Hull Polishing

[eebygum]

I've just finished the anti-fouling on my Hunter Horizon 26', and the next advice from the chandler was to clean and polish the upper gelcoat ?

Does this (A) actually strengthen and protect the gelcoat or is it (B) another marketing ploy to buy yet more cutting/cleaning/waxing/polishing agents ?

If (A) is true can I avoid the major expense of (B)...... and anybody recommend any easy methods of cost effective products to tackle this job !

Thanks in advance

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[oldsaltoz]

G'day eebygum,

Cleaning and protecting your gelcoat with a polish will extend it's life and the boat will look all the better for it. Apart from that, I doubt that any product will strengthen your gelcoat.

Avoid silicon based polish as this is difficult to remove later when painting is the only option to return her to pristine condition.

Hope this helps

Avagoodweekend Old Salt Oz /forums/images/icons/cool.gif


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[Rabbit]

Hi there, eebygum. Hard work by hand. So I bought a neat polisher and all the pucker kit from.
DMS. Premium House. Hambridge road. Newbury. Berkshire RG14 5SS
Mail order. Worth the money, it pays to do it once. Let the machines do the work. The only mussels on my boat, we eat.
The finish last well too. Regards, Les. Phone 0163 525 5346


<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Rabbit on 01/03/2003 04:52 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[colvic]

I think the polisher Rabbit may be refering to can be bought at motorist discount stores for about £20. Twin handle job, with a pad about 9" in diameter it really does take the work out of polishing and soon brings up a good result. Don't polish if the Sun is too hot as the polish dries too quickly.

SWMBO did out top sides, coach hoes and wheel house roofs....shone like a new pin..but yours truly went his length and straight over the side...so be careful as you can get a very good polish very quickly.


Phil

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[3reefs]

Several suggestions about mechanical polishing aids, but no recommendations about which polish is likely to be most useful.

I have done the usual trick of heading for automotive products (Autoglym and Mer) with some success, but nothing like the shine and durability that boatyards achieve.

Anyone willing to recommend their choice of polish?

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[pheran]

I've polished more GRP than I care to think about and have always had excellent results with 3M products. In particular, their combined restorer/polisher followed up with a second going over with their straight boat polish produces a brilliant finish. Equally important to those, like me, who lack enthusiasm for this task, it lasts and lasts.

But what about steel boats. Do owners polish them? Does anybody know what they use?

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[hlb]

I swore I was going to use car polish this year, cos every boat polish I'd tried was either hard to put on or did little or nothing for a shine. However inevitably found my self on the boat with only the chandlers close by. Used Internotional Cleaner, then Polish. Quite impressed and easy to use. Dont know what the cost was. It went on the bill!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue> Haydn

 

[byron]

<font color=blue>Hey Colvic, any chance of borrowing your Missus? I will wash her off before I return her. My old gal refuses to do anything on the boat.

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[pvb]

Polish recommendation....

Having used just about every type of polish over more years than I care to remember, I now use Meguiars products, which are excellent.

After thorough cleaning (including light compounding of scratches, etc, if necessary) I apply 2 coats of Meguiars #45 Mirror Glaze Boat/RV Polish, followed by one coat of Meguiars #56 Mirror Glaze Boat/RV Pure Wax.

Both these products are thin liquids which are very easy to apply and, equally importantly, very easy to polish off. Because the stuff is so easy to use, I do it by hand. The finish is very good, and usually lasts 2 seasons (I only have the boat lifted out every 2 years).

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[colvic]

SWMBO says "cheeky monkey"
and the rent is a bit on the extortionate side


Phil

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[martinb]

B&Q have two handed auto polishers for £15 complete with two bonnets, they look ok for the money and would be ideal.

Martin

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[colvic]

Thats the one.

Phil

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[LadyInBed]

I get good results using a rectangular orbital sander. I cut cloth pads to fit.

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[Piers]

There's a lot of incorrect advice out and about. For some accurate info, try calling Peter Furby of 3M marine products, and see what he has to say, and recommend. His advice is excellent. 07770 284 926.

Piers du Pré
www.playdeau.com

 

[eebygum]

Thanks for all the advice, got the job done today in about 5 hours !

Washed and cleaned with Starbrite clean & wax (got all but the most stubborn stains) and then waxed with Starbrite Wax with Teflon. This was very easy to go on and I only used about half I reckon.

I adapted my orbital sander as a polisher (stick foam on it and then cover was a duster !) but in the end it was just as easy by hand.

Boat looks a beautie and only another 3 weeks before she gets inthe water.

Cheers

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[vyv_cox]

Hull polishing and yellowing

Last year I inadvertently carried out a polishing experiment. I had only completed one side on launch day, so that's how it remained for the season. By September the polished side was heavily yellowed, whereas the unpolished side was close to being white. Hours of sunlight per side are pretty much equal, as are all the other factors I can think of.

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[Guest]

Re: Hull polishing and yellowing

What polish did you use? I would suspect the polish more than the polishing. I have a navy blue hull so I cannot test this.

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[vyv_cox]

Re: Hull polishing and yellowing

Following years of messing with automotive polishes I was converted to the marine stuff a few years ago and noticed a major improvement. I have mostly used Farecla and Hull-care since then. I think the yellowing was with Hull-care although I doubt if the manufacturer makes a lot of difference. Polishing in areas away from the bow wave area is fine but there seems to be a reaction between something in the water and the polish. Judging by the many boats I see in this condition it is quite common.

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[pandroid]

Re: Polish recommendation....

So do I. Reccomended to me by Fox's Workshop. Having tried all the others, I reccomend this one

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[pandroid]

I used to use the Bosch orbital sander with a polish mop, but I gave it up. They go too fast for safety and burn the polish. The professional polishers are much lower revving.

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