Do you wax and buff your boat on the water?
- Thread starter RECESS
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Yes and yes. Last year I polished the topsides from the dinghy. I attached the buffer to 20 ft. of shock cord to a halyard so it could easily be lifted and lowered. If I dropped it, it would level out midway up the sides and not hit the water. My wife held the dinghy. We took a weekend to polish and apply 2 coats of wax. Wet sand with a spray bottle in hand. I believe this method is better than trying to do it from the dock. Kneeling against my RIB tube was better than laying on the dock.
Always seemed easier to me to do it in the water from the dinghy. I've seen too many people fall of a ladder.
Yea, I have done mine myself the last two times. When doing the hull, I use a restraining lanyard hung from the lifeline to keep the buffer from falling in. On deck is a piece of cake. However, the hull sides are a PITA doing it from the dock and despite using a cushion, my hip was producing pain for weeks later. I used the dinghy too but didn't find it to be much of an improvement. I'm going to do it again but will take better care of myself and try another approach. Too good exercise to pay someone to do it.
1. There's that nifty little "Hold Tight" thingie - two suction cups with a handle, works great, especially from the dinghy - you can even tie off to it.
2. I don't haul out more than once every few years. Our bow gets the "moustache" brown and I use FSR and hand wax from the dock. Only the first five feet or so on each side. It's a pain, but worth doing.
2. I don't haul out more than once every few years. Our bow gets the "moustache" brown and I use FSR and hand wax from the dock. Only the first five feet or so on each side. It's a pain, but worth doing.
The buff out is only the start, then you want to do a polish and finally two coats of wax. It is a minimum 2 day job. Short haul, block it in the yard and take the opportunity to sand off your prop, replace your zincs, maybe touch up your bottom paint, and inspect the rudder.
haul out or you cannot get the buffer down to the boot stripe without dipping it into the water.
I started with 1000, and then did another round with 1500, both wet. The 1500 made it much less work with the buffer, it didn't need to cut nearly as much, and I found the sanding to be easier on the arms than the buffing (possibly because Jen helped sand, but won't use the buffer).
Yes and yes. Using 1000 grit wet sandpaper makes it easy to remove oxidation. We use blocks and sand by hand, no power tools. Some marinas have a utility raft where you can stand or sit to work the topsides if not it can be done with a dinghy but it has to be tied both at the bow and stern. The wax is applied and polished with an electric buffer. We also use bungee cords attached to the lifelines to hold the buffer.
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