Wash and wax

youngr

youngr

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My boat's been in the river all winter, and really needs a good clean up, especially now she's moved to the Parkstone Bay dry marina and is sat alongside a load of sparkling well cared for examples! Following a pressure wash to get rid of all the green and most muck, what products would you recommend I use for washing and waxing, bearing in mind she's not had a proper clean for about 2 years (not very shiny at the moment)...? I've had a quote for an outside professional valet job and wanted to see if I could save some £ by doing some of it myself, but dont really know where to start.
 
I was given some cleaner from a member in the club,
he runs a service selling and servicing power washers.
This stuff is the business allthough I do not know the name of it. I am sure if you contact a company near you who has the same type of business they would help. Well worth it
 
Generally the Starbright products are good. Their bottom cleaner did the job on my hull very well last year and returned it to a bright white from a dull grey, after jet washing off the green.
 
Personally, I use the autoglym products. After washing I polish with their standard polish then seal it in with their perfectionist finish polish.

They do a different cleaner/polish for virtually every bit of trim, glass, paint and metalwork. Takes me a good day to do the entire boat inside and out but the end results are worth it.
 
My Method:
Give a good wash
Compound with 3M Finesse-it, compounding head and rotary polisher
Give it a good wash down to get rid of any left-overs
Let dry
Polish with Mers car polish with rotary polisher
Let dry
Buff off with rotary polisher
Give a godo wash down to get rid of any left over bits and static etc.

The result:
IMG_1578.jpg


IMG_1580.jpg


IMG_1582.jpg
 
there are a few seperate tasks.. getting it clean, maybe cutting back the grp, polishing/waxing.
To cut back the grp you need a decent polishing machine, and not one of those useless top-hat car polishers. Cheapest is by Silverline, about £40- its a bit heavy; pro model is £00's.
Farelca cutting compounds will do, start with a fine one and see how it goes, or 3M do very well regarding specialist GRP products. DONT let the grp heat up, and DONT cut back too much or you will be through the gelcoat!
After that, everyone has their favourite polish or wax. I find the teflon polishes very easy to use by hand. May not be super hard wearing, but its just wipe on /wipe off, so you can give a quick spit and polish when you feel like it, rather than undertaking a major days work!
 
I use the 3m products as a base once a year when its out of the water and then just use high quality liquid car wax in every wash after use and that seems to keep the boat gleaming all year! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
I'll vote for Autoglym as well. Just in the process of doing the same for our boat. Red first, super gloss to finish off.

Red is also good for very difficult dirt. Rub gently and as soon as the dirt comes off, wipe it all away. Make sure not to let the dirty wax to dry on the surface.
 
[ QUOTE ]
did you see that article in MBY what was it £2,500 to clean a boat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really???

For what sort of size?

Jeez I'll do it for a grand per wash! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Seems that Autoglym gets a good write up but looking on the AutoGlym web site it seems there are a huge choice of wax’s to choose from – which ones exactly do the panel recommend?
 
[ QUOTE ]
Seems that Autoglym gets a good write up but looking on the AutoGlym web site it seems there are a huge choice of wax’s to choose from – which ones exactly do the panel recommend?

[/ QUOTE ]

ok, here we go. Lets start with the first wash;
Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner

rinse well and dry with chamois (or air dry if you're lazy like me /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif )

now for the first polish;
Super Resin Polish

once that is applied and your boat is nice and shiney follow up with;
Extra Gloss Protection
(make sure the surface is spotless though as it's not a cleaner as per the other wax)

other products I use;
For glass: Car Glass Polish
Interior plastics and trim: Vinyl & Rubber Care
Carpets and upholstery: Interior Shampoo
(can also be used on interior trim but I prefer the one above)
Canopy: Cabriolet Fabric Hood - Maintenance Kit
(I've not actually used this but saw it on the site and will have to give it a try!)
Metalwork: Metal Polish

As you can see, it's an extensive range of products they have and of the many the ones above (apart from the Fabric Hood one, which I will try) are what I use and get great results from.
 
i valet cars and occasionally boats for a living. mostly smallish stuff around 30ft.
if its out of the water a cut and polish above the water line but hull only i charge around £150. i can do carpets and other grp polishing. I think on the south coast they charge a fair bit more.
have been busy this week as people getting ready for holiday fun this weekend.

This is not a post soliciting for work as im an idol sod and pick and choose the work to fit around getting children to and from school.
 
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