After reading about the wonders of the Island Girl system, I purchased a kit and followed all directions in applying it to my 1984 Cat30 hull, including use of the 3M pad. The hull was in pretty good shape to begin with, and the Island Girl system with a final double coat of Super Wax made it the envy of the yard. I had gawkers standing around the boat staring at it just about every day before launch. The problem is that about a month after launch the hull has started to "blush" and streak. That beautiful shine is almost all gone. Additionally, wherever I have run off from the deck, I get black streaks down the hul to the waterline that are very difficult to remove. I was hoping that the beautiful shine I had initially would last the season. Do I have to go back to the old "buff and shine system" or is there something I can do about my current problem. I have a friend who used the system on his Mainship and is experiencing the same situation as I am. Anybody had any experience with this problem out there?
- Status
Same Problem
The shine was outstanding. I put on two coats of Simply Brillant wax after using Sea Glow. The next week I spent 10 days sailing in the San Juans. When I came back, The shine was starting to oxidize and look pastey. The problem is, I didn't have an oxidation problem when I started. Anyway, I have already gone over the whole hull with West Marine Seapower and followed up with their teflon wax. Hull looks great again, and I know it will last at least a full season. So much for an easy way out. Sean
The shine was outstanding. I put on two coats of Simply Brillant wax after using Sea Glow. The next week I spent 10 days sailing in the San Juans. When I came back, The shine was starting to oxidize and look pastey. The problem is, I didn't have an oxidation problem when I started. Anyway, I have already gone over the whole hull with West Marine Seapower and followed up with their teflon wax. Hull looks great again, and I know it will last at least a full season. So much for an easy way out. Sean
Poliglow
I have heard a number of times that Poli-glow (paradigm products) is supppose to be an excellent product. Have not tried it but will do at the beginning of next season. I'll broadcast the results then.
I have heard a number of times that Poli-glow (paradigm products) is supppose to be an excellent product. Have not tried it but will do at the beginning of next season. I'll broadcast the results then.
Colinite... Hands Down
My 1974 H25 was neglected for 3 years, the hull looked like an old chalk board. I used the Colinite fiberglass cleaner $8/bottle, then used the Colinite Wax, $12/bottle. It's showroom quality. Everybody swears by the stuff. It's made in Utica, NY, so maybe it's an upstate NY thing. But man... she looks great. You can buy it Boat US. I don't think West Marine carries it. -Ike
My 1974 H25 was neglected for 3 years, the hull looked like an old chalk board. I used the Colinite fiberglass cleaner $8/bottle, then used the Colinite Wax, $12/bottle. It's showroom quality. Everybody swears by the stuff. It's made in Utica, NY, so maybe it's an upstate NY thing. But man... she looks great. You can buy it Boat US. I don't think West Marine carries it. -Ike
I oerdered . . .
a batch of I G products the beginning of this season. I am very disappointed with the entire lot, cleaners ,wax etc. I havn't used the clear vinyl cleaner yet. My clear vinyl windows on the dodger look so good with just soap and warm water I am afraid to put anything else on them. Chris
a batch of I G products the beginning of this season. I am very disappointed with the entire lot, cleaners ,wax etc. I havn't used the clear vinyl cleaner yet. My clear vinyl windows on the dodger look so good with just soap and warm water I am afraid to put anything else on them. Chris
What is going on?
These comments are not very encouraging compared to all of the verbage over the winter and early spring about these products. I've read a lot of excuses from Island Girl with offers of free stuff and it wasn't applied right comments. I think I remember problems about delivery, could there be problems with manufacturing? I'm beginning to wonder about the worth of these products. I don't believe you are associated with these products but do you have any comments Phil?
These comments are not very encouraging compared to all of the verbage over the winter and early spring about these products. I've read a lot of excuses from Island Girl with offers of free stuff and it wasn't applied right comments. I think I remember problems about delivery, could there be problems with manufacturing? I'm beginning to wonder about the worth of these products. I don't believe you are associated with these products but do you have any comments Phil?
Your "Problems" - easily fixed!
