Rabbie
Well-Known Member
On this forum a while back someone was using a product called 'Poly' something. It is a clear coating applied over faded GRP to enhance it. Anyone help me find it?
Poly something.
- Thread starter Rabbie
- Start date
castaway
Well-Known Member
Called 'Polytrol'
Very tempting, but like all such things is rather short lived..
I used it on faded GRP and it looked really good for a couple of weeks ..after a couple of months it was even worse that before.
Sorry !
Nick
Very tempting, but like all such things is rather short lived..
I used it on faded GRP and it looked really good for a couple of weeks ..after a couple of months it was even worse that before.
Sorry !
Nick
boatmike
Well-Known Member
I use Marine Glaze which is expensive but forms a very hard resin coat on GRP which lasts longer than anything else I have tried. I still need to polish and re-apply every spring though.
colvic987
Well-Known Member
was it polyglow, there was a feature in one of the mags about its useability and results...
http://www.myboatstore.com/poliglow_faq.asp
http://www.myboatstore.com/poliglow_faq.asp
pvb
Well-Known Member
Don't use "miracle" products - you'll regret it later, because you're just papering over the cracks. If your boat looks tired, give it a proper treatment with cleaner, polish and wax. More work, but worth it.
Rabbie
Well-Known Member
Castaway: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now I won't have to throw away more dosh on another hyped-up product.
pvb. The hull is superclean but being dark blue has that 'misty' dull bloom that I need to try and remove. What I need is some kind of marine T-Cut and a recommended polish to get my reflection back. Thanks.
pvb. The hull is superclean but being dark blue has that 'misty' dull bloom that I need to try and remove. What I need is some kind of marine T-Cut and a recommended polish to get my reflection back. Thanks.
pvb
Well-Known Member
May I suggest you consider using Meguiar's products? Their #44 Colour Restorer is good, and has a very gentle abrasive. Follow with a couple of coats of #45 Polish, then finish with a couple of coats of #56 Pure Wax. All the products are easy to apply and polish off cleanly - even by hand.
Trundlebug
Well-Known Member
Alternatively to restore the faded shine, go to any motor factors and buy a tub of Farecla G3. It's the stuff used by the motor trade in body shops and works superbly on boats too. Try a small qty first if you're not sure, alternatively I think G10 is a finer grade, though it will take you for ever. Ask a supplier and they'll most likely recommend G3.
Use with a firm sponge on a variable speed sander / polisher (search on ebay, they're about £40-£45 - the mutt's nuts) and a spray of water to keep the rotating sponge moist, and you'll have a finish to be proud of.
Important to apply a good quality polish immediately afterwards to protect it. Meguiars are OK but so is Autoglym (you can pick up a 1 litre bottle for a tenner if you go to a local market, no need to pay double on the high street) or even Mer. Starbrite do a marine Teflon polish which is good too, but I compared all of them on our boat last year and there's really nothing to choose between them all.
Use with a firm sponge on a variable speed sander / polisher (search on ebay, they're about £40-£45 - the mutt's nuts) and a spray of water to keep the rotating sponge moist, and you'll have a finish to be proud of.
Important to apply a good quality polish immediately afterwards to protect it. Meguiars are OK but so is Autoglym (you can pick up a 1 litre bottle for a tenner if you go to a local market, no need to pay double on the high street) or even Mer. Starbrite do a marine Teflon polish which is good too, but I compared all of them on our boat last year and there's really nothing to choose between them all.
aknight
Well-Known Member
Have had excellent results with both Meguiar's (GRP yacht) and Autoglym (GRP car bodywork), but would firmly second the advice to get an orbital polisher, if only to polish off products applied by hand. Sealey do a perfectly good leisure model and spares are easy to find. I used an orbital polisher for the first time last season, with the Meguiar's products listed by PVB, and was gobsmacked at what a good finish I got.
Rabbie
Well-Known Member
Thanks to all. Will try Meguiars + orbital thingy.
