Would you wax a brand new boat?

What I would have loved to have done, if I could have found anybody in France, is those hi tech nano micro coatings
 
There are dozens of these nano technologies now. They are usually applied by a team of experts and give a long lasting finish that only has to be wiped down or hosed off to return to its original finish. Fabrics are also waterproofed by it
 
There are dozens of these nano technologies now. They are usually applied by a team of experts and give a long lasting finish that only has to be wiped down or hosed off to return to its original finish. Fabrics are also waterproofed by it

Then I have learned something new today. Any suggestions on who I should call for a quote please. Boat is in east coat but will move her to Portsmouth next month
 
I personally can't recommend anyone because I've no firsthand experience. In the world of caravans and motor homes Paintseal Direct is well known and they advertise on Telly. But there are probably newer better ones out now
 
Before you apply A-Glaze or any other product, have a read of this protection product comparison thread.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-test&highlight=product+protection+comparison

You will then be armed with enough information to make a much more informed decision on the best product to use, how difficult or otherwise it is to apply, and how well it lasts compared to the other products available.

FWIW I would definitely apply a protection from new. There's no better time to do it. The gelcoat will probably never look as good as when new, so you'll want to retain that look as long as possible and delay any deterioration from weather and uv.
 
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Before you apply A-Glaze or any other product, have a read of this protection product comparison thread.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthrea...-test&highlight=product+protection+comparison

You will then be armed with enough information to make a much more informed decision on the best product to use, how difficult or otherwise it is to apply, and how well it lasts compared to the other products available.

FWIW I would definitely apply a protection from new. There's no better time to do it. The gelcoat will probably never look as good as when new, so you'll want to retain that look as long as possible and delay any deterioration from weather and uv.

excellent link Trundlebug, that was an hour of reading well worth the time... what a great piece of work!
 
I would polish & check for defects at the same time

Now that is an excellent reason.:encouragement:

I do similar when acquiring a 'new' to me car. It's no real hardship as I tend to buy 3 year old Mercs' and keep them for 15 years plus. It is a great way of finding issues.
 
The first thing to do is have a very good look at the boat, particularly in sunshine. Quite often you will see massive swirl marks where someone has given the boat a quick once over with a mop. You need to get rid of them before you do anything and that means employing a good marine detailer. They will mop over the boat to remove any swirl marks. The cutting element doesn't necessarily need to be harsh, but you do need to in effect sand the swirl scratches away or at least polish their surface so they become invisible.

I'm a big fan of Gtechniq. I've seen A Glaze used and I wasn't impressed. Apparently it "soaks in the surface" but I can't see how that's possible. Gtchniq dries and hardens. It's applied with small make up type pads and when you come back the next day those pads are rock solid, so it really does harden. Black marks just wipe off with your finger afterwards.

In terms of UV protection I'm less convinced. It's a very thin coat and it won't stop GRP aging. But in terms of cleaning ease then it is very good.

Now for the caveat. All this stuff is hugely dependent on who you get to apply it and also the environment in which you carry out the work. For best results you want to be under cover in a shed. Just going through the motions is no good, you have to keep constantly checking the surface and adapt your work accordingly. You also need to use the right products, polishing cloths, mop heads and so on.

Henry :)
 
In terms of UV protection I'm less convinced. It's a very thin coat and it won't stop GRP aging. But in terms of cleaning ease then it is very good.

+1

I look after a few boats with a range of protection from marine grade wax through to A-Glaze and GTechniq. From experience, the waxes tend to hold off the aging better than the coatings but the coatings do have the edge in the battle to stop staining and black streaks are way easier to remove.
 
Apparently it "soaks in the surface" Henry :)[/QUOTE said:
I always understood that you should not use polish on boats which contain silicone as it soaks into the gel coat and softens it, which is why polish for boats is supposed to be silicone free.
 
If it was my brand new boat, I'd be tempted to A-Glaze it.
I'm not sure who does it on the S Coast these days.

We used A-Glaze on our old boat so when we bought our new Princess back in 2008, we applied A-Glaze straight away.
And have been using it ever since.

As JFM says, you don't need any special company to apply it - it is really easy - If you are starting with a new boat, you don't even need a buffing machine.
People consider that A-Glaze is expensive.
Well, it is more than wax but, overall, it isn't that bad - especially if you DIY
 
I'm going to be a bit anal here and pick you up on the point that you don't need skilled labour to apply. I think it's essential that you use skilled labour because the actual application is only the last 10% of doing the job properly. You first need to provide a good surface to apply it to. I have yet to see a boat out of the factory with a surface good enough to invest money in a surface protectant. They usually have horrific swirl marks.

I'm not a detailer just a punter like the rest of you although I do have a better understanding of surface finishes than most. Some very specialist industrial model making training then a life in the automotive world.

Not many people you see mopping boats have a clue. You need a really good specialist of which there are some on here.

The last couple of years we've had our boat in a shed for a week which is perfect.

Henry :)
 
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