What polish for white grp?

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Anyone got any recommendations for what polish to use on white grp?

My 'smooth' white GRP is looking miserable, and I want to tidy it up come next season. I will be using a polishing machine for the bigger bits and will use a cloth by hand for the smaller areas

I presume a good clean down beforehand is the main preperation needed?

Anyone got any suggestions? I presume something with UV protection would be a good idea?
 
A good wax, tried A Glaze and other products but wax is as good if not better and a lot cheaper. Once machine polished with compound, just use a good wax (3M protective wax is good) and if possible wax twice a year
 
You'd definately recommend a compound, yeah? What would you recommend for a pretty decent surface (It's just dull with some swirl marks)
 
I use Farecla G6. If its really bad I go down to G3. G10 is about the same as T cut. You need to use a low rev polisher/sander otherwise you can burn the surface. I apply the compound ,spray with water (mist) and then work it down to a shine. If you are trying to clear the odd scratch that has not gone through the gel-coat 1200 wet and dry can be used to blend it in then work through the levels of compound to polish. Be careful and test an area, some boats dont have enough gel to cut back very often and tbe careful with sharp edges where it is thinnest. Cheers Simon.
 
Ive tryed virtually everything and Auto glym is by far the best and one of the easiest to apply.
Prob cheaper too cos its car and not boat.
 
You don't say where you live in the world, but if you are in the UK or Northern Ireland, then try Halfords (Motor Factors).

They do a very fine polish which is specific to different coloured cars. You obviously will need a white polish /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

See here:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/store...ategoryId_31511

Tis cheaper than the swindeleries /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Thanks for the links guys. I'm in Eire, but I do be in Sligo every week and there's a Halfords there. Will pop in after the Christmas
 
Niall,

Send a PM to Xstream on CPB - he will know what polish Malahide Boatyard use on SV2.

They do a great job - lasts the year.

Regards,
Mick.

see you at Club Powerboat Ireland Dublin Bay Meet.
 
Another vote for MER.

Easy to apply and excellent results.

It is worth being careful with the more abrasive products. You don't want to rub your way through the gelcoat!
 
trying - Yup I agree. It's not an old boat (2001) so I want to avoid using an abrasive for the time being, I reckon ill get away with just a polish for the time being
 
As already said, Farecla G6 (or G3 in extremis) to get the oxidisation off if it's bad, then Mer. Spent a grand or more on A Glaze and it lasted 4 months. Mer's cheap as chips and I do it every three or four weeks or so, and it only takes a couple of hours. Fairy Power Spray shifts exhaust soot like nobody's business, but it will also take the wax off, so remember to go over it afterwards with the Mer (which, incidentally, will take off light soot staining on its own).

Edit: meant to add, I bought a Chinese £35 polisher from a local tool shop. It's heavier than the pro ones by some way, but it's not as if I use it every day...
 
I have in the past used MER but be carefull, in some cases it can cause your Gelcote to Yellow slightly.
This I have found personaly & although it is very good I stoped using it because of it.
I have tried many products including Auto Glym (which I use on the car) & maguires polishes but I have found nothing to beat a once over prep with 3M's FINNESE IT & a coat of MUC-OFF miracle shine.

The miracle shine alone does a second to none job but it does show any imperfections hense the finnese-it first.

http://www.muc-off.com/marinemiracleshine.html

Previous boat, 1996 sealine s240, taken summer 2007.

20070815017.jpg
 
Best to keep prep and wax separate, but compounding is really for getting scratches out - too aggressive if you are just restoring a shine.

We do a pre-wax cleaner that will get the shine and colour back without harsh abrasion - it has detergents and a mild polishing action and will take off old wax.

For waxing, the best you can get is carnauba wax - hard as concrete and pure enough to put on the outside of Smarties and Asprins. It comes from Brazil, so we call our carnauba cream wax Best Brazilian. We also do a modern PTFE wax which is a good alternative. Our waxes have UV inhibitors and they don't go yellow

Here's the regime we recommend to professionals:
<ul type="square">
[*]Clean down with pre-wax once per year
[*]Wax two or three times per year
[*]Wash & wax shampoo as often as you like
[/list]
There's more info on our website!
 
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