(PS. I discovered the other stuff was called 'PolyGlow')
(PS. I discovered the other stuff was called 'PolyGlow')
agclive
New Member
The Product BoatMike mentioned is Marine A Glaze, once you've restored your gelcoat using a compound,this will protect the shine for 1 year minimum, guaranteed. Most polishes/waxes are taken off by the sun within a couple of months. www.marineaglaze.com
johnpye
Well-Known Member
The misty bloom on blue gelcoat is usually chalking - the result of the top surface being broken down into an extremely fine powder which does not simply wash off.
Properly applied polymer glaze will bond on to the gel coat and protect it from weathering for considerably longer than wax - in some cases for years. The technology is well-established, and if done properly, it really does work, but the results depend as much on preparation as on the product you put on to finish.
Our boat glaze system - UltraGlaze - is specifically formulated for DIY application on boats. It includes a Glaze Prep that removes chalking and old waxes and prepares the surface for taking the Glaze. The Prep has a detergent and a mild polishing action that brings back the colour and shine. If you skip this step and just coat the surface with a 'wonder product', the stuff probably won't bond properly and you really are 'just papering over the cracks'.
Once the surface is clean and shiny, apply the UltraGlaze and buff it up to a shine. Ours contains PTFE as well as UV inhibitors, so you get a tough, protective non-stick coating bonded to the gel coat.
If you prefer to use a wax, the best way is to use a similar two-step process - use a gentle pre-wax treatment to get the shine and colour back, then apply the wax. The best, hardest and most brilliant you can get is carnauba wax, or you can use a PTFE wax for it's non-stick properties. Repeated applications deepen the shine, and you can use a wash & wax shampoo between applications to top up the wax. We supply matched pre-wax, wax and wash/wax products for both carnauba and PTFE, so you can be sure they are all compatible.
There's more information on both Glaze and waxes on our web site.
Properly applied polymer glaze will bond on to the gel coat and protect it from weathering for considerably longer than wax - in some cases for years. The technology is well-established, and if done properly, it really does work, but the results depend as much on preparation as on the product you put on to finish.
Our boat glaze system - UltraGlaze - is specifically formulated for DIY application on boats. It includes a Glaze Prep that removes chalking and old waxes and prepares the surface for taking the Glaze. The Prep has a detergent and a mild polishing action that brings back the colour and shine. If you skip this step and just coat the surface with a 'wonder product', the stuff probably won't bond properly and you really are 'just papering over the cracks'.
Once the surface is clean and shiny, apply the UltraGlaze and buff it up to a shine. Ours contains PTFE as well as UV inhibitors, so you get a tough, protective non-stick coating bonded to the gel coat.
If you prefer to use a wax, the best way is to use a similar two-step process - use a gentle pre-wax treatment to get the shine and colour back, then apply the wax. The best, hardest and most brilliant you can get is carnauba wax, or you can use a PTFE wax for it's non-stick properties. Repeated applications deepen the shine, and you can use a wash & wax shampoo between applications to top up the wax. We supply matched pre-wax, wax and wash/wax products for both carnauba and PTFE, so you can be sure they are all compatible.
There's more information on both Glaze and waxes on our web site.
johnpye
Well-Known Member
Agree with pvb about doing a proper preparation job. If you apply any product over the top of a surface that's pitted and coated with rubbish, the results will be mediocre at best.
I've an interest to declare, as we produce boat waxes and glazes, but I'd also dare to suggest that something designed for boats rather than cars might do a better job.
That's not just hype, there's a real difference between fibreglass and car paint. We've recently published a free guide on our web site.
Oh and we supply machines as well - There's a comparison between Orbital thingys and sander polishers too.
I've an interest to declare, as we produce boat waxes and glazes, but I'd also dare to suggest that something designed for boats rather than cars might do a better job.
That's not just hype, there's a real difference between fibreglass and car paint. We've recently published a free guide on our web site.
Oh and we supply machines as well - There's a comparison between Orbital thingys and sander polishers too.