Best money spent for a long time

[yoda]

I had the boat professionally polished today. Always thought I could do this kind of thing but the combination of the right '3M' product (£35 per litre) and an expert with the right buffing pad and technique produced some astonishing results. 45 years on the gelcoat can still look great. Very happy.

Yoda

 

[chubby]

Dare I ask how much money was spent or if that is sensitive then a rough cost per ft/metre etc, was the gel coat in good condition before hand, my 31 yr old hull has the odd scrape and scuff that I have repaired myself but not really matched the degree of off whiteness, also has a slightly yellow scum line due to the Portsmouth water. Did you have to do much preparation? Was there a concern about too much polishing thinning the gel coat? Certainly in a previous post of paint vs polish the consencus was to avoid paint if you can

 

[tudorsailor]

Professional polish

Who did this for you? Do you have before and after photos?

TS

 

[yoda]

I had the boat done at 'Mates Rates' but I do know that he is doing another bigger boat for about £150 plus materials. My gelcoat does have a few nicks and dinks where the new gel isn't quite the right shade but generally not too bad. The brown waterline scum had been removed by a few applications of Oxalic acid over the winter, other than that there was no particular preparation. The joy of older boats is thick gelcoat and in general there is still plenty there but you do need to be careful of rub through if you suspect thinning. The finish sems to take the eye away from blemishes because of the overall effect.

Yoda

 

[yoda]

Who did this for you? Do you have before and after photos?

TS

A friend of my son's who would rather than not be named did the job. Sorry no photos yet but will try and get some - just need to borrow a camera!

Yoda

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

I had the boat professionally polished today. Always thought I could do this kind of thing but the combination of the right '3M' product (£35 per litre) and an expert with the right buffing pad and technique produced some astonishing results. 45 years on the gelcoat can still look great. Very happy.

Yoda

Tried a new technique this year using Farecla(?) "Wash and Wax". Thoroughly cleaned boat using "Muck Off" and removed staining with oxalic acid cleaner, then pressure washed off thoroughly. Before allowing to dry I then applied wash and wax with a household sponge on a stick making sure I applied from waterline upwards to avoid smearing as it dried. Expect it will only be smart until mid season, but very easy to reapply from pontoon.
Big advantage-no rubbing away of gelcoat.

 

[tom52]

I have just been quoted almost £600 to clean and polish my 9.8m hull.
I declined and got the ladders and old tee-shirts out again !

 

[seanfoster]

I have just been quoted almost £600 to clean and polish my 9.8m hull.
I declined and got the ladders and old tee-shirts out again !

Jees, that must be some hourly rate they are on! I think I'll go into business!

 

[Ceirwan]

I had the boat professionally polished today. Always thought I could do this kind of thing but the combination of the right '3M' product (£35 per litre) and an expert with the right buffing pad and technique produced some astonishing results. 45 years on the gelcoat can still look great. Very happy.

Yoda

2 Days work over a weekend, G3 Polishing compound, and an orbital polisher.

You don't need to be a professional, first time I'd ever done it in my life

 

[rivonia]

Tried a new technique this year using Farecla(?) "Wash and Wax". Thoroughly cleaned boat using "Muck Off" and removed staining with oxalic acid cleaner, then pressure washed off thoroughly. Before allowing to dry I then applied wash and wax with a household sponge on a stick making sure I applied from waterline upwards to avoid smearing as it dried. Expect it will only be smart until mid season, but very easy to reapply from pontoon.
Big advantage-no rubbing away of gelcoat.

Same here, we use Wash N Wax and it manages to keep her nice and shiny.

Peter

 

[yoda]

Nice One

2 Days work over a weekend, G3 Polishing compound, and an orbital polisher.

You don't need to be a professional, first time I'd ever done it in my life

Nice one, agreed you don't need to be an expert but getting the technique right matters - you are obviously a dab hand! Well done

Yoda

 

[Jedder]

2 Days work over a weekend, G3 Polishing compound, and an orbital polisher.

What orbital polisher did you use? My £25 jobbie from Halfords does not give a finish like this and we have a trimaran that needs some serious polishing. My darling other half says it's my job, so I'm looking to up grade my tools.

Best wishes

Christine

 

[Ubergeekian]

What orbital polisher did you use? My £25 jobbie from Halfords does not give a finish like this ...

I gave the orbital polisher I bought from Halfords away today. I tried it on Jumblie and found it utterly useless - I could do a better job by hand in half the time.

 

[VicMallows]

Yoda is being very coy about the cost

Vic

 

[Ubergeekian]

2 Days work over a weekend, G3 Polishing compound, and an orbital polisher.

You don't need to be a professional, first time I'd ever done it in my life

I think you may have overdone it a little on the starboard side ...

 

[emandvee44]

Had ours done by a local firm - excellent result - can almost read the car number plate!


Cheers,

Michael.

 

[Lakesailor]

What orbital polisher did you use? My £25 jobbie from Halfords does not give a finish like this and we have a trimaran that needs some serious polishing. My darling other half says it's my job, so I'm looking to up grade my tools.

You'll need to speak to Well-Rigged then.

 

[lustyd]

Everyone, it's time to stop polishing now and put the boat in the water!!!

 

[VicS]

Everyone, it's time to stop polishing now and put the boat in the water!!!

With the weather so far this weekend I wish I'd kept it ashore and done some more work.

Did the polishing ( Silverline variable speed polisher/sander, foam compounding mop and Starbrite rubbing compound and polish)

Needs a new toilet but making do with the bucket for another year.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

I gave the orbital polisher I bought from Halfords away today. I tried it on Jumblie and found it utterly useless - I could do a better job by hand in half the time.

As Vic says, the Silverline sander/polisher at aprox £30-40 is the tool, also very good as a sander due to variable speeds.
Its what I use along with a stiff white compounding sponge.
Wasting your time trying to buff off the compound with a Lambswool bonnet, better wash it off with a water soaked cloth (its done its job by this stage) then when hull is dry wax it with Great white or Simonise wax then buff with a soft dry cloth.
C_W