Compound, polish & wax. Every year?

[cmedsailor]

Reading various threads I came to the conclusion that in order to buff (is this correct word?) and wax a boat the procedure is (after cleaning of course) to compound, polish and then wax. The products to use are another story.
BUT, we don’t compound boats every year because this eventually will destroy the fiberglass do we? So, what can we do? Polish and wax after washing? Wax only?
What about these “dual purpose” products such as 3M “cleaner and wax” or “restorer and wax”? Could we just use them in between the years we believe a compound is not necessary?
What do you do? Thanks

 

[Skylark]

Hi Cmedsailor,

Doubtless you'll recall that we have the same great taste in choice of boat to own

Each year at haul-out I wash the top sides and polish with a high grade teflon product.

I polish her again just before she goes back in the water and I'll probably do it one more time mid season from the dinghy when at anchor. If there is any staining, I use automotive T-Cut. I've never used a cutting compound on her in the 6-7 years I've owned her.

One year, I asked my SWMBO to polish off with an electric buffer. Never again.

 

[VicS]

I first compounded and waxed my red hull when it was about 11 or 12 years old. Waxing alone made it look good for only a few weeks, but after the full treatment it looked fantastic... in fact some people though I'd had it sprayed!

Since then I have done it several times but as it gets older it seems to need doing more frequently and the results are progressively not so good.

Eventually it will need spraying ... but it'll see me out without!

 

[cmedsailor]

Hi Cmedsailor,

Doubtless you'll recall that we have the same great taste in choice of boat to own

.

Yeap. Best boat ever made in this planet!!!

 

[Trundlebug]

Reading various threads I came to the conclusion that in order to buff (is this correct word?) and wax a boat the procedure is (after cleaning of course) to compound, polish and then wax. The products to use are another story.
BUT, we don’t compound boats every year because this eventually will destroy the fiberglass do we? So, what can we do? Polish and wax after washing? Wax only?
What about these “dual purpose” products such as 3M “cleaner and wax” or “restorer and wax”? Could we just use them in between the years we believe a compound is not necessary?
What do you do? Thanks

After an initial compounding to restore the shine, the waxing (several coats) is applied to keep it that way and protect it from uv. I keep an eye on it through the season and when it doesn't wash clean with just a brush and hose, it's time to reapply the wax.

Shouldn't need to be compounded regularly if you keep on top of the waxing.

Generally I would agree with what was said above, I've found it needs re-waxing 2-3 times a season. Doesn't seem to make much difference which product you use for this.

 

[pvb]

I only lift the boat every second year, in the summer, for antifoul and polishing, so I need something which is fairly durable. Over the years, the best solution I've found is to apply a couple of coats of Meguiars #45 Polish, then finish with a couple of coats of Meguiars #56 Pure Wax. These products are easy to apply and polish off cleanly - even by hand. If the surface needs some initial compounding, Meguiars #44 Colour Restorer is good, and has a very gentle abrasive.

 

[ksutton]

Among the large super yacht crew they keep boats looking better for longer by applying a specialist sealer after cleaning and waxing. This one is widely used but doubt if you would find it in your average chandler, it is very expensive, but is supposed to be the dogs bo***cks.

http://www.aglaze.com/index.asp

 

[Nostrodamus]

Hi Cmedsailor,

Doubtless you'll recall that we have the same great taste in choice of boat to own

Each year at haul-out I wash the top sides and polish with a high grade teflon product.

I polish her again just before she goes back in the water and I'll probably do it one more time mid season from the dinghy when at anchor. If there is any staining, I use automotive T-Cut. I've never used a cutting compound on her in the 6-7 years I've owned her.

One year, I asked my SWMBO to polish off with an electric buffer. Never again.

I believe "T-Cut" as th name implies is a cutting compound.
I do use it as well of I need to.

 

[pvb]

I believe "T-Cut" as th name implies is a cutting compound.
I do use it as well of I need to.

It's quite abrasive stuff to use on gelcoat.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I agree. It is a last resort for marks by using a finger in the cloth.. not all over.

 

[Skylark]

I agree. It is a last resort for marks by using a finger in the cloth.. not all over.