We are sorry that you had problems - if you had earlier e-mailed or phoned directly we'd probably have fixed them for you already. The SEA GLOW that you used will brighten color and protect the gelcoat like no other product. Only our cleanser/conditioners can restore depth to black or dark blue gelcoat by removing deep down oxidation and preventing its return. Basically chalking should not come back if the surface is sealed well. Any dulling or "blushing" of the waxed finish should not be confused with return of gelcoat chalk and is easily fixed (see later ). I have my own boat and those of friends and customers treated with our products, out here in Honolulu. So, I can give you the benefit of my experience and result from many test panels on the mainland and here in Hawaii that go back over a year. Now to the Superwax coating. As you mentioned, the initial results are so dramatic that you literally will have people gawking in wonder. The initial shine is more akin to fresh LPU than to the usual "waxed look. With regards to durability of the shine, I thought that a little scientific explanation would be good to use first, followed by "quick fix" advice. Most all regular waxes use Carnuaba (carbon based) wax micronized and dissolved in petroleum base. Wax itself is like candle wax, - dull with a slighly chalky sheen but quite protective against the elements. The gloss comes from addition of dimethyl silicones that are very shiny, often very slippery too, but evaporate, causing evential loss of shine, and on their own, will be washed off with water, particularly with washing in detergent. However, detergent resistance comes from the addition of "aminofuntional silicones" that cross link, making a microscopic mesh that holds in the dimethyl silicone and wax components so that they are not readily lost by washing off or by weathering. Some wax formulations get additional durability from the use of a little resin, like a urethane or silicone resin. Salt from sea water and UV all help deteriorate the finish, but that is INSTEAD of deteriorating your gelcoat that is underneath! A good conventional paste wax will always outlast a liquid wax. Liquid "cleaner/waxes" are obviously easier to use (being liquid) and also have a bit of fine grit to aid dirt and oxidation removal. However, the finish is very thin (better suited to car paint for which they were actually designed) and basic oxidation in the pores of gelcoat will remain. Teflon in wax may aid water beading, but any significant amounts dulls the wax finish (have done the experiments). There is no perfectly weatherproof finish! Even two part LPU (a $8,000 paint job) can eventually flake or peel off and will slowly chalk and fade. An alternative approach, developed originally from the non-wax kitchen floor treatments is to use an acrylic water-based emulsion. This is the poor man's urethane clearcoat. Like all "paint jobs" the results depend not only the quality of the product, whether it has UV inhibitors etc but mainly upon the preparation. Any active chalk remaining underneath in the gelcoat "pores" or old wax will eventually affect adhesion, even more so than with a solvent-based clear coat- result can be flaking & peeling. Another problem with all acrylics is potential for yellowing on white boats. These finishes have to be applied carefully to avoid streaking using a special applicator and usually about 6 coats are required (90 hours to do a 40 ft boat I was told by one customer). Being water-based stand be applied if it rains etc. The best of these (Polyglow and Nuglass II) will last a season to a year (outlasting most wax application) but it is recommended that dullness is treated by another coat partway. Eventually the finish goes grey all the way through and is not that easy to remove (wet sanding may be required). Now to our SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax. It is not perfect but has been incrementally improved in response to customer input. However it is well on the way to meeting "holy grail" requirements of something you wipe on in one or two coats without buffing, shines better than almost anything and will outlast (with minimum maintenance) any other wax finish. The basic wax protection will last up to a year (seen as water beading). It is easy to clean, remove or partially remove (e.g. getting rid of ingrained dirt) with our cleaners. Its base is a super hard "synthetic" wax (little carbon) and three different resins, one of which is very fast setting, so aiding in the easy application and one that is VERY hard. The mirror shine is due to it's "flowing out" into a smooth surface and also due to the dimethylsilicones, which, if on the surface as "sweating" (wax put on thick?, bottle not well shaken?) can form an emulsion with water causing "blushing. Weathering (seen as dulling) of the resin/wax base has been greatly reduced by addition of anti-oxidant & free radical scavengers (from Feb 2001) but we are always