Either way she always shines up nice.
Question for gray hulled Oday owners
- Thread starter Hydro Therapy
- Start date
Either way she always shines up nice.
NOOOOO! Read and follow this: http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/tips-for-a-great-buff-wax.117266/ Use a finer polish, remove less gelcoat... Using heavier compound doesn't get you as good a shine as progressively finer polishes, and it grinds off too much gelcoat once you have a good base shine.
That is grey gelcoat, not paint.
That is grey gelcoat, not paint.
I'm very content with my approach to bringing up a shine. In fact I detail approximately 20 boats a year and have never had a complaint. Gel coat is 10 times as thick as auto paint. You could compound it for 30 years and never burn through it.
My question is in regards to the material used on the gray hulled Odays. Paint/clear coat vs gel coat.
Thanks
My question is in regards to the material used on the gray hulled Odays. Paint/clear coat vs gel coat.
Thanks
Brian you may not have to use a heavy compound because of the non salt environment you sail in. The salt environment oxidizes the hull. You need to get below or through the oxidation. That why the compound is needed. I recently detailed a boat that was so bad/neglected that I had to wetsand it with 600 grit, than 1500 grit than heavy compound, cleaner wax/polish and finally wax.
Sorry, my point is that heavy compound every year will wear through the gelcoat too soon. In that article, MaineSail discusses products that are progressively finer grit, removing the scratches left behind by the previous, heavier grit product. He also says only use the heaviest that you need. I started the first year with wet sanding and compound, then Presta Cutting Creme, but have not used the finest Presta Chroma with a foam pad. In subsequent years, I have only needed the Cutting Creme to bring up the shine, don't have to go as far as starting with compound, then Cutting Creme, etc. This coming year, I want to get some Chroma and a foam pad, and see how shiny it'll get...
And it's still gelcoat, not paint. It's just that they always did the creamy white color, then in later years make the newer design boats like 192, 240, etc in the grey.
And it's still gelcoat, not paint. It's just that they always did the creamy white color, then in later years make the newer design boats like 192, 240, etc in the grey.
Yes, Spooled, you got to post before I did
And you are right, starting off with heavily oxidized as I did, you need to get in with grittier stuff at first. By the way, I am envious of you - I think I would like to have an O'day 240 some day!
Thanks Brian, my wife and I love the boat. Unfortunately here in NJ we have several months before she takes the splash.
Coming back after the boat has been sanded, compounded and waxed with a cutting cream or polish the next year will give you a better shine. The cutting cream takes out small scratches the compound leaves, the polish... even smaller scratch removal. For a number of years I did the compound/wax and was very happy. A few years ago I went with HD compound, cutting cream, polish then wax and got a much better shine. Once this is done the first time, each year should just need a polish, wax. If you let it go too long it may even need some cutting cream first. The key is to stay on it, less aggressive is
best.
Been redoing my deck, 33 year old Gelcoat. This is after OnOff, 600 and 1000 grit wet sand, 3M Compound Presta Strata
Ultra cutting polish, and Presta Chroma glazing compound. Still more work to do.
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/deck-buff-questions.175759/
Ultra cutting polish, and Presta Chroma glazing compound. Still more work to do.
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/deck-buff-questions.175759/
3M heavy duty compound isn't the best choice for final process before wax. As others have mentioned, Presta Cutting Creme or polish will yield a better result.
I see no point in using a "cleaner wax" followed by Collonite. Your topsides should be clean clean clean before you compound or polish. Once final polishing is done, go direct to the Collinite wax.
I see no point in using a "cleaner wax" followed by Collonite. Your topsides should be clean clean clean before you compound or polish. Once final polishing is done, go direct to the Collinite wax.
I would not use wax on the non skid top area. When I did mine, I used 3M HD cream with a stiff brush then rinsed with water on all the non skid, then Aurora Sure Step https://www.auroramarine.com/store/sure-step.html , I wouldn't use any polish or wax on the deck.
We applied polyglow early one spring about 6 years ago and promptly unintentionally dissolved it by using soft scrub on the deck.....then had to figure out how to remove.....bought polyglow remover but that was a slow tedius deal so then bought floor stripper at a janitorial supply....that took it off....would much rather spend my money having the boat professionally waxed each spring....anything with a harsh cleaner will leave streaks in the polyglow...we now use 'dreft' detergent to avoid leaving vertical streaks in the wax job
on the side of the hull. Not taking any chances. Good Luck, Pat
on the side of the hull. Not taking any chances. Good Luck, Pat
I used a small high speed Makita sander with 3" Wool buffing pads shown on the left in the picture below. It is also great for buffing around the deck hardware and along the rail. The 3" buffing pad will not give you as even a buff on larger areas of gellcoat, but it is much easier to control than the full size buffer, and it doesn't try to rip your arm off when you snag a cleat etc. It just buffs a much smaller area with each pass.
Thanks Pateco. I don't have the sander on the left but do have the polisher on the right. Any reason not to mount a 3 inch pad on it? I have found some 3 inch pads in wool and foam but not sure about the different color pads. The smooth gelcoat is often only 1 or two inches wide, so you need to mask off the non skid area?
I also use presta products like you but use collenite 92? instead of nu car which has worked well on my cars. I may try nu car on the boat this season.
I also use presta products like you but use collenite 92? instead of nu car which has worked well on my cars. I may try nu car on the boat this season.