Subsequent years

[James19955]

Maine Sail ... I have used your "process" in the past and am happy with the results but am now a little confused about the subsequent years .....
In your detailed outline you wrote.....

[I]The Process:

Buffing and waxing a boat the right way takes time and is a commitment. On a gelcoat hull of 36 feet I would plan on about 5 hours for doing a two step polish, & wax or about 6-8 hours for a two-step glaze & wax. This is once you get caught up, after your first re-condition, including a wet sanding or compounding, it's usually only a two step process each spring. Unfortunately, the first season of re-conditioning may take you up to 20 hours if your hull is heavily oxidized. It's a commitment but gives a beautiful finish.[/I]

Last year I put on 2 coats of the Collonite wax. Late November the boat was hauled and covered and stored over the winter. This spring, after removing the cover I washed the boat and it looked pretty good and the water still beaded suggesting that the Collonite was still there. Then I worked the polish/wax steps and it looks good but not as good as originally and I wondered about the prior layers of the Collonite wax.

So my question is this ..... Should previous years applications of wax be removed before starting the annual polish/wax process? If yes whats the best way to remove that wax? Mineral spirits? Acetone? Denurtured Alcohol?

Would appreciate your insights.

Thanks
James

 

[emergpa1]

Maine Sail ... I have used your "process" in the past and am happy with the results but am now a little confused about the subsequent years ..... In your detailed outline you wrote..... The Process: Buffing and waxing a boat the right way takes time and is a commitment. On a gelcoat hull of 36 feet I would plan on about 5 hours for doing a two step polish, & wax or about 6-8 hours for a two-step glaze & wax. This is once you get caught up, after your first re-condition, including a wet sanding or compounding, it's usually only a two step process each spring. Unfortunately, the first season of re-conditioning may take you up to 20 hours if your hull is heavily oxidized. It's a commitment but gives a beautiful finish. Last year I put on 2 coats of the Collonite wax. Late November the boat was hauled and covered and stored over the winter. This spring, after removing the cover I washed the boat and it looked pretty good and the water still beaded suggesting that the Collonite was still there. Then I worked the polish/wax steps and it looks good but not as good as originally and I wondered about the prior layers of the Collonite wax. So my question is this ..... Should previous years applications of wax be removed before starting the annual polish/wax process? If yes whats the best way to remove that wax? Mineral spirits? Acetone? Denurtured Alcohol? Would appreciate your insights. Thanks James

James, since Maine didn't answer I'll give my 1 cent worth. If your not going to buff with compound, I would use Collinite prewax boat cleaner. Then wax. Works well for me. I've followed Maine's "Buff Magic" technique for years

 

[sesmith]

Also not Maine, but I'll second the Collinite fiberglass cleaner mentioned above. Dawn dish detergent and water does a pretty good job of stripping wax (which is why you don't want to wash your boat with it on a regular basis). Isopropyl alcohol will too, but that's more work than it's worth, imo. Usually I just polish and wax.