Side by side comparison of boat detailing products… ?

[saxton15]

Back to work I go. Thanks AJ LOL

[ibelonginprison]

Ah... black looks so good.

.... 30 seconds after its polished. Lol

[Blueforester]

Hey guys. I've been searching this topic quite a bit this year. Basically I've had boat since new and I've yet to put a coat of wax much less a buffer/polisher to it. And freaks me out just thinking about it. History is it stays covered year around. Under a boat house during summer. Port side does get afternoon sun however. I'm particular about keeping it clean and detailed though. It may have been put up wet maybe 3-4 times. I wipe it down inside out every evening after it goes out. Gel-coat looks fine to me. Definitely no oxidation. If you look close you can start to see real fine swirl marks from wiping it down over the years. However, began noticing last year that the white gel-coat is not popping like it use to. Last fall for the first time I did not get to do a good detail before winterizing last fall because I was broke down. So this year I wan to really do it up good before it goes to the lake.

What is a good process and product to basically freshen up gel-coat finish? From what I'm reading I do not think I need anything aggressive to cut the finish and start over. But then I again what the hell do I know I've never done this before. What is the best treatment for the fear/ anxiety about buffing/polishing a nice boat?

Blue

[saxton15]

Hey guys. I've been searching this topic quite a bit this year. Basically I've had boat since new and I've yet to put a coat of wax much less a buffer/polisher to it. And freaks me out just thinking about it. History is it stays covered year around. Under a boat house during summer. Port side does get afternoon sun however. I'm particular about keeping it clean and detailed though. It may have been put up wet maybe 3-4 times. I wipe it down inside out every evening after it goes out. Gel-coat looks fine to me. Definitely no oxidation. If you look close you can start to see real fine swirl marks from wiping it down over the years. However, began noticing last year that the white gel-coat is not popping like it use to. Last fall for the first time I did not get to do a good detail before winterizing last fall because I was broke down. So this year I wan to really do it up good before it goes to the lake.

What is a good process and product to basically freshen up gel-coat finish? From what I'm reading I do not think I need anything aggressive to cut the finish and start over. But then I again what the hell do I know I've never done this before. What is the best treatment for the fear/ anxiety about buffing/polishing a nice boat?

Blue

You might want to consider the route that I went. If you've had your boat since new and it's never had a facelift, a decent compound (nothing harsh) and a nice layer of sealer will go a long way. I used the Meguiar's one step compound which isn't too intense, but I did use an orange medium to heavy cutting pad. You could likely use the same compound, on a light cutting pad. Put that on a lowest speed of your buffer and the hull should shine. Once that's done add any sealer that's pure wax to give it that shine and restore the gel coat.

I had never used a cutting pad on a gel coat before and managed to get my hull looking brand new in a morning.

[Falko]

Good chrome/stainless polish I use is Nevrdull. It comes in a little can and is a liquid in a cellulose material. Pull a piece off and start rubbing. Works well.

[ibelonginprison]

Good chrome/stainless polish I use is Nevrdull. It comes in a little can and is a liquid in a cellulose material. Pull a piece off and start rubbing. Works well.

I like Neverdull, I always keep a can of it around. But it can leave fine scratches in something like aluminum though, so I use it very sparingly. It's excellent for when you need to knock the funk off of something that's been dirty for a while. I use it on my stainless exhaust, but that's about it. lol

I'm sort of weird though, I hate chrome. If I end up keeping this 'Bu for 2-3 years I'll have all the chrome powdercoated probably a satin silver.

[Falko]

I was just thinking this morning as I was driving, "Why do they put so much chrome on cars? It's ugly...."

[ibelonginprison]

This midyear Vette is my inspiration to ditching anything chrome. ha

http://gearheads.org/classic-racetrack-slaying-65-corvette/

[saxton15]

Mean looking 'vette

[Blueforester]

You might want to consider the route that I went. If you've had your boat since new and it's never had a facelift, a decent compound (nothing harsh) and a nice layer of sealer will go a long way. I used the Meguiar's one step compound which isn't too intense, but I did use an orange medium to heavy cutting pad. You could likely use the same compound, on a light cutting pad. Put that on a lowest speed of your buffer and the hull should shine. Once that's done add any sealer that's pure wax to give it that shine and restore the gel coat.

