Boat polishing, Solent

[stuartwineberg]

The forum has directed me to a really good value canvas repair team. Can you do the same for a team who will cut and polish without breaking the bank. All the quotes I have had for my 25 footer in Swanwick are more than for my old 36 fly bridge mobo when I was in Gosport

 

[LionsDen]

The forum has directed me to a really good value canvas repair team. Can you do the same for a team who will cut and polish without breaking the bank. All the quotes I have had for my 25 footer in Swanwick are more than for my old 36 fly bridge mobo when I was in Gosport

Stu - My valeter does a lot off the boats in Swanwick inc Princess pdi - he is one off the best in the industry hard working and trustworthy - pm me your number and I will put him in touch with you

 

[SpottyDog5]

Do it yourself, get the family involved, part of the joys of boating

 

[Ex-SolentBoy]

Do it yourself, get the family involved, part of the joys of boating

I think this depends on your family.

 

[ghostlymoron]

The forum has directed me to a really good value canvas repair team. Can you do the same for a team who will cut and polish without breaking the bank. All the quotes I have had for my 25 footer in Swanwick are more than for my old 36 fly bridge mobo when I was in Gosport

Before polishing, read Andrew Simpson's article in this month's PBO. Cutting and polishing removes a layer of the gelcoat and hastens the day when you'll have to spray paint. I know several forumites dispute this but I'd rather believe Andrew.

 

[Zagato]

Agreed, you don't need to cut and polish, use machines and especially pay someone else to do it (unless you really can't) any mildly abrasive polish you have on your shelf, even Autoglym Original will bring up a nice shine and bring the colour back (although marine stuff is better for final polish/protection).

It's likely it will need doing every year if you have a coloured hull so I wouldn't waste a lot of money on a shiny hull! Once it's hits the water and gets covered in salt it will make little difference...

Half an hour each side with a couple of rags brought it up form faded white'ish colour to a nice British Racing Green. The guy in the yard couldn't believe it as he talked to me whilst I did the whole thing. The previous owner was paying him a fortune to have it cut & polished each year and making my gelcoat thinner

Give me £50 and I'll come around and do it for you

 

[stuartwineberg]

Do it yourself, get the family involved, part of the joys of boating

You haven't met my family!!

 

[stuartwineberg]

Before polishing, read Andrew Simpson's article in this month's PBO. Cutting and polishing removes a layer of the gelcoat and hastens the day when you'll have to spray paint. I know several forumites dispute this but I'd rather believe Andrew.

Absolutely agree but the boat has been on the hard and neglected for at least a year before I got her and I reckon she needs a good going over once get on top of the situation and I should be able to cope after that. Its mostly to get a decent seal on the surface - at the moment dirt is sticking and getting ingrained because the surface has no wax on it

 

[stuartwineberg]

Agreed, you don't need to cut and polish, use machines and especially pay someone else to do it (unless you really can't) any mildly abrasive polish you have on your shelf, even Autoglym Original will bring up a nice shine and bring the colour back (although marine stuff is better for final polish/protection).

It's likely it will need doing every year if you have a coloured hull so I wouldn't waste a lot of money on a shiny hull! Once it's hits the water and gets covered in salt it will make little difference...

Half an hour each side with a couple of rags brought it up form faded white'ish colour to a nice British Racing Green. The guy in the yard couldn't believe it as he talked to me whilst I did the whole thing. The previous owner was paying him a fortune to have it cut & polished each year and making my gelcoat thinner

Give me £50 and I'll come around and do it for you

If that's a serious offer please do pm me. It isn't the hull though - its the wonderfully extensive bits on the deck and the cabin, roof , cockpit sides etc etc. The hull is another issue when I get her out of the water. I did an experimental T cut and polish on a bit of the blue band and it was still very stripy after I did it so I still think it might need something a bit stronger than a polishing rag

 

[Zagato]

Ah OK decks a much harder fiddlier job, especially if they havn't been done for a while.

I'm afraid I tried Autoglym on my decks with little success, bought a 3m cutting paste product which also had little effect with a rag. I had a bit of Collinites left over which was better but just doing a quarter of it was hard work and fiddly, I gave up on it last October and will attack it in the spring when the weather is warmer.

A polishing machine that can get into all the little angles is definitely worth while it would and did take ages to get my decks back to anything shiny with a rag but as long as they are clean I don't mind too much. As with my old caravan you cut it all back and it needs doing again in a few months

I should think the guys are charging for a days work for decks plus materials so probably £175 - £250 at a guess!

My father paid £150 to have his 17' hull cut back and polished but this was in Cornwall where you can still get a haircut for £4

Perhaps I should start a boat polishing business, I recently started wax proofing and polishing new Land Rovers to help forum members out, after people saw my hand painted chassis and OCD cleaning polishing of my new Defender. (Dealerships charge £500 to put on a 'protective Autoglym body and glass system' I seriouly gave mine a wash with just water no nasty chemicals and a polish/wipe down most nights ! 'Zymol' good stuff by the way for all those car 'buffs', non abrasive, even has aloe vera in it!

 

[alahol2]

Ah OK decks a much harder fiddlier job, especially if they havn't been done for a while.

A polishing machine that can get into all the little angles is definitely worth while it would and did take ages to get my decks back to anything shiny with a rag

I've found one of the cheap mouse sanders with a rag pad tied round the face plate makes a good polisher for all the fiddly bits on deck. Certainly a lot easier than hand rubbing.