Is expensive polish worth the money??

[SolentPhill]

Each year at this time I stock up on the bits needed for the spring coming out season, I always sand off old antifoul and have done from day 1 so no build up, any areas that have come off are primed and covered along with the rest. So im ordering the stuff now I need and I like the hook and loop sanders from boatsheen and whilst im ordering I get their polish as its quite easy to use and makes my boat shine like new, having a black boat it does take some cleaning. they list a couple of polishes.

http://www.boatsheen.com/boatwax.html

High-performance boat wax and Best Brazilian Boat Wax are both around the £10 - £20 which is what you would pay in the shops for one around the same quality, but they list one called Premium Sport Boat Wax which is £70, now im a "spare no expense for the boat if its right" kinda person but is it really that good, is it worth the extra £50, I love my boat to shine and it gets a polish somewhere on most trips out, but is it worth the money? has anyone ever used it and is it that good?. I know some on here will say they get the cheap stuff from Halfords and always have ive seen those comments and there is nothing wrong with that, but this question is for the serious boat cleaner.

 

[gjgm]

Each year at this time I stock up on the bits needed for the spring coming out season, I always sand off old antifoul and have done from day 1 so no build up, any areas that have come off are primed and covered along with the rest. So im ordering the stuff now I need and I like the hook and loop sanders from boatsheen and whilst im ordering I get their polish as its quite easy to use and makes my boat shine like new, having a black boat it does take some cleaning. they list a couple of polishes.

http://www.boatsheen.com/boatwax.html

High-performance boat wax and Best Brazilian Boat Wax are both around the £10 - £20 which is what you would pay in the shops for one around the same quality, but they list one called Premium Sport Boat Wax which is £70, now im a "spare no expense for the boat if its right" kinda person but is it really that good, is it worth the extra £50, I love my boat to shine and it gets a polish somewhere on most trips out, but is it worth the money? has anyone ever used it and is it that good?. I know some on here will say they get the cheap stuff from Halfords and always have ive seen those comments and there is nothing wrong with that, but this question is for the serious boat cleaner.

Plenty of threads on boat polishing to search for.
Some products might be bit better than others, but if you haven't prepared and finished the gel properly, nothing is going to be very successful.
3M and Farecla are usually easily available and do a range of grades to work you up to a good finish. The wax is just a UV and protective sealant. I'll get water beading with Megiuars or 3M for maybe a month on the foredeck and 7-8 months on the sides. They are both about £20 for 500mm and I reckon I'd use 250ml on 35 ft boat. So £10 a season for wax.
When I hadnt prepared the gel properly, I'd maybe get half of that. So my 2 pence would be make sure you get the hull well polished and prepared, and dont be too fazed about the wax.

 

[rafiki_]

Phil, I have used the Boatsheen polish and wax in the past, but was converted a couple of years ago to Silveryak wax polish, as recommended by Firefly. It is brilliant stuff. Easy to apply and buff up.

 

[SolentPhill]

Thanks guys, I've decided to get it and see what it's like.

 

[Firefly625]

Thanks guys, I've decided to get it and see what it's like.

Silveryak boat polish is great value for money. I have never spent a fortune on polish, so I have no idea if it maybe better than Silveryak, but at £11 a go for Silveryak which will do supposedly a 36ft boat - yet actually does far more, is what I would buy. Listed on eBay under "boat polish" rather than Silveryak.

 

[superheat6k]

Silveryak boat polish is great value for money. I have never spent a fortune on polish, so I have no idea if it maybe better than Silveryak, but at £11 a go for Silveryak which will do supposedly a 36ft boat - yet actually does far more, is what I would buy. Listed on eBay under "boat polish" rather than Silveryak.

The eBay seller lists this stuff with a best offer option - any idea what he will accept, I am looking at two bottles. 321272621688

 

[Tradewinds]

The eBay seller lists this stuff with a best offer option - any idea what he will accept, I am looking at two bottles. 321272621688

Back in October it was on at £11.95 with best offer option.

