Best polish for white grp topsides

[JimC]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

 

[Vara]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

I quite like Collinite products expensive but their finishing waxes are superb.

Have used Autoglym with good results in the past.

Don't get carried away with what's on the label,these things are all made to pretty common formulations, good polish/wax for cars will be a good polish/wax for boats

 

[sailorman]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

as long as no silicone is present. silicone is a no no if the hull need painting at a later date

 

[Hoolie]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

I used a high quality car product, but when SWMBO slipped on deck when it was wet, I had to remove it all with white spirit
I just clean it now with oxalic acid once a year - but definitely no polish!

Just re-read post - TOPSIDES

 

[Anwen]

Sorry but I disagree

as long as no silicone is present. silicone is a no no if the hull need painting at a later date

There is absolutely no problem using a silicone polish on a boat. This thing about ruining a future repaint is an old wives tale. Most car polishes are silicone based or have it as an additive, and cars are repainted following accident repair much more frequently than boats. I use silicone polish on my boat without reservation.

Also, how many boats are repainted? I can think of one or two in the marina which have coloured hulls which are not self coloured gel coat.

 

[grafozz]

polish

Autoglym make a liquid polish called Super Resin , I have used it for years , the good thing about it is that it can be used in strong sunlight / hot weather without smearing .
the shined is fantastic and it even smells good ! did my boat with it on weds and it took 3 hours for the whole boat and it will last a season .

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

We used Mer for 7 years on our first boat. It is an excellent polish, and applied once a year did a fine job. You just have to be careful as it is one of those polishes that dries and can leave a dust if you rush the rubbing off.

The thing I liked best was that you could apply it to a damp hull (fresh water). In fact, if it is totally dry you need to dampen the rag! Assuming you have rinsed grit off, it also works very well as a cleaner/polish - similar in a way to T-cut, but without the abrasion.

If the hull has always been polished with Mer and looks good I would suggest you stick with it. I have used it on boats, planes and cars and it is great.

 

[LittleShip]

Yes...... as a classic car owner and show car owner for some years I can second MER. best polish about IMO.

Tom

 

[TRH]

Autoglym make a liquid polish called Super Resin , I have used it for years , the good thing about it is that it can be used in strong sunlight / hot weather without smearing .
the shined is fantastic and it even smells good ! did my boat with it on weds and it took 3 hours for the whole boat and it will last a season .

I Second that, I only use Autoglym for the same reasons its easy to use any time.

 

[rivonia]

I Second that, I only use Autoglym for the same reasons its easy to use any time.

I use wash and wax every time I wash the boat and she gleams.

Peter

 

[Ubergeekian]

There is absolutely no problem using a silicone polish on a boat. This thing about ruining a future repaint is an old wives tale. Most car polishes are silicone based or have it as an additive, and cars are repainted following accident repair much more frequently than boats.

All the GRP car (Reliant Owners' Club member) and aeroplane (recovering glider pilot) I know avoid silicones like the plague. It doesn't affect paint or metal, but it does, I am told, bond very nicely to the GRP. A firmly attached layer of release agent doesn't exactly help paint adhesion.

 

[enterprise]

A second recommendation for collonite fleetwax.

We have tried nearly every polish commercially available and have seen varying degrees of success, the best of which was MUC OFF miracle shine.
However for unbeatable depth of shine and long lasting service definitely you need a paste wax, the best of which is Collonite fleetwax.

It helps to have a freshly compounded surface with the oxidisation removed prior to application which will impart a showroom shine that will last, only requiring annual reapplication to keep it looking new.

Avoid anything containing ammonia, over time this will yellow the gelcote, I think mer used to contain it but not used it for many years as there are better products out there.

 

[gjgm]

Any recommendations? Previous owner used Mer which I thought was for cars.

Just to be clear, polish also has mild abrasive, so you will be using this to clean up the gelcoat a bit, and finely cut it back to a gleam. It isnt the final protective finish-for that you need wax.
For ease of use, I think McGuires Flagship polish and wax are excellent, though a pro has told me the Autoglym resin polish is also great stuff.
Polishing is definitely easier with a polisher- after all, you are cutting it back a tiny bit-, but wax I find alot easier to do by hand.
If you want to read some real fatanical stuff on this, try some USA car polish internet sites!

 

[xtiffer]

If you ask professional crew what they use I would bet that
most would say 3M Finesse It.
Thay are using it every day not just once or twice a year.
Cheers,
Chris
(Ex deckhand who used bottles of it)

 

[Trundlebug]

If you ask professional crew what they use I would bet that
most would say 3M Finesse It.
Thay are using it every day not just once or twice a year.
Cheers,
Chris
(Ex deckhand who used bottles of it)

I'm sure it's very good, as most 3M products are, but remember that the rest of us don't have time to be using it every day, we need to use something once or twice a season that will both look good and LAST. For that reason I'm not sure your recommendation is much of an endorsement!

 

[richardbrennan]

Finesse-It is just a polish and not a wax. 3M recommend you use it after their more agressive finishing compound to remove swirl marks. If you want to protect with a 3M wax you need to use their Protective Wax which comes in a liquid or paste form. It is supposed to offer UV protection and I have used it with good results.

 

[richardbrennan]

Just to add; 3M recommend using two coats of the Protective Wax twice a year

 

[narcer]

as long as no silicone is present. silicone is a no no if the hull need painting at a later date

No need to panic over silicone polish. If it´s polished with it and later you have to paint, just make sure you´ve wiped all the silicone off with for eg Wurth Silicone remover - no probs do it all the time. But just remember to wipe it off "before" you sand !...and after.