I had never used a cutting pad on a gel coat before and managed to get my hull looking brand new in a morning.

I picked up a HF DA buffer and several different pads. After a lot of reading I'm leaning towards Meguiar's products. Curious why you did not use their sealer?

On the subject of chrome my wake racks look like crap. So bad I took them off last year. They appear to be cast aluminum w/ chrome plating which is difficult to plate to start with and known to flake and pit as mine are if not done right. It appears that the lowest bidder got the contract to plate these. I spent several hours last night researching options to repair. I found nothing. Found where it looks like most are going w/ a better quality aftermarket racks. I was hoping to find a good source to repair and re-plate. I got a quote from a known chrome plating company in Alabama. Just based on pictures I sent he stated a minimum starting price of $500 to re-chrome. Heck I can buy new after market racks for that price. But I like the original racks. I hadn't thought about powder coating. I may look into that. Does anyone know a good source to repair/re-chrome these racks?

[saxton15]

Blue, are you asking why I used the Carnauba pure wax instead of their spray Quick Wax?

Mostly because I have some Boat Bling Hot Sauce which I know is a proven sealer/waterspot remover. The Carnauba Pure Wax from Meguiar's works flawlessly and does seal in the gel coat. My plan from the get go was to do a three step system "cut, wax, seal". Depending on the water levels this weekend I may just do one more pass of the Pure Wax just for kicks. Right now my hull is screaming Mirror status.

Alternatively I could have used the Polish/High Gloss enhancer as well, but I figured the Carnauba wax would achieve the same result.

[ibelonginprison]

McGuires is good stuff, it's definitely at the top end of what you can buy at your local store... but there's a lot of other stuff out there for when you expand your horizons.

Here's some reading for when you can't sleep. .... for like, days on end. lol

http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/

Here are a couple of sealant product reviews:

http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/Sealants/#tips

Here's my beloved Menzerna. lol

http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-Pro/menzerna-power-lock-sealant-review-with-pictures/

At the top of the mountain I don't think you can pick one true winner as far as high end detailing products, so just pick something you're comfortable using and that gets results you are happy with.

[Captainkurk72]

Has anyone used or have thoughts on Marine21 products? I am thinking of buying a package from autogeeks. Includes a porter cable 7424XP, pads etc, three marine21 products.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Falko]

Heard of Marin21, just never used it. The PC 7424 is a good machine though.

[Falko]

Anyone ever steam clean their vinyl? Do you think that would be too harsh on it? I have mostly white vinyl and getting down in the grain isn't going well. Thought maybe a quick steam then condition it. But don't want to damage the outer layer nor dry it out.

[saxton15]

Try the route IBP did with the Hot Sauce Vinyl cleaner. Spray down your seats and use a soft brush to work it into the grain. Seemed to work pretty well for him.

[ibelonginprison]

Try the route IBP did with the Hot Sauce Vinyl cleaner. Spray down your seats and use a soft brush to work it into the grain. Seemed to work pretty well for him.

^^^^ that.

Vinyl Sauce was the real deal.

If you find anything better, be sure to let me know. Cause I want a gallon of it! Lol

[ac88926]

I swear by the Boat Bling products. As long as you use these products every trip youll be fine. I have an all black boat and it looks as good today as when we took delivery last year. A black boat isnt something to be scared of. Just have to say on top of it. A white boat will hide a lazy owner...for a little while.

[Raimie]

Ok, I have a bottle of this

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/star-brite--premium-marine-polish-with-ptef--P004_130_002_501

that I would like to use up.

Can I just use that or do you have to wax over it? Sorry, but this is confusing to me. It looks to me like 2 coats of this would protect the finish, then using the spray down wax after each use.

I want to try some other products review here, but I would like to use up some of what I have first.

