Finally found a 22 in good shape---Needs some major cleaning--Wondering if anybody close could give me some advice??Hull is in good shape but been in the lake way 2 long---Sides are white, but not really white--Pressure washed one side yesterday and been scrubbbbbing ever since---What can I use to take off the really stubborn stuff?? Light sandpaper, compound?? Then what do I put back to return the lustre?? I dont know all of the terminolgy, or really much of it--All advice gr8tly appreciated-- Chuck---Ty
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Don't use sandpaper!!!
Buy some quality rubbing compound and use it on the hull. Then get some good wax. Don't recommend combination claner wax because that leaves the dirt on the hull -- you want to get the oxidation off first with the compound. We like the Collinite products. Do an archive search on hull wax or wax. Also check out the C22 Association website (www.catalina22.org) Welcome, and enjoy. Stu
Buy some quality rubbing compound and use it on the hull. Then get some good wax. Don't recommend combination claner wax because that leaves the dirt on the hull -- you want to get the oxidation off first with the compound. We like the Collinite products. Do an archive search on hull wax or wax. Also check out the C22 Association website (www.catalina22.org) Welcome, and enjoy. Stu
Sandpaper
Wet/dry sandpapers from 400 through 2000, with plenty of water and a proper block - I use a sponge - will cut through the oxidation very quickly. The 200 grit can leave it so you can skip the rubbing compound and go to a glaze, in many cases. Be careful on sharp edges and corners that you don't grind through the gelcoat. I have personally doen this and it works very well. I recomend the 3M papers. You don't apply much down pressure, you try to develop a feel for when the grit is cutting horizontally, and you can feel when it stops cutting frreely, which is time ot go to the next grit. It is easy, and fast.
Wet/dry sandpapers from 400 through 2000, with plenty of water and a proper block - I use a sponge - will cut through the oxidation very quickly. The 200 grit can leave it so you can skip the rubbing compound and go to a glaze, in many cases. Be careful on sharp edges and corners that you don't grind through the gelcoat. I have personally doen this and it works very well. I recomend the 3M papers. You don't apply much down pressure, you try to develop a feel for when the grit is cutting horizontally, and you can feel when it stops cutting frreely, which is time ot go to the next grit. It is easy, and fast.
Glaze
No, it's not an auto wax, it is a very, very fine abrasive in a liquid/cream form, that takes you from pretty good to glass-like in finish. By the way, on gelcoat it's probably a good idea to use glaze, adn rubbing compounds if you choose to, in neutral or white colors on white hulls. I plan on using Meguiar's #7 or #9 or 3M Imperial. I haven't used a glaze yet, so I'll experiment on a fiberglass dinghy I have. A good glaze usually doesn't have any protective qualities, so a wax is need afterwards. In any event do not use anythign with silicones in it! It can make repair and refinishing almost impossible.
No, it's not an auto wax, it is a very, very fine abrasive in a liquid/cream form, that takes you from pretty good to glass-like in finish. By the way, on gelcoat it's probably a good idea to use glaze, adn rubbing compounds if you choose to, in neutral or white colors on white hulls. I plan on using Meguiar's #7 or #9 or 3M Imperial. I haven't used a glaze yet, so I'll experiment on a fiberglass dinghy I have. A good glaze usually doesn't have any protective qualities, so a wax is need afterwards. In any event do not use anythign with silicones in it! It can make repair and refinishing almost impossible.
Time
Done all of the above and waxing with a quality boat wax twice a year for 4 or 5 years. The 87 hull shines like new. Time and staying with it has made the differance.
Done all of the above and waxing with a quality boat wax twice a year for 4 or 5 years. The 87 hull shines like new. Time and staying with it has made the differance.
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