I offered £10.50

His counter offer was £11

"£11 is the minmum we can accept, as we worl on very low margins" (sic)

So somewhere in the early £10s seems achievable.

 

[Firefly625]

Back in October it was on at £11.95 with best offer option.

I offered £10.50

His counter offer was £11

"£11 is the minmum we can accept, as we worl on very low margins" (sic)

So somewhere in the early £10s seems achievable.

£11 is his absolute minimum. Is worth every penny.

 

[johng39]

£11 is his absolute minimum. Is worth every penny.

Is it a wax or a polish as I find the description confusing. It says a wax & also talks of polishing?

Perhaps I am too old and things have moved on, but a polish is a polish with some cutting ability to bring about a shine (albeit slight) and a wax is purely a protective layer over a polished surface. There are now sealants that can be used, but I am aware of their uses.

 

[Marine Reflections]

Silveryak is actually K-wax Carnauba wax.
What winds me up is the claims of Carnauba content in both the Ebay listing from Silveryak and on Boatsheens website.

Siveryak is selling a tub of wax/liquid polish with an unbelievable 40% content of white Carnauba wax, with Boatsheen claiming an amazing 50%. This would make you believe that 40 or 50% of the 'content' within the tub is white Carnauba, right?

No, what it actually means is that of the 'wax' inside the tub, 40% is white Carnauba, quite a difference if 95% of the product isn't wax, the true content could be as little as 2.5% but I doubt there will be that much in there.

Carnauba is one of if not the hardest waxes available, but it is very, very expensive. I kid you not you can pay thousands for a truly high content wax. You could not use a wax that was not broken down first, the wax is very hard and brittle.

Waxes are broken down usually with petroleum based products to make them easier to apply, flash and to ease the removal / buff. The problem with some liquid waxes is that the multiple products used to break them down actually have a negative effect on gel coat.

I know, you've been using it for years and you still have gel coat, but just because someone smokes and they are not dead yet doesn't make it good for them.

After many years of use, trial and error, the two best 'value' waxes on the market today IMO are 3m and Collinites paste waxes. both are around £20, to find better in the under £200 range would be a push even for the likes of Zymol.

Completely agree with gigm, the wax is a cherry on top not the cake.

 

[boatshiner]

I think I can add something to the debate as I do know a bit about waxes...

Firstly, its very hard to make a wax in a liquid form having more than about 10% (and thats being generous) of Carnauba as a proportion of the total contents. Simply, it gets so thick and gloopy its unworkable. So if you want to genuinely make a higher carnauba content wax you have to go to a paste formulation.

Unfortunately some manufacturers, and one being Meguiars in the car products world, simply add a solidifying agent to their liquid product, so you dont actually get more wax in your tin. Some products sold as waxes are actually fully or partly synthetic sealants btw, which give a different shine, a little duller as many observe, but thats up to individual users as to what you prefer.

Now, I know the Boatsheen Sportboat wax product which retails at £68 and its claim of 55% White Carnauba content is true - the only wax in it is pure white grade one carnauba and it works out at near 40% of the total contents of the jar. So it really is a top grade product and IMHO worth every penny. Note that you will get season long durability out of it, notwithstanding a stunning reflective shine and can easily wax the hull (above and below the waterline) of a 36ft boat about 15 times.

So if you put a coat on twice a year, a jar will last you about 7 years. I think thats great value - less than a tenner a year ? And less than the cheap waxes in total cost, not withstanding time saved.

 

[Elessar]

I think I can add something to the debate as I do know a bit about waxes...

Firstly, its very hard to make a wax in a liquid form having more than about 10% (and thats being generous) of Carnauba as a proportion of the total contents. Simply, it gets so thick and gloopy its unworkable. So if you want to genuinely make a higher carnauba content wax you have to go to a paste formulation.

Unfortunately some manufacturers, and one being Meguiars in the car products world, simply add a solidifying agent to their liquid product, so you dont actually get more wax in your tin. Some products sold as waxes are actually fully or partly synthetic sealants btw, which give a different shine, a little duller as many observe, but thats up to individual users as to what you prefer.

