Polishing the hull - First timer

[Tim Good]

Ok so I have never polished a hull before since this is my first boat but now is about the time. I was planning to do it from a dingy if possible or beach her (have legs). I wanted to avoid getting duped by the local chandlery and emptying my pockets just because its supposedly design for marine use.

I was considering getting a cutting compound and using rubbing by hand or a polishing bit for my drill. Then afterwards using a polish. Does that sound about right and has anyone got any specific products that don't cost the earth but yield good results? Lastly should a good wax be worth adding at the end or is that just going to fall off in no time?

Many thanks!!!

 

[johnalison]

It depends on the condition of the hull. If there are dull areas, polishing will be necessary. At present, I only wax my hull but polish and wax the blue line which has dulled.

The job is much easier ashore, working from a platform if necessary. From a dinghy, it will probably be easier just by hand, using one hand to hold the rail. I would strongly recommend using "solid" products in tubs rather than liquid ones which you might spill. I really don't think the product itself matters as much as the way of working. Waxing is really quite easy and I'm sure it must do some good, especially with a wax sealant like the International, which seems no longer available.

 

[Highndry]

I paid the apprentice from the local Vauxhall body shop £100 to do my 20' Medina. He brought his own slow start machine and the cutting compound (which was one of the Farecla solutions) and did a great job in a fraction of the time it would have taken me with a standard rotary polisher. I'm just applying the wax myself. For a 1979 boat the topsides (that's the vertical bit as I now know) look amazing.

 

[pvb]

Don't use compound on a drill, it rotates too quickly. Either get a proper polisher or don't compound it.

You can get most stains and marks off a hull using "creme cleaner" on a sudsy sponge. Tesco own-brand stuff is about 30p a bottle.

Ordinary car polish is OK, but doesn't last as long as some marine polishes. Best boat stuff I've found is Meguiars #45 Polish, followed by Meguiars #56 Wax - these are both very easy to apply by hand and polish off by hand.

 

[alahol2]

I was considering getting a cutting compound and using rubbing by hand or a polishing bit for my drill. Then afterwards using a polish. Does that sound about right and has anyone got any specific products that don't cost the earth but yield good results? Lastly should a good wax be worth adding at the end or is that just going to fall off in no time?

Many thanks!!!

That's more or less what I do every year. I use this http://www.farecla.co.uk/industrial/profile-gelcoat-restorer-wax on a variable speed drill at low speed with a proper compounding sponge. Keep the sponge damp by spraying the topsides with water from an old spray bottle and use less of the compound than you think you should. I then put a coat of wax on top (usually whatever 'marine' stuff comes to hand).

 

[WF36]

Which wax do people suggest for dulled blue lines?

 

[PITCAIRN]

Its also worth going onto Youtube. There are loads of videos on 'how to polish' your boat.

 

[Tim Good]

I use this http://www.farecla.co.uk/industrial/profile-gelcoat-restorer-wax on a variable speed drill at low speed with a proper compounding sponge.

So with this you don't need to use some sort of cut compound or can I just use the cream cleaners for that?

 

[pvb]

Which wax do people suggest for dulled blue lines?

If it's gelcoat, polish has limited success. I initially had good results with 2 coats of Meguiars #45 Polish, followed by 2 coats of Meguiars #56 Wax. But the shine didn't last long on the faded blue stripes on my boat, in contrast to the same treatment on the hull. As I only clean and polish every 2 years, I ended up getting the stripes resprayed with Awlgrip.

 

[Corribee Boy]

I've had reasonable success with polishing and waxing in various ways: there's a huge number of products out there (at an astounding range of prices) and most I've tried appear to do the job.

The problem starts after launching: within days a yellowed band appears around the waterline, probably from the East Coast scum on the water. It comes off instantly with oxalic acid, but reappears when the boat's back in the water . I've tried different waxes and finishes, to no avail.

Does anyone have a lasting answer to the problem?

 

[VicS]

For what its worth a couple of pictures taken when I last polished my hull.

On that occasion I used Starbrite Medium rubbing paste

and a foam compounding mop on an inexpensive Silverline sander/polisher

and finished by hand with some liquid polish bought from the local chandler.

I have used other brands of rubbing compound but cannot say I have notice that much difference between them.

I used to use an old two speed electric drill before I bought the polisher. The drill was Ok. The polisher despite not being a heavy machine is heavier than the drill

 

[johnalison]

Does anyone have a lasting answer to the problem?

I have heard it said that this gets worse as the layers of wax build up over the years. The recommended cure is to remove the accumulated wax with cellulose thinner (I think it was) and start again. This certainly helped a friend of ours.

 

[Corribee Boy]

That would be worth a try on a small patch, as there's certainly some wax on there. I've heard that gelcoat might be slightly porous and adsorb this stain, but I understood it was waterproof. I'll try it next week.

 

[alahol2]

So with this you don't need to use some sort of cut compound or can I just use the cream cleaners for that?

I originally cut the surface back with Farecla G4 about 10 years ago. Since then I've only used various finishing cutting compounds such as that quoted. It still brings back the shine each year. Give it a try with a fine compound, if that doesn't work try a coarser compound. I've seen boats that are cut back with something like G4 every year and they eventually start showing the brownish layup through the gelcoat.

 

[Seven Spades]

On the hull I wash with Ecover (with polish), the Ecover seems to wash and does not leave streaks (I have a blue hull) then the deck and cock pit I use 3M followed by Mer. the 3M really removes all the ingrained dirt that you cannot wash off.

 

[Sans Bateau]

All you need to know about boat polishing:

http://www.anything-sailing.com/showthread.php/4538-Tips-For-Buffing-amp-Waxing-Gelcoat?p=55686

 

[LittleSister]

Several posts in the past from people who appear to know what they are talking about have stressed the importance of thoroughly cleaning the hull to remove grease and dirt before starting to buff the hull, otherwise its all just being ground into the GRP surface.

 

[John100156]

And don't forget one coat of Voltarol on completion....... it took my muscles about a year to recover when I did my F43 last year

 

[Elessar]

If it's gelcoat, polish has limited success. I initially had good results with 2 coats of Meguiars #45 Polish, followed by 2 coats of Meguiars #56 Wax. But the shine didn't last long on the faded blue stripes on my boat, in contrast to the same treatment on the hull. As I only clean and polish every 2 years, I ended up getting the stripes resprayed with Awlgrip.

stripes on rasseys are paint I believe. I know the lower ones are.
Blue gelcoat can be brought back by sanding then polishing then waxing - until worn through of course.
Yours looks lovely

 

[gasdave]

I was planning to do it from a dingy if possible...........or a polishing bit for my drill.

I can't help thinking that this combination of techniques sounds somewhat unsafe, particularly if said drill/tool runs on 240V .

This type of work is going to be much easier if done form the stable base of terra firma.