experimenting (in the tropics) to improve weathering resistance even more. The underlying wax/resin base eventually becomes very hard, yet not brittle, and can be buffed, even by hand, to a great shine, - but there are much easier ways to keep it shiny (see below). Here are the Fixes( and they are easy): 1. Try to wash the boat down with fresh water periodically to minimise salt accumulation and air pollution run off (you would certainly do this with your car!). All boats, no matter what the finish get streaks from pollution runoff. I get this on my boat that is next to a roadway. Oily pollution (black streaks) get into the Superwax coating but grey streaks are usually more superficial. Fixing takes a minute or two. Just use some of our cleaner on paper towel (I use IG pink, with or without some water for mild surface pollution) and wipe with paper towel. Spritz on and wipe over with a little SILKENSEAL if you want mirror shine. Alternatively (when dry) the wax can be lightly buffed for a "waxed look. Kerosine or mineral spirit can also be used to remove streaks, but they leave a milky residue from the dissolved wax, although this can also be removed with Silkenseal or touched in with fresh Superwax. 2. Treat excessive blushing, dulling or "oily" areas (actual source of the original problem) by mopping over with a little ISLAND GIRL Pink diluted in water (enough pink to clean the suface of any oiliness but not enough to dissove the wax/resin base). You can use trial and error on a small area, but about 20-50% pink in water is a good starting point. To do this on the hull sides (without the dinghy) I used a broom with the head wrapped in microfiber cloth. I had to fix dullness a few days after a downpour of rain occured just as we had finished putting on the Superwax. This was posted in the IG monthly newsletter(send me you e-mail address to be on the list). Then wipe over with Silkenseal (using same broom method on big area, but obviously with a different cloth - any cloth will do or use paper towel by hand. The aminofunctionals silicones in the SILKENSEAL will seal the surface, bring back the wet look and will improve durability of the surface (I am investigating whether an initial coat of Silkenseal might have been a good idea anyway). You will be suprised to learn that the finish on the boat improves with time when treated like this. My hull sides still look great and I sail every week in the Pacific Ocean. 3. On dark stripes and "obvious" surfaces that are more exposed to weathering (e.g. my topsides and stripe) , occassionally (4-6 months or so) wipe over with more Superwax (but shake the bottle and use in thin coats). Try not to apply over dirt, although the wax will clean off surface dirt (you have to wipe it off ) a little pink and water first will save wax usage, even though it temporarily dulls the surface until the Superwax is applied. I have used this approach to completely restore badly pitted gelcoat with the pits filled with the Superwax - it looks just like regularly waxed new gelcoat. All of the above is on this year's wax instruction sheet but not in the detail given here. After further editing, I will post this reply on the the IslandGirlProducts.com website where anyone can always e-mail for response or call us at 1-800-441-4452. ANYONE putting another product over a boat first receiving our is wasting money and effort and the benefit of the prior treatment with our Cleanser/Conditioners will largely be negated by dissolving out with petroleum distillates. For instance, neither I nor the magazines I have read have found any liquid wax to shine more than a month or so. Practical Sailor found that even Collinite Pastewax (the benchmark) dulled at 3 months . Collinite with a layer of Silkenseal will, however, give a finish almost as good as with Superwax and it will last well, but this is a multi-step and time-consuming process that still involves buffing of the paste wax. By contrast, you just wipe on our Superwax (no buffing required)! I personally stand behind our claims and, as you know, there is a money back warranty. Thank you for the critical input, even if half the world has read it first before I had a chance to reply! Thanks Jim Willis President, IGP