Now, I know the Boatsheen Sportboat wax product which retails at £68 and its claim of 55% White Carnauba content is true - the only wax in it is pure white grade one carnauba and it works out at near 40% of the total contents of the jar. So it really is a top grade product and IMHO worth every penny. Note that you will get season long durability out of it, notwithstanding a stunning reflective shine and can easily wax the hull (above and below the waterline) of a 36ft boat about 15 times.

So if you put a coat on twice a year, a jar will last you about 7 years. I think thats great value - less than a tenner a year ? And less than the cheap waxes in total cost, not withstanding time saved.

So come on what do you know about waxes and how? And what are your commercial links to wax products? We know marine reflections knows what hes talking about so come clean. (Sorry poor joke)

 

[Vara]

I've used Collinite marque d'elegance (915) on the boat and on car for 6 years, easy to apply by hand, a little goes a long way.

Beading and shine on the hull and top sides is maintained for at least a year in the tropical sunlight of Dover, and the seven year old car still looks pretty good.

C£31 a tin...£5 a year for me, just ordered some more.

 

[Marine Reflections]

I think I can add something to the debate as I do know a bit about waxes...

Firstly, its very hard to make a wax in a liquid form having more than about 10% (and thats being generous) of Carnauba as a proportion of the total contents. Simply, it gets so thick and gloopy its unworkable. So if you want to genuinely make a higher carnauba content wax you have to go to a paste formulation.

Unfortunately some manufacturers, and one being Meguiars in the car products world, simply add a solidifying agent to their liquid product, so you dont actually get more wax in your tin. Some products sold as waxes are actually fully or partly synthetic sealants btw, which give a different shine, a little duller as many observe, but thats up to individual users as to what you prefer.

Now, I know the Boatsheen Sportboat wax product which retails at £68 and its claim of 55% White Carnauba content is true - the only wax in it is pure white grade one carnauba and it works out at near 40% of the total contents of the jar. So it really is a top grade product and IMHO worth every penny. Note that you will get season long durability out of it, notwithstanding a stunning reflective shine and can easily wax the hull (above and below the waterline) of a 36ft boat about 15 times.

So if you put a coat on twice a year, a jar will last you about 7 years. I think thats great value - less than a tenner a year ? And less than the cheap waxes in total cost, not withstanding time saved.

That is an interesting first post Boatshiner.

I believe the owner of Boatsheen was once a member of this parish.

On the subject of Carnauba content and various claims of content:

In the pedantic world of detailing, it is becoming more frustrating with the various claims for high content, companies stretching the truth in order to sell more or place their products in the same ball park as the more expensive offerings.

It is no longer a secret that Carnauba based waxes offer the best interaction with various elements and go a long way in the minds of some that 'the higher the content the better the wax', therefore it makes sense for a manufacturer to claim a higher content of Carnauba than they actually have. Who is going to question them, the wax police?

Below is a link to Zymol Royale Glaze, considered to be the very best Carnauba based wax.

http://www.zymol.co.uk/zymolroyaleglaze44oz.aspx

Despite the container being re-filled for life, you would be hard pushed to get through one.
This wax is offered to detailers and owners who want the absolute finest wax money can buy. It is for the owners of cars worth millions and who have spent many thousands getting the surface to the point of perfection, then to have this work judged at say a Pebble Beach Concours event.

The price of said wax is ridiculous when compared to what is on offer from Halfords, or the online boat re-sellers.
But for some, it is just the very best available, so that is what is used.

Royale Glaze has a content of 70% No1 grade Brazilian white Carnauba sap by volume at its base.

It is on sale for £8320.00 I don't have the decimal point in the wrong place.

I am not debating it is worth this amount, it is up to the buyer / user, it is however considered to be one of the very best in terms of interaction, gloss readings, durability, depth of shine and contact angle readings of natural hydrophobic properties.
I firmly believe that the reason for it's success (among others) is the high content of the highly refined No1.

