Polishing and waxing the topsides during a haul out is a lot of hard work. On older boats, I always wonder how much gelcoat is left from the previous polishing jobs. So before I hauled this year I looked into the cost of proffesional non destructive cleaning waxing. Very pricey. I was happy to find a "Island Girl Elixer" a two step cleaner and wax system advertized in a boating magazine. Although initially a little skepticle, after visiting their web site I ordered the "Two Step System". I wiped the "Elixer" on with a paper towel as per the instructions but used a terry cloth pad on my buffer, working on two foot sections at a time. I worked all the way around my 33 foot sail boat. I then wiped on a thin coat of "MIrror Hard Superglaze" wax with a cotton glove. My boat has a 6.5 foot keel so there was a lot of up and down a ladder to clean and wax the boat while it was up on the hsrd for bi-annual haulout. It took me 4 hours to complete and looks awesome. The Elixer is advertised as "Time in a bottle", no kidding, fast and easy. It took two guys two days to polish and wax their 32 foot sailboat next to us while in the yard. I highly recommend Island Girl Two Step System for cleaning and waxing your f/g boat. S.V. Electra
Polishing and waxing the Topsides
- Thread starter MapleRidge
- Start date
- Status
Island Girl , all the way
I first started using Island Girl on a 79 O'Day 23, with a white hull and a blue stripe. At the tme I purchased the boat, there was an identical boat in the same yard. The other boat had the yard do the work. They of course used the traditional method of compound and wax. I do recall they used 3M professional products. I chose the Island Girl system. The other new owner could not believe the difference in the two boats, really night and day. I only sailed the boat for one year, choosing to move up to a Catalina 30. I did keep the boat on the hard for one additional year. When it came time to sell the O'Day, all I did was use some boat soap and it looked like new. I even made a nice profit. When I purchased the Catalina it was a factory blue hull that was really smoked. I did hire a professional to compound and wax, thinking that the compound would remove the oxidation. I spent a lot of money for nothing. The following year back to Island Girl. The following season just a light touch-up. I actually just returned from the yard where I did the non-skid with a product called Woody Wax, and finished one side with the Island Girl. The boat does need to be profesionally painted, but I got to admit it looks better than most colored boats still in the yard. While I was working on my boat, the yard was waxing a black hull. I walked over after the guys were done, and again it was not even close. I did try Poliglow, which I know has received some great reviews on this site, but was not hapy with it's performnce. I immediately returned to Island Girl.
I first started using Island Girl on a 79 O'Day 23, with a white hull and a blue stripe. At the tme I purchased the boat, there was an identical boat in the same yard. The other boat had the yard do the work. They of course used the traditional method of compound and wax. I do recall they used 3M professional products. I chose the Island Girl system. The other new owner could not believe the difference in the two boats, really night and day. I only sailed the boat for one year, choosing to move up to a Catalina 30. I did keep the boat on the hard for one additional year. When it came time to sell the O'Day, all I did was use some boat soap and it looked like new. I even made a nice profit. When I purchased the Catalina it was a factory blue hull that was really smoked. I did hire a professional to compound and wax, thinking that the compound would remove the oxidation. I spent a lot of money for nothing. The following year back to Island Girl. The following season just a light touch-up. I actually just returned from the yard where I did the non-skid with a product called Woody Wax, and finished one side with the Island Girl. The boat does need to be profesionally painted, but I got to admit it looks better than most colored boats still in the yard. While I was working on my boat, the yard was waxing a black hull. I walked over after the guys were done, and again it was not even close. I did try Poliglow, which I know has received some great reviews on this site, but was not hapy with it's performnce. I immediately returned to Island Girl.
island girl available here
Island Girl products are available here on this web site too. Dave Groshong Customer Service SailboatOwners.com
Island Girl products are available here on this web site too. Dave Groshong Customer Service SailboatOwners.com
- Status