We are sorry that you had problems - if you had earlier e-mailed or phoned directly we'd probably have fixed them for you already. The SEA GLOW that you used will brighten color and protect the gelcoat like no other product. Only our cleanser/conditioners can restore depth to black or dark blue gelcoat by removing deep down oxidation and preventing its return. Basically chalking should not come back if the surface is sealed well. Any dulling or "blushing" of the waxed finish should not be confused with return of gelcoat chalk and is easily fixed (see later ). I have my own boat and those of friends and customers treated with our products, out here in Honolulu. So, I can give you the benefit of my experience and result from many test panels on the mainland and here in Hawaii that go back over a year. Now to the Superwax coating. As you mentioned, the initial results are so dramatic that you literally will have people gawking in wonder. The initial shine is more akin to fresh LPU than to the usual "waxed look. With regards to durability of the shine, I thought that a little scientific explanation would be good to use first, followed by "quick fix" advice. Most all regular waxes use Carnuaba (carbon based) wax micronized and dissolved in petroleum base. Wax itself is like candle wax, - dull with a slighly chalky sheen but quite protective against the elements. The gloss comes from addition of dimethyl silicones that are very shiny, often very slippery too, but evaporate, causing evential loss of shine, and on their own, will be washed off with water, particularly with washing in detergent. However, detergent resistance comes from the addition of "aminofuntional silicones" that cross link, making a microscopic mesh that holds in the dimethyl silicone and wax components so that they are not readily lost by washing off or by weathering. Some wax formulations get additional durability from the use of a little resin, like a urethane or silicone resin. Salt from sea water and UV all help deteriorate the finish, but that is INSTEAD of deteriorating your gelcoat that is underneath! A good conventional paste wax will always outlast a liquid wax. Liquid "cleaner/waxes" are obviously easier to use (being liquid) and also have a bit of fine grit to aid dirt and oxidation removal. However, the finish is very thin (better suited to car paint for which they were actually designed) and basic oxidation in the pores of gelcoat will remain. Teflon in wax may aid water beading, but any significant amounts dulls the wax finish (have done the experiments). There is no perfectly weatherproof finish! Even two part LPU (a $8,000 paint job) can eventually flake or peel off and will slowly chalk and fade. An alternative approach, developed originally from the non-wax kitchen floor treatments is to use an acrylic water-based emulsion. This is the poor man's urethane clearcoat. Like all "paint jobs" the results depend not only the quality of the product, whether it has UV inhibitors etc but mainly upon the preparation. Any active chalk remaining underneath in the gelcoat "pores" or old wax will eventually affect adhesion, even more so than with a solvent-based clear coat- result can be flaking & peeling. Another problem with all acrylics is potential for yellowing on white boats. These finishes have to be applied carefully to avoid streaking using a special applicator and usually about 6 coats are required (90 hours to do a 40 ft boat I was told by one customer). Being water-based stand be applied if it rains etc. The best of these (Polyglow and Nuglass II) will last a season to a year (outlasting most wax application) but it is recommended that dullness is treated by another coat partway. Eventually the finish goes grey all the way through and is not that easy to remove (wet sanding may be required). Now to our SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax. It is not perfect but has been incrementally improved in response to customer input. However it is well on the way to meeting "holy grail" requirements of something you wipe on in one or two coats without buffing, shines better than almost anything and will outlast (with minimum maintenance) any other wax finish. The basic wax protection will last up to a year (seen as water beading). It is easy to clean, remove or partially remove (e.g. getting rid of ingrained dirt) with our cleaners. Its base is a super hard "synthetic" wax (little carbon) and three different resins, one of which is very fast setting, so aiding in the easy application and one that is VERY hard. The mirror shine is due to it's "flowing out" into a smooth surface and also due to the dimethylsilicones, which, if on the surface as "sweating" (wax put on thick?, bottle not well shaken?) can form an emulsion with water causing "blushing. Weathering (seen as dulling) of the resin/wax base has been greatly reduced by addition of anti-oxidant & free radical scavengers (from Feb 2001) but we are always experimenting (in the tropics) to improve weathering resistance even more. The underlying wax/resin base eventually becomes very hard, yet not brittle, and can be buffed, even by hand, to a great shine, - but there are much easier ways to keep it shiny (see below). Here are the Fixes( and they are easy): 1. Try to wash the boat down with fresh water periodically to minimise salt accumulation and air pollution run off (you would certainly do this with your car!). All boats, no matter what the finish get streaks from pollution runoff. I get this on my boat that is next to a roadway. Oily pollution (black streaks) get into the Superwax coating but grey streaks are usually more superficial. Fixing takes a minute or two. Just use some of our cleaner on paper towel (I use IG pink, with or without some water for mild surface pollution) and wipe with paper towel. Spritz on and wipe over with a little SILKENSEAL if you want mirror shine. Alternatively (when dry) the wax can be lightly buffed for a "waxed look. Kerosine or mineral spirit can also be used to remove streaks, but they leave a milky residue from the dissolved wax, although this can also be removed with Silkenseal or touched in with fresh Superwax. 