I have a '73 Morgan 35 that is in pretty good shape except for the faded, oxidized gel coat with some grime on it too. What would you recommend at the best bang for your buck cleaner, and restorer? Is the island girl system worth it?
Gel coat cleaner
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Car wax
First thing i would try on it is buffing compound sold at auto stores, walmart etc. about any system uses abrasives to get off the oxidized layer, your gel coat is from 1 to 10 mils thick. so if mild abrasive (buffing compound) keep working your way up the scale, with sanding being the last. Caution though if you sand too much, you can sand through the gelcoat, then painting is necessary. or if you dont want to use abrasives you can put baby oil on it every 3 days. Seen people do this to make a quick dirty sell.
First thing i would try on it is buffing compound sold at auto stores, walmart etc. about any system uses abrasives to get off the oxidized layer, your gel coat is from 1 to 10 mils thick. so if mild abrasive (buffing compound) keep working your way up the scale, with sanding being the last. Caution though if you sand too much, you can sand through the gelcoat, then painting is necessary. or if you dont want to use abrasives you can put baby oil on it every 3 days. Seen people do this to make a quick dirty sell.
island girl
I once used island girl pink to clean some some hard to clean marks with a scotch pad and it works great very strong. Every year I now use west marine cleaner restorer and than put west marine wax with silicone and it helps keep the boat looking good easy to clean up. nick
I once used island girl pink to clean some some hard to clean marks with a scotch pad and it works great very strong. Every year I now use west marine cleaner restorer and than put west marine wax with silicone and it helps keep the boat looking good easy to clean up. nick
Compound, Polish,Wax
I have worked on several boats that had chalky and/or oxidized gelcoat. Best way if old fashioned elbow grease. First use compoud, then polish, then a copule coays of wax. Mequiars and 3M both make great products for your boat. Make sure you follow instructions on all products carefully. be cautiuos of one step and new "do it all" products as they frequently contain polymers that are tough and/or impossible to remove once applied....
I have worked on several boats that had chalky and/or oxidized gelcoat. Best way if old fashioned elbow grease. First use compoud, then polish, then a copule coays of wax. Mequiars and 3M both make great products for your boat. Make sure you follow instructions on all products carefully. be cautiuos of one step and new "do it all" products as they frequently contain polymers that are tough and/or impossible to remove once applied....
Island Girl too!
Don: I would also highly recommend Island Girl. Mix a little with water and wash the boat. Then get a scrubber (battery operated unit). Apply some IG and sc rub away. Rinse with water and let it dry. Then you can wax either the IG wax, Collinite, or your favorite wax. This product will actually treat the gel coat. Take a look at their website www.islandgirlproducts.com
Don: I would also highly recommend Island Girl. Mix a little with water and wash the boat. Then get a scrubber (battery operated unit). Apply some IG and sc rub away. Rinse with water and let it dry. Then you can wax either the IG wax, Collinite, or your favorite wax. This product will actually treat the gel coat. Take a look at their website www.islandgirlproducts.com
Island girl sucks
I spent alot of money on thier product and I don't think it's any better than a good cleaner,wax and alot of elbo work. I purchased thier kit or whatever it was with all those little bottles of pink, green orange (whatever)and these expectations of a beauty boat,NOT. Doesn't clean or shine any better than the cheap stuff from West Marine,doesn't last any longer and wait until you read thier directions. Good Luck.
I spent alot of money on thier product and I don't think it's any better than a good cleaner,wax and alot of elbo work. I purchased thier kit or whatever it was with all those little bottles of pink, green orange (whatever)and these expectations of a beauty boat,NOT. Doesn't clean or shine any better than the cheap stuff from West Marine,doesn't last any longer and wait until you read thier directions. Good Luck.
If I remember to check....
I will look to see what I use on the hull. It's a blue gue stuff in a half-size plastic jar. It works wonders for the light brown mustash on the bow. The cleaner wax didn't even touch it. I hope writing this will remind me tonight to check....I have such a bad memory.
I will look to see what I use on the hull. It's a blue gue stuff in a half-size plastic jar. It works wonders for the light brown mustash on the bow. The cleaner wax didn't even touch it. I hope writing this will remind me tonight to check....I have such a bad memory.
hummm.. conflicting reports on Island Girl...
i wonder if i can get a small sample pack to do a test area? ill email them..
i wonder if i can get a small sample pack to do a test area? ill email them..