..............that's what I meant, but not so eloquently, evidently

 

[ghostlymoron]

The question is - how thick is the gel coat and how much does cutting compound remove (I know, that's two questions). If done over many years, you'll eventually cut through to the matting below. I prefer to have a slightly shabbier boat and preserve the gel coat. Otherwise you'll end up having to paint spray.

 

[lw395]

The question is - how thick is the gel coat and how much does cutting compound remove (I know, that's two questions). If done over many years, you'll eventually cut through to the matting below. I prefer to have a slightly shabbier boat and preserve the gel coat. Otherwise you'll end up having to paint spray.

Gelcoat is pretty thick in this context.
Keeping it shiny and waxed protects it. Letting it go matt and shabby gives staining dirt more chance to penetrate, so when you do t-cut, more gel has to be removed.

If you ever get a core cut out of your boat, such as when you fit a new skin fitting or similar, you can see the gel is quite thick. It takes a lot of 1000 grade wet and dry to go right through it, let alone a fine abrasive like t-cut. It is possible though, when using power tools to take out scratches.

 

[PeterGibbs]

Reading various threads I came to the conclusion that in order to buff (is this correct word?) and wax a boat the procedure is (after cleaning of course) to compound, polish and then wax. The products to use are another story.
BUT, we don’t compound boats every year because this eventually will destroy the fiberglass do we? So, what can we do? Polish and wax after washing? Wax only?
What about these “dual purpose” products such as 3M “cleaner and wax” or “restorer and wax”? Could we just use them in between the years we believe a compound is not necessary?
What do you do? Thanks

Q is, do you want to occupy a lorra time loving your boat or do you want to follow Pareto's law:

The objective: to shelter the topside to the extent necessary to prevent chalking, when the top level of the GRP gets blasted off by UV rays. So washing down with a detergent in spring, using Brasso to remove stains, followed by a wax polish will (in my experience) do the trick. No harsh particulates or chemicals thank you.

As I say, the rest is an excess of love....and why not you might ask?

PWG

 

[Marine Reflections]

Gelcoat is pretty thick in this context.
Keeping it shiny and waxed protects it. Letting it go matt and shabby gives staining dirt more chance to penetrate, so when you do t-cut, more gel has to be removed.

lw395

Absolutely!

Also, as the more porous the surface becomes, the more gel coat is exposed to UV, harsher cleaners are required to extract dirt and stains from within the tiny pores and differences, all this will be speeding up the oxidation process further and you will never quite get on top of it.

The only need for compounding is to correct the surface through damage, this is required due to oxidation by lack of protection, or micro scratches due to poor cleaning & polishing techniques.

Certainly compounding is not an annual requirement (although many sell it as such) if a little attention is given when needed to the protection layer and you follow certain guidelines when performing basic washes, a stitch in time will suffice.

If you have decent surfaces, with a smooth closed profile, then waxing to protect will serve as a pawn to the surface. It will take the brunt of the elements, seal the gel coat/paint from oxygen and assist with future washing and drying through water beading.

When the water stops beading, further application is overdue.
If your surfaces are not beading after a month or two, a better wax is needed than what you are using, or the surfaces are not ready for wax.

Tony

 

[tom_sail]

Great thread thanks!

 

[chinita]

My experience of compounding both blue and white gelcoat is with using Farecla G3 applied with a slow rotating compounding tool with a sponge head.

Technique is to splatter hull with a few dollops of Farecla, dunk sponge head in a bucket of water, spin off excess water, then (fairly lightly) apply the sponge to the cutting compound. Dry off and wax.

Should only be necessary every few years.

Not noticed any gelcoat decay in the process.

 

[Stu Jackson]

"Cleaner/wax" is an oxymoron because all you're doing is moving around and trapping the dirt. You need separate cleaners and wax.

A highly regarded procedure is this one:

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117266

 

[Nostrodamus]

"Cleaner/wax" is an oxymoron because all you're doing is moving around and trapping the dirt. You need separate cleaners and wax.

A highly regarded procedure is this one:

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117266

Good link
Just what I needed.. a thickies walk through.

 

[Heckler]

Yeap. Best boat ever made in this planet!!!

Naw, 381 better!
Stu