2. Treat excessive blushing, dulling or "oily" areas (actual source of the original problem) by mopping over with a little ISLAND GIRL Pink diluted in water (enough pink to clean the suface of any oiliness but not enough to dissove the wax/resin base). You can use trial and error on a small area, but about 20-50% pink in water is a good starting point. To do this on the hull sides (without the dinghy) I used a broom with the head wrapped in microfiber cloth. I had to fix dullness a few days after a downpour of rain occured just as we had finished putting on the Superwax. This was posted in the IG monthly newsletter(send me you e-mail address to be on the list). Then wipe over with Silkenseal (using same broom method on big area, but obviously with a different cloth - any cloth will do or use paper towel by hand. The aminofunctionals silicones in the SILKENSEAL will seal the surface, bring back the wet look and will improve durability of the surface (I am investigating whether an initial coat of Silkenseal might have been a good idea anyway). You will be suprised to learn that the finish on the boat improves with time when treated like this. My hull sides still look great and I sail every week in the Pacific Ocean. 3. On dark stripes and "obvious" surfaces that are more exposed to weathering (e.g. my topsides and stripe) , occassionally (4-6 months or so) wipe over with more Superwax (but shake the bottle and use in thin coats). Try not to apply over dirt, although the wax will clean off surface dirt (you have to wipe it off ) a little pink and water first will save wax usage, even though it temporarily dulls the surface until the Superwax is applied. I have used this approach to completely restore badly pitted gelcoat with the pits filled with the Superwax - it looks just like regularly waxed new gelcoat. All of the above is on this year's wax instruction sheet but not in the detail given here. After further editing, I will post this reply on the the IslandGirlProducts.com website where anyone can always e-mail for response or call us at 1-800-441-4452. ANYONE putting another product over a boat first receiving our is wasting money and effort and the benefit of the prior treatment with our Cleanser/Conditioners will largely be negated by dissolving out with petroleum distillates. For instance, neither I nor the magazines I have read have found any liquid wax to shine more than a month or so. Practical Sailor found that even Collinite Pastewax (the benchmark) dulled at 3 months . Collinite with a layer of Silkenseal will, however, give a finish almost as good as with Superwax and it will last well, but this is a multi-step and time-consuming process that still involves buffing of the paste wax. By contrast, you just wipe on our Superwax (no buffing required)! I personally stand behind our claims and, as you know, there is a money back warranty. Thank you for the critical input, even if half the world has read it first before I had a chance to reply! Thanks Jim Willis President, IGP
Reply to Chris
You sent your products back and I sent you your money back. I do remember you did not use the 3M pad becuase I had forgotten to enclose it during the spring rush that was entirely due to positive word of mouth - not adverts! I was very angry about the "backdoor" and blanket nature of your comments in a forum I have never before visited and was (perhaps justifiably) angry. I am sorry for the initial nature of my response since "two wrongs do not make a right". How about some fairness here! You did not try the products properly, and you have been paid for what you got (including postage). I sending you product again for you to try and to answer these OBJECTIVE questions: 1. Will CLEAR HORIZONS make youe eye glasses, car windshields and isinglass almost "invisibly" clear and water repellant? 2. Will SEA GLOW remove oxidation from old fiberglass hull and brighten color when used with the enclosed scuff pad. Will is whiten and restore old cowl vents, prevent mildew etc? 3. Will IG Pink replace all your degreasers, bilge cleaners, remove paint stains from carpet, 5200 from upholstery etc? 4. Will Silkenseal seal leather and vinyl preventing stains and helping prevent mildew? Will it shine waxed gelcoat by just wiping over? 5. Can Superwax seal & shine gelcoat with a wipe or two? Can you name a product system that does the same or better? If so prove it to me as I need to know! Jim W