Aqua Buff 2000
Ahoy Don; I just did my boat 76 Morgan O/I. It had that faded chaulk look you are talking about. I did a test with Island Girl and the old fashioned hard way. The Island Girl is not all that easy and is not holding up like the my other method. I started with Aqua Buff 2000 and found it was had enough abrasive to do the job. I used a variable speed hand grinder/Buffer I bought from Harbor Freight for 40 pieces of gold. I got an adaptor for the arbor and what is called a 2x2 buffing pad. Don't use the one that comes with the buffer, it's junk. Apply the Aqua Buff with a paint brush to about a 3 foot area and start buffing until you cannot see the Aqua Buff haze anymore. There is nothing to wipe off. I think a pint can of Aqua buff costs about 10 pieces of Gold. It will do a more than a 40 foot boat. It also has a wax in it. If the shine is not what you want you might have to go to the AquaBuff 1000 It is blue in color verses the white color for the 2000. If you still do not get the shine then wet sand with 400 grit and then start with the 1000 and then the 2000. Then for a little extra protection you can add another coat of good quality car wax as the final step. The 2x2 pad will do more than one boat and has 2 sides you can use. When the pad starts to get loaded with the AquaBuff take a paint stick and drag the edege of the stick from the middle out whilst the buffer is cranked up. Let the buffer do the work. There be a learning curve sort of like when you use one of those floor polisher machines for the first time. Six months and the Island Girl is starting to dull. Not alot mind you but you can see the difference. I am going to haul out again and redo the Island Girl area with the AquaBuff. I work at a marina and I can haul my boat anytime no charge so I thought I would do this test. The painters at the marina turned me on to the AquaBuff. You will get great results and a set of arm muscles you would not believe Fair Winds The Cap'n
Ahoy Don; I just did my boat 76 Morgan O/I. It had that faded chaulk look you are talking about. I did a test with Island Girl and the old fashioned hard way. The Island Girl is not all that easy and is not holding up like the my other method. I started with Aqua Buff 2000 and found it was had enough abrasive to do the job. I used a variable speed hand grinder/Buffer I bought from Harbor Freight for 40 pieces of gold. I got an adaptor for the arbor and what is called a 2x2 buffing pad. Don't use the one that comes with the buffer, it's junk. Apply the Aqua Buff with a paint brush to about a 3 foot area and start buffing until you cannot see the Aqua Buff haze anymore. There is nothing to wipe off. I think a pint can of Aqua buff costs about 10 pieces of Gold. It will do a more than a 40 foot boat. It also has a wax in it. If the shine is not what you want you might have to go to the AquaBuff 1000 It is blue in color verses the white color for the 2000. If you still do not get the shine then wet sand with 400 grit and then start with the 1000 and then the 2000. Then for a little extra protection you can add another coat of good quality car wax as the final step. The 2x2 pad will do more than one boat and has 2 sides you can use. When the pad starts to get loaded with the AquaBuff take a paint stick and drag the edege of the stick from the middle out whilst the buffer is cranked up. Let the buffer do the work. There be a learning curve sort of like when you use one of those floor polisher machines for the first time. Six months and the Island Girl is starting to dull. Not alot mind you but you can see the difference. I am going to haul out again and redo the Island Girl area with the AquaBuff. I work at a marina and I can haul my boat anytime no charge so I thought I would do this test. The painters at the marina turned me on to the AquaBuff. You will get great results and a set of arm muscles you would not believe Fair Winds The Cap'n
Try Sno Bowl
Ahoy Again Don; If you have that brown stain at tha waterline use Sno Bowl toilet bowl cleaner about 1 piece of gold. Apply with a sponge mop and let set for a few minutes then hose off the brown. Do this before you bottom paint or you will bottom paint again, Fair Winds The Cap'n
Ahoy Again Don; If you have that brown stain at tha waterline use Sno Bowl toilet bowl cleaner about 1 piece of gold. Apply with a sponge mop and let set for a few minutes then hose off the brown. Do this before you bottom paint or you will bottom paint again, Fair Winds The Cap'n
cool, im going to be trying a few products while
I have the boat in the floating dock in Norfolk before I bring it down here, it will be much easier to scrub off the marks near the boot stripe, its almost like the enamel on it bled upwards. Not much brown-nose on the side i photographed..
Tolet bowl cleaner, hu? worth a try, has to be cheeper than most "marine" cleaners. I have a Bosh grinder but im afraid I might over-speed too easily and kill the gell, im thinking of getting a low speed dedicated buffer tool, prob will be worth the $39 at Wal-Mart..
I have the boat in the floating dock in Norfolk before I bring it down here, it will be much easier to scrub off the marks near the boot stripe, its almost like the enamel on it bled upwards. Not much brown-nose on the side i photographed..
Tolet bowl cleaner, hu? worth a try, has to be cheeper than most "marine" cleaners. I have a Bosh grinder but im afraid I might over-speed too easily and kill the gell, im thinking of getting a low speed dedicated buffer tool, prob will be worth the $39 at Wal-Mart..3M Sucks too??
