Tips For A Great Buff & Wax

Apr 8, 2016
114
Beneteau 361 Clipper Garrucha, Spain
The whole port side had been wet sanded, washed and wiped. I used all 3 3M products on the finished part but no wax at this stage - I hope I answered this correctly. Having spent many years selling adhesive tapes I was totally confident the adhesive used on these decals, and the surface of GelCoat meant they would stick just as well with wax. Also, I note what BoatGraphics don't say ( because most of their clients are not pro installers ) is that decals can be applied " wet " A little dish soap in a spray bottle sprayed on the surface allowes the installer to move the decal without sticking into position, wipe off, job done.
 
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Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
@Maine Sail I am replacing the name on our boat that has been on for 10 years. Hull has decent shine and I typically use Ultra Cutting cream and wax each year. How aggressive will I need to go to remove the shadow of the old name. Will the Ultra work or will I need to use something like Gelcoat compound.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
@Maine Sail I am replacing the name on our boat that has been on for 10 years. Hull has decent shine and I typically use Ultra Cutting cream and wax each year. How aggressive will I need to go to remove the shadow of the old name. Will the Ultra work or will I need to use something like Gelcoat compound.
Don't even try. You need to let the sun do it... I've seen folks burn though the entire thickness of the gelcoat with wet sand paper only to still have shadow just now mixed with raw glass...
 
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Sep 20, 2006
2,912
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
Don't even try. You need to let the sun do it... I've seen folks burn though the entire thickness of the gelcoat with wet sand paper only to still have shadow just now mixed with raw glass...
Gotcha, polish and wax it is. Thanks!!!
 
Jun 3, 2019
2
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey Montreal
C4B7E2AE-2121-4509-A34C-E0B0BACD98CE.jpeg
Hi Main Sail,
Thank you so much for your very constructive detailed explanation.
Here’s a picture with one side of the boat done with Presta Cutting creme light.
I used heavier Presta wool pad to start with (yellow) and did a second pass with the green one. Results are excellent.
I ended up with 2 coats of collinite 885.
But I didn’t do the polishing. That was last year.
Now this year, the boat still looks nice but what should I do ? Polishing and wax ?
Because some small area , where water is dripping from the toerail, along the hull, it leaves some “faded” streaks.
I don’t know if I should use Ultra cutting cream or just the Ultra Chrome polishing to get rid of those imperfections.
And also, using the Polishing or Ultra cutting cream.....will it remove my old collinite wax ?
Thanks.
 
Oct 29, 2016
1,915
Hunter 41 DS Port Huron
I did our hull with this (3) step process spring of 17, this year and last all I did was use polishing cream in areas where there was scuffing from the cover and rewax the entire hull with Collinite. The boat beads water like no tomorrow and I get many comments on the mirror like finish. The process that Maine Sail gave instructions for is absolutely worth the effort. @Final Approach I would just hit the areas of that have marks from the winter with the polish and reapply the Collinite wax to the entire hull.
 
Jun 3, 2019
2
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey Montreal
I did our hull with this (3) step process spring of 17, this year and last all I did was use polishing cream in areas where there was scuffing from the cover and rewax the entire hull with Collinite. The boat beads water like no tomorrow and I get many comments on the mirror like finish. The process that Maine Sail gave instructions for is absolutely worth the effort. @Final Approach I would just hit the areas of that have marks from the winter with the polish and reapply the Collinite wax to the entire hull.
Thanks for your fast answer, I’ll try your suggestion later today ;)
 

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
This may sound like a strange question, but here goes, @Maine Sail ,

I want to do all the smooth surfaces on my deck and, coachroof, and cockpit.

I have your favorite Makita buffer, a set of Lake County foam pads, a couple of Makita wool, or wool-like bonnets, and a 3M wool bonnet.

I want to do a four step process:
  1. compound;
  2. polish;
  3. glaze;
  4. wax.
I have the Colonite wax.

My deck gelcoat is in pretty good shape. it hasn't gone chalky at all, but it's not as shiny as it was last year. I might even try skipping the compound step and see how it looks.

If I were to do this entirely with Meguiar's products, which ones do you recommend for each step?

I only ask because I can get them on short notice, locally.

Not trying to make work for you, but if you know off the top of your head, I will much appreciate it. Any advice on buffer speed is appreciated, too. I'm a beginner at this.

Thanks very much,

jv
 

GSBNY

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May 9, 2019
138
O’Day 192 New York
Followed the guide with the added removal of a failed floor wax first.
  • Zep Heavy Duty Floor Stripper
  • Acetone wipe down
  • 1000 Grit Wetsand
  • 3M Heavy Duty Rubbing Compound
  • Presta Polish
  • Colonite Fleetwax Paste
Before:

989611EB-48B8-40FA-B482-A5A703643C1F.jpeg


Test spot, no wax on it.

D8AE4A5D-67C7-4015-9CFA-1D74BA6F0D77.jpeg


During:

AB98ECED-EE88-4DB9-8607-742C8175626B.jpeg


After:

4F62B997-7335-4A89-93E7-8F8665050660.jpeg
 
Jun 1, 2016
156
Hunter 28.5 Lake City, MN
I have been wondering how the new ceramic coatings would work on my boat. I put a ceramic coating on my 2003 Honda S2000 and the shine & finish is amazing! Dirt & dust just slides off. I don’t know how the stuff would take to water, but I would very much think it would work well.

Mike
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
Depends on how flexible it is. I think the surface of a boats moves around a lot more than a car. Both from the fiberglass flexing to the expansion and contraction caused by the changes in temperature from what is under water, to the surface in the air.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I have wondered about those “Superhydrophobic nano coatings”.

How would they benefit or detract from our boats.