You sent your products back and I sent you your money back. I do remember you did not use the 3M pad becuase I had forgotten to enclose it during the spring rush that was entirely due to positive word of mouth - not adverts! I was very angry about the "backdoor" and blanket nature of your comments in a forum I have never before visited and was (perhaps justifiably) angry. I am sorry for the initial nature of my response since "two wrongs do not make a right". How about some fairness here! You did not try the products properly, and you have been paid for what you got (including postage). I sending you product again for you to try and to answer these OBJECTIVE questions: 1. Will CLEAR HORIZONS make youe eye glasses, car windshields and isinglass almost "invisibly" clear and water repellant? 2. Will SEA GLOW remove oxidation from old fiberglass hull and brighten color when used with the enclosed scuff pad. Will is whiten and restore old cowl vents, prevent mildew etc? 3. Will IG Pink replace all your degreasers, bilge cleaners, remove paint stains from carpet, 5200 from upholstery etc? 4. Will Silkenseal seal leather and vinyl preventing stains and helping prevent mildew? Will it shine waxed gelcoat by just wiping over? 5. Can Superwax seal & shine gelcoat with a wipe or two? Can you name a product system that does the same or better? If so prove it to me as I need to know! Jim W
Reply to John from Island Girl Corporation
This company has been in business 7 years and has thousands of loyal customers. Look on our website www.IslandGirlProducts.com for testimonials and pictures of results. As an open minded and level headed boater, you obviously need to try the products instead of libelling us. Send an address and I will send you some samples to try. After all it's only my livelihood and hard work that you are attacking! . Where do YOU work! Anthony L. Willis President Island Girl Products.
This company has been in business 7 years and has thousands of loyal customers. Look on our website www.IslandGirlProducts.com for testimonials and pictures of results. As an open minded and level headed boater, you obviously need to try the products instead of libelling us. Send an address and I will send you some samples to try. After all it's only my livelihood and hard work that you are attacking! . Where do YOU work! Anthony L. Willis President Island Girl Products.
Go Jim !!!!!
What a guy! I can feel his compassion for his product/company from here! How often do you get advice and direction straight from the president of the company! I have just recieved my Island Girl products. I now feel even more happy with my purchase knowing the people behind the product. Keep up the good work, Bob
What a guy! I can feel his compassion for his product/company from here! How often do you get advice and direction straight from the president of the company! I have just recieved my Island Girl products. I now feel even more happy with my purchase knowing the people behind the product. Keep up the good work, Bob
We stand behind the products
Here's our experience: we've had almost nothing but positive input on Island girl Products, from both friends and customers. In fact, if you check out the product reviews (listed with the product in the Chandlery) they are all positive. That said, there is no way to know if theproduct will work the same way in all situations, conditions, and applications. Chances are good that some circumstances are better for the product than others. I can tell you from my personal experience that Jim is a scientist and these products are like his children. He, more so than almost anyone I've ever known, cares deeply how his products perform. As you can see, he's pretty passionate. Probably the discipline of his research background. Jim is also quite liberal with freebies and refunds if someone has an issue or a late delivery. We like working with him a lot. Obviously, I don't have the data to comment on the problems described here but I can tell you that they do not appear to be the norm.
Here's our experience: we've had almost nothing but positive input on Island girl Products, from both friends and customers. In fact, if you check out the product reviews (listed with the product in the Chandlery) they are all positive. That said, there is no way to know if theproduct will work the same way in all situations, conditions, and applications. Chances are good that some circumstances are better for the product than others. I can tell you from my personal experience that Jim is a scientist and these products are like his children. He, more so than almost anyone I've ever known, cares deeply how his products perform. As you can see, he's pretty passionate. Probably the discipline of his research background. Jim is also quite liberal with freebies and refunds if someone has an issue or a late delivery. We like working with him a lot. Obviously, I don't have the data to comment on the problems described here but I can tell you that they do not appear to be the norm.
