freshen up the boot stripe paint which is paint, not gelcoat. An IP dealer suggested that I mask the area off and use Krylon Fushion spray paint which is made for plastic. The stripe was Navy Blue, the Krylon matched perfectly, was wayyyyy easier to work with than Brightside, was cheaper and being spray paint left a nice smooth finish. The trick is to do multiple light coats to cover. A single heavy coat will sag (trust me here).
Lastly, the non-skid. I had very good luck using Brightside for this on an older Catalina 27 that I brought back to life. I added another Interlux product called a "flattening agent" to my Brightside paint, masked off the area of the deck and put on two coats to get the color coverage. In this case I did use a cheap brush to dab the paint into the non-skid surface and then brushed it to cover. It was a rough surface and the paint was not glossy so easy to apply, looked good and didn't take away from the non-skid ability. The flattening agent, whatever it is, makes the paint flat instead of glossy so it is not slippery. We eventually sold the Catalina, years later I saw the boat and the non-skid still looked great. Brightside is available in so many colors it was easy to find one that matched the cream color of Catalina non-skid.
Hope this all helps

 

[njlarry]

Thank you, Craig, big help. I'm about to paint our cockpit floor which is scarred by poor po repairs, by sanding and applying brightside with non skid sprinkled on the first coat. Do you think the non skid grit will flaten the brightside? The whole job will take less than a pint and interlux is only available in quarts so I am hoping not to have too much waste.
Krylon is great stuff. I used it for a deck coaming winch box that could not be removed to spray so I got a half pint can of gloss white and applied it with a foam brush. Came out looking new and has held up to heavy use.