Restoring dull finish

[John]

I performed a search and read dozens of procedures on this web site to bring my old boat back to life. I am asking your opion on the steps I am taking--should I add one, not do one, or modify one. Please let me know about the product I am using--what would you use. Last--method of application-again what's your opion. I know this is going to take me several hours--but I want a first class job. Then again I don't want to perform a step if I don't need to. Thanks in advance.

Step 1: Compound really faded parts of boat 3M Rubbing Compund polisher circular-pad yellow

Step 2: Remove swirl marks 3M Finness it II Finishing Material polisher circular-pad orange

Step 3: Apply a glaze Menzerna Finishing Glaze Polisher circular-pad blue

Step 4: Apply a sealant Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant Polisher circular-pad blue

Step 5: Apply Carnuba Wax Collinte, what do you use? Polisher circular-pad red

I also own a dual action polisher but like the varible speed on the polisher.

Thanks again, John

[my malibu]

Only thing I would add is wet sanding any scratches or bad swirl marks (after trying the rubbing compound if they don't get removed )

2000 grit

and you probably already know this but be careful around edges with that polisher

I use star brite products

Edited February 26, 2009 by my malibu

[99response]

I have found on heavy oxidation its easier to wetsand with 1000 or 1200 grit and then compound. Stops the pads from getting gummed up so quickly.

Also make sure you tape off your rubrail or you will get burn marks from the edge of the polisher, even if you're really careful.

Also what color is your boat? Big difference in how you attack it.

-Chris

[Bake's Marine]

We've been really happy with 3M & Meguiars rubbing compound / oxidation removal products here at the shop. We also use a orbital buffer,wool pad, at about 1,000 RPM's to pull light scratches or oxidation. Gel coat is very soft so it's forgiving but if you get too aggressive you can move thru material fast so take your time and do the steps, your boat will thank you!

-Paul

[BrianM]

I have had really good results with just using 3 steps.

3M Super Duty Compound with a wool pad

3M Perfect-It-II with Orange foam pad

Both of the prior steps I use a circular polisher

Meguires Carnuba wax with a red foam pad.

If you have any really bad oxidation or some scratches that you cant get out with the compound you may need to do a little wet sanding prior

I used this process on an extremely oxidized '85 Mastercraft. When I was done the gel on the boat looked and felt like new.

[chadwick02]

I know this is an old conversation, but rather than start a new thread I'll continue this since there is alot of good info.

Now that I've got my lift set up and the boat is kept out of the water, I'm getting anxious to start on the exterior finish.. I have lots of experience with restoring automotive finishes, but very little with fiberglass.

The main color of my boat is red, and it is faded bad, very bad. Some light scratches too, but the fading is the problem - it almost looks pink now if the lighting is wrong. Sits at the dock baking in the sun all summer (untill now, when it sits on a new lift under a 26' canopy).

I'm not afraid to hit it with these compounds or even sand paper if I need to since I know it needs some serious help, but I've heard some good info about a product called poli glow. A quick search on this site didnt turn anything up. Does anyone have experience with poli glow? Seems like it might be too good to be true on something as bad as my boat?

Also - just to try it out last weekend I hit a small spot with some polishing compond with a rag and some elbow grease. I ended up getting some red residue on my rag (gell coat?) very quickly, which suprised me, I would never have had somethign like that happen on an automotive with the small ammount of product and pressure I was applying. It scared me, so I stopped untill I had further instructions from the crew. Is this normal when using a compound on gell coat, or was I being too agressive??

Thanks everyone!

Chad

[JeffS]

Also - just to try it out last weekend I hit a small spot with some polishing compond with a rag and some elbow grease. I ended up getting some red residue on my rag (gell coat?) very quickly, which suprised me, I would never have had somethign like that happen on an automotive with the small ammount of product and pressure I was applying. It scared me, so I stopped untill I had further instructions from the crew. Is this normal when using a compound on gell coat, or was I being too agressive??

Boats don't have clear coat - cars do. If you had no clear coat left on the car - you would have color coming up on a car same as what you experienced with the boat. But most of the buffing done on a car's finish is done to the clear layers - so you don't see the finish you are removing, even though you are.

I'm not shy with wet sanding. It's the best and fastest way to bring a boat back to life in my experience. Most folks I know do cutting compounds with a machine. To me - that's way more harsh than wetsanding by hand. But really, it's the same step - just done a different way. To make the oxidized finish goes away - you have to make it go away...you have to remove it. And that's what compound or wet sanding does.

My favorite place to wetsand is standing on the sand bar in the lake. All the water I could ever need, and I don't get hot. Can't do that with a machine.

[Michigan boarder]

My favorite place to wetsand is standing on the sand bar in the lake. All the water I could ever need, and I don't get hot.

[Jimmy Buffett]

#0000 Steel Wool works too (wet). Then go over it with rubbing compound, Finesse It II, and finally wax.