An old saying
"you can paint a pig but it is still a pig"...perhaps some boats are in so bad a condition that, expecting miracles, some users end up disappointed? I just received my Island girl kit but have not yet used it. I'll be happy to post results when I do. Meanwhile my wife has confiscated the IG Pink to try it on the shower but she hasn't tried that yet either...stay tuned. Dave
"you can paint a pig but it is still a pig"...perhaps some boats are in so bad a condition that, expecting miracles, some users end up disappointed? I just received my Island girl kit but have not yet used it. I'll be happy to post results when I do. Meanwhile my wife has confiscated the IG Pink to try it on the shower but she hasn't tried that yet either...stay tuned. Dave
IMHO
Island Girl products met/exceeded my expectations!!! If they had not I would have requested my money back. If my money was returned as promised the company would have met/exceeded my expectations. What more can I say but Jim and his company deserve a formal apology. Since the starter of the thread does not appear sailor enough to admit IG treated him better than he has admitted publically I think it is important his comments be taken with a grain of salt. P.S. Try it you will like it!
Island Girl products met/exceeded my expectations!!! If they had not I would have requested my money back. If my money was returned as promised the company would have met/exceeded my expectations. What more can I say but Jim and his company deserve a formal apology. Since the starter of the thread does not appear sailor enough to admit IG treated him better than he has admitted publically I think it is important his comments be taken with a grain of salt. P.S. Try it you will like it!
Hold on a minute!
Whoa...!!! Mine is the first post here and a few of you seem to be responding to other posters as well. Let's clear the air here. 1. Dave...I didn't "paint a pig." I tried a new product on a VERY WELL maintained boat! A beautiful boat. Just had very disappointing results! Hope you make out better. 2. Larry...Who are you flaming when you say, "Since the starter of the thread does not appear sailor enough to admit IG reated him better than he has admitted publically I think it is important his comments be taken with a grain of salt." Never said anything about how I was treated - just asked for advice. Point that rabid flame thrower in another direction or you may get burned, sailor! 3. Jim...Make it clearer who you are responding to under my post. I quickly clicked through responses by clicking on "Next Reply" and never saw that you were apparently addressing Chris and John - whoever they are. Apparently others in this thread thought the same! Now, back to the issue at hand. Thanks for the advice Jim. Iwill give your suggestions a try. I'll have to order some more Island Girl Pink though. Doug
Whoa...!!! Mine is the first post here and a few of you seem to be responding to other posters as well. Let's clear the air here. 1. Dave...I didn't "paint a pig." I tried a new product on a VERY WELL maintained boat! A beautiful boat. Just had very disappointing results! Hope you make out better. 2. Larry...Who are you flaming when you say, "Since the starter of the thread does not appear sailor enough to admit IG reated him better than he has admitted publically I think it is important his comments be taken with a grain of salt." Never said anything about how I was treated - just asked for advice. Point that rabid flame thrower in another direction or you may get burned, sailor! 3. Jim...Make it clearer who you are responding to under my post. I quickly clicked through responses by clicking on "Next Reply" and never saw that you were apparently addressing Chris and John - whoever they are. Apparently others in this thread thought the same! Now, back to the issue at hand. Thanks for the advice Jim. Iwill give your suggestions a try. I'll have to order some more Island Girl Pink though. Doug
Hold on a second!
Doug: I think if you speak with Jim Willis, he will get your problems worked out. I used the stuff several years ago on the bulkhead around the companionway. This area has a southern exposure and was quite oxidized. The IG products have held up for about 3 season and still look good with only a little touch up with a little 3M wax. Before I started using IG I could not get the area to shine at all. One of the problems with the written word is that you really cannot tell if a person is jesting or really being serious. I do not think that Dave really was saying that your boat was a neglected PIG, obviously he has not seen your boat. Give Jim a chance to make things right and let us know if your boat returns to it's previous beauty. And for the rest of you guys be careful what you say. Sometimes the internet can be more harmful than helpful.