Bare in mind that there is a difference between the refining of No1, 2 and 3 grades of white Carauba and also a difference in white and yellow.

So, how do manufacturers get round this in their descriptions, making their products sound more appealing with a higher content?
If they want to tell the truth they talk of the Carnauba content in the total wax content of the product.

For example, a manufacturer release their super doopah, all singing, all dancing, will last for ten years wax for £50 (contains 60% Carnauba wax).
The contents of the bottle are a total of 100ml

Let's say to make it easier there is 80% water also in the bottle.

Out of the remaining 20%, 10% is coconut oil, 4% is beeswax and 6% is No1 white Carnauba.

I am telling you the truth, the product does indeed contain 60% Carnauba, but it is of the wax content.

Some just blatantly lie and it is not until you have purchased and you have the knowledge or the ability to determine if you have just been led up the garden path.
Not many have a gloss meter, a contact angle reader, but it doesn't take a genius to work out when it doesn't really compare to any other wax you have used in the past.
It's a no brainer, you've been had and another dudd product sit on the shelf and the search continues.

The above mentioned, it is IMO not amazingly important what product you choose to go on top of the work you have done in order to shine the surface. Waxes won't do this, or should I say do this for long, correctional polishing will, so a wax is always a preservative of the work you have done, not something that creates it.

Use what wax you have, I doubt any on here (myself included) could stretch to the likes of Zymol Royale Glaze, well actually that's a bit of a fib as I know some who do.
Most are happy with something that goes on easy and buffs off even easier.

IMHO as a rule of thumb, if you open the product and there is an overpowering smell of chemicals or petrol I would steer clear, as the products used to break down the wax will also degrade your work.
If you are tempted to eat it (but don't) you are in the right area.

A standard paste wax is more than ample for decent protection on gel coat.

 

[bigwow]

I've used Collinite marque d'elegance (915) on the boat and on car for 6 years, easy to apply by hand, a little goes a long way.

Beading and shine on the hull and top sides is maintained for at least a year in the tropical sunlight of Dover, and the seven year old car still looks pretty good.

C£31 a tin...£5 a year for me, just ordered some more.

+1 for Collinite

 

[oldgit]

Down at the bottom of the food chain in a somewhat grimey and sunless part of the world ,some of us been using "Silky" for many years.
There was some outrage,when the manufacturer quietly upped the price to £5.00 a pot recently.
Suspect it was when the product was remarketed towards the boating fraternity.
Smear on...allow to dry...wash off....go boating.

 

[Firefly625]

Bought 3 tins of international micron extra at force4 yesterday and was presented with three bottles of international Polwax foc as they have an offer on. Looking at the label it's description of leaving the surface polished with a "wax like finish" put me off! Would like to be told it's ok as I now am the proud owner of three bottles of the stuff, but me thinks the experts will say its tosh?

 

[Fishtigua]

I'm an agent for AutoSmart. Mirror Image is our biggest seller to the Marine Trade customers but the real perfectionist boat owner/clean freak use the AS Wax. Amazing stuff and lasts for ages.

AutoSmart is mainly for the Trade rather than the public but just google for your nearest dealer. The cost advantage will shock you on the price of wax.

http://www.autosmart.co.uk/Polishes.html

 

[boatshiner]

So come on what do you know about waxes and how? And what are your commercial links to wax products? We know marine reflections knows what hes talking about so come clean. (Sorry poor joke)

I have been full time employed in the high end wax world for 12 years. I do have various commercial links to wax product manufacture, retail and hands on use of multiple brands but I'm not here to promote those.

Note: any discussion of wax of this kind of carnauba percentage and 'liquid' is misleading, without wishing to have a pop, all these products are pastes of varying degrees of solidity - and I have used Zymol Vintage and Royale btw.

 

[Whopper]

@Marine Reflections: have you any thoughts on or ever used Chemical Guys products? I'm a satisfied customer having used their liquid carnuba wax. It perhaps doesn't last a long as others but it's ease of use negates that somewhat. I'd be interested to hear if you have a professional opinion on their products.