This is from the hundred or so testimonials on the IG site (posted with his permission. There also many many such on the chandlery on this site and this is not even including vinyl, inflatable boats etc. This guy now has his Hunter for sale and is using IG on his new trawler. His own words (2005 update) are soon to follow. There are also movies showing 3 year water beading on my boat in HI. These are all "real life" examples. Yes I was the guy who did the side by side comparision with 3M wax with the IG System. I was very pleased with the overall results. The cool thing was that the following year (spring of 2003) I did the entire boat with the IG system. I never touched the topsides again and left the boat in the water through the Connecticut winter of 2003-2004 Sailed the boat this summer and hauled just a couple of weeks ago. Two years on one application the water still beads and the hull looks great. David Johndrow, 1982 Hunter, Bristol CT, October, 2004
This is from the hundred or so testimonials on the IG site (posted with his permission. There also many many such on the chandlery on this site and this is not even including vinyl, inflatable boats etc. This guy now has his Hunter for sale and is using IG on his new trawler. His own words (2005 update) are soon to follow. There are also movies showing 3 year water beading on my boat in HI. These are all "real life" examples. Yes I was the guy who did the side by side comparision with 3M wax with the IG System. I was very pleased with the overall results. The cool thing was that the following year (spring of 2003) I did the entire boat with the IG system. I never touched the topsides again and left the boat in the water through the Connecticut winter of 2003-2004 Sailed the boat this summer and hauled just a couple of weeks ago. Two years on one application the water still beads and the hull looks great. David Johndrow, 1982 Hunter, Bristol CT, October, 2004
here is the worst part on my boat
(see pic below) I emailed Island Girl to see if I can get a sample kit of 1/2oz or 1/4th oz of their gel-coat restorer kit, if they reply and send me such, and it works, I will be more than willing to buy a full kit for my 35 footer and write a full review on this site (hint hint anyone from island girl here) about it after application and one year from now...
(see pic below) I emailed Island Girl to see if I can get a sample kit of 1/2oz or 1/4th oz of their gel-coat restorer kit, if they reply and send me such, and it works, I will be more than willing to buy a full kit for my 35 footer and write a full review on this site (hint hint anyone from island girl here) about it after application and one year from now...
nice job! im prob going to have to wait to do
anything major till I can get it the DIY marina in Del Ray, Florida. My boat needs a new bottom paint job as well as the centerboard unstuck (critter growth in the trunk has it stuck).
anything major till I can get it the DIY marina in Del Ray, Florida. My boat needs a new bottom paint job as well as the centerboard unstuck (critter growth in the trunk has it stuck).
Island Girl Products view from the pros
We are pro detailers from the Sacramento area, we use Island Girl Products on all fiberglass, gelcoat, RV's, Boat's etc. Saves us time and money and it is longlasting with a high shine to boot! What more could you ask for, see our pictures on our websites. The proof is in the pudding! Email us with any questions! We use it on cars too! Robert
We are pro detailers from the Sacramento area, we use Island Girl Products on all fiberglass, gelcoat, RV's, Boat's etc. Saves us time and money and it is longlasting with a high shine to boot! What more could you ask for, see our pictures on our websites. The proof is in the pudding! Email us with any questions! We use it on cars too! Robert
Island Girl does work
Johnboat, I dont know what you are doing wrong. I have use every type of wax on the market for several years. The best result I have EVER found is IG. Period. You must start with a clean smoooth surface. Use IG Pink to clean the boat. It cuts thru the grey streaks like a hot knife thru butter. It really helps if is warm and sunny. I have has 3 beneteaus and since I changes over to this stuff grey streaks are not a problem, neither is ICW stain. Its just gone. YOu must be doing something wrong. Are you using microfiber? GO to my link below to see how insane the result is on by 36 Beneteau. COntact me off list if you want. Remember if you have a crappy surface you really need to buff it out. I use a big ass 8" high speed buffer. My system is to wash the boat with IG Pink, then buff the hull. I then use IG SilkinSeal with a microfiber cloth. The follow up with the MHSG.Let it sit on for about an hour. I did my boat in about 6 hours on one of the hottest days of the year. Just look at the pics on my web site. Cheers MKP
Johnboat, I dont know what you are doing wrong. I have use every type of wax on the market for several years. The best result I have EVER found is IG. Period. You must start with a clean smoooth surface. Use IG Pink to clean the boat. It cuts thru the grey streaks like a hot knife thru butter. It really helps if is warm and sunny. I have has 3 beneteaus and since I changes over to this stuff grey streaks are not a problem, neither is ICW stain. Its just gone. YOu must be doing something wrong. Are you using microfiber? GO to my link below to see how insane the result is on by 36 Beneteau. COntact me off list if you want. Remember if you have a crappy surface you really need to buff it out. I use a big ass 8" high speed buffer. My system is to wash the boat with IG Pink, then buff the hull. I then use IG SilkinSeal with a microfiber cloth. The follow up with the MHSG.Let it sit on for about an hour. I did my boat in about 6 hours on one of the hottest days of the year. Just look at the pics on my web site. Cheers MKP
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