Doug: I think if you speak with Jim Willis, he will get your problems worked out. I used the stuff several years ago on the bulkhead around the companionway. This area has a southern exposure and was quite oxidized. The IG products have held up for about 3 season and still look good with only a little touch up with a little 3M wax. Before I started using IG I could not get the area to shine at all. One of the problems with the written word is that you really cannot tell if a person is jesting or really being serious. I do not think that Dave really was saying that your boat was a neglected PIG, obviously he has not seen your boat. Give Jim a chance to make things right and let us know if your boat returns to it's previous beauty. And for the rest of you guys be careful what you say. Sometimes the internet can be more harmful than helpful.
One more time
Having read through the recent postings regarding the plusses (and apparent minuses) of the Island Girl products, there are a couple of things I want to point out. Jim's passion about his products and his suggested solutions to our problems using them don't change the fact that some of us who are content with the products have had less than spectacular results using them and want (passionately!) to achieve the results promised by Jim on this site. I had a problem with the Superwax supplied with my kit last season and Jim sent me the reformulated product to try. Try is the operative word here. I hope to achieve the results promised, but reading Jim's responses indicates to me that NO finish is maintenance-free, and that Island Girl products are not YET the end-all fulfillment of our common desire not to have to maintain gelcoat finishes on boat hulls. I suppose it is part of the American Dream to expect perfection at some point in time, and there are times when Jim seems to promise just that with his products. Time and the effects of weather will tell if his products will be successful in a variety of conditions. The other thing I want to point out is that Jim is selling these products at this site and should not be upset if we who purchase the products here ask questions at this site even if they are awkward. If I were ordering from WM or BoatUS and had a problem, I would take it to them in the most direct way possible, which would most likely be to visit a store and talk about it. Here, we order from Jim on the boatowners.com site and expect answers to our questions from him at this site. His comments objecting to the whole world reading the postings are unfortunate because he functions in the DUAL positions of host of the gelcoat site and chief salesperson for Island Girl. When we have questions about gelcoat problems, he answers them here. I hope that he understands that he cannot sell in a public forum and ask that all problems and questions about his products be directed to him elsewhere. I think that these are quality products which will stand on their merits over time. I also think that if we have issues, they should be brought here where we were introduced to and bought the products. Tom Ehmke
Having read through the recent postings regarding the plusses (and apparent minuses) of the Island Girl products, there are a couple of things I want to point out. Jim's passion about his products and his suggested solutions to our problems using them don't change the fact that some of us who are content with the products have had less than spectacular results using them and want (passionately!) to achieve the results promised by Jim on this site. I had a problem with the Superwax supplied with my kit last season and Jim sent me the reformulated product to try. Try is the operative word here. I hope to achieve the results promised, but reading Jim's responses indicates to me that NO finish is maintenance-free, and that Island Girl products are not YET the end-all fulfillment of our common desire not to have to maintain gelcoat finishes on boat hulls. I suppose it is part of the American Dream to expect perfection at some point in time, and there are times when Jim seems to promise just that with his products. Time and the effects of weather will tell if his products will be successful in a variety of conditions. The other thing I want to point out is that Jim is selling these products at this site and should not be upset if we who purchase the products here ask questions at this site even if they are awkward. If I were ordering from WM or BoatUS and had a problem, I would take it to them in the most direct way possible, which would most likely be to visit a store and talk about it. Here, we order from Jim on the boatowners.com site and expect answers to our questions from him at this site. His comments objecting to the whole world reading the postings are unfortunate because he functions in the DUAL positions of host of the gelcoat site and chief salesperson for Island Girl. When we have questions about gelcoat problems, he answers them here. I hope that he understands that he cannot sell in a public forum and ask that all problems and questions about his products be directed to him elsewhere. I think that these are quality products which will stand on their merits over time. I also think that if we have issues, they should be brought here where we were introduced to and bought the products. Tom Ehmke
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