Edited May 1, 2015 by Raimie

[ac88926]

Boat bling sells a "sample pack" that has all 4 items in 8oz. bottles. Might wanna give this a go if you're skeptical. http://www.jmsonline.net/boat-bling-4-pack-mini-kit-bbl-bb04mk.htm?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CKORnb_foMUCFVU8gQod7UkA2Q

I ended up buying gallon sizes of the hot/vinyl sauces. and a few condition sauces. Id rather have extra on hand than need some and not have any. If you buy a gallon size, buy one of their sprayers. They are good quality.

Edited May 1, 2015 by ac88926

[ibelonginprison]

Ok, I have a bottle of this

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/star-brite--premium-marine-polish-with-ptef--P004_130_002_501

that I would like to use up.

Can I just use that or do you have to wax over it? Sorry, but this is confusing to me. It looks to me like 2 coats of this would protect the finish, then using the spray down wax after each use.

I want to try some other products review here, but I would like to use up some of what I have first.

Hi Raimie...

Someone pm'd me earlier and asked a question that I gave a pretty detailed response to... so, I think I'll just copy/paste that here. lol

For your question - Starbrite is a polish, so I would definitely go over it with a sealer or wax. I take the "addition of ptfe" statement with a grain of salt because you rarely find one product that does two polar opposite things exceedingly well. It either polishes great, or it protects great - but I'm hesitant to believe that it does both top notch at the same time. That's kind of like finding a race car that rides like a cadillac deville. While from a technical standpoint it may be feasible... it's just not two things that historically go hand in hand. The best you can ask out of a product like that is that it polishes well, and does leave a layer of protection behind at the same time. However, it's doubtful that the protection will ever come close to a true sealant.

Here was my response to the PM.

Oh, and also note - that my opinions are just that, opinions. I'm not a chemist, nor do I own/operate a detail shop. Just a guy that has detailed A LOT of things in his day. haha

"Here's the basics for how detailing works. Usually you do something to clean the paint and remove the contaminants that have affixed themselves to the surface. If you run your hand across the paint and you feel anything at all other than just "smooth" - then you need to clean it. Mostly this is best accomplished with a claybar. You just spray a lubricant on the surface of the paint, then rub a small flat piece of detailing clay across the paint. The contaminates stick to the clay and leave the paint a lot smoother than when you started. On a boat, probably not as necessary, so I won't go into more detail on that.

After you claybar it, then it's time for polishing. Think of polishes like really, really, really fine "liquid sandpaper." Many people don't know that polish works just the same way as sandpaper does, only not as aggressive. Just like there are different grits of sandpaper, there are different levels of polish. A compound is the most harsh, followed by a cutting polish and is used to remove scratches and swirls etc, then you use a medium polish to smooth it out and get most of the shine back, and a finishing polish adds gloss and depth to the finish and gives you the "just left the showroom" look. (my favorite all around automotive polish is Menzerna Powerfinish PF 2500 polish, for what it's worth) After you polish, you must always apply a sealant or a wax, because there's no protection anymore. (you polished it all away.)

Then comes the sealant. The sealant is the base for which the rest of the magic happens. UV protection, moisture protection etc. A good sealant will make or break a detailing job, in my opinion. I'm going to test a few of them out this season and see which ones really last the longest in a marine application. A lot of people say you need to use different products "because gel coat is different because it's more porous than clear coat." Well, technically yes that's true - it is more porous. But my question is how have the manufacturers modified their formula to adapt for that, and is it even NECESSARY to adapt for that? The challenge is still the same... protect and seal the surface. If anything it would mean that you should do more coats of it initially. So what's makes a "marine detailing sealant" better than one that I would use on a $200,000 Ferrari? Longevity? If that's the case, then I need to find the best stuff on the market and be using that for my car! (and so far, the Menzerna powerlock is the best I've run across.) I'm interested to try the Hula sealant and see if that works better for a "marine application."

Then wax. Wax is kinda like the quarterback, it gets all the glory but it can't do it on it's own. A good single layer carnuba paste wax on top of a sealant will give you great protection, great water beading ability, and great depth to the paint. However, a carnuba wax won't last neeeeear as long as a sealant, so that's why you do the sealant first, then a wax on top. When the wax coverage wears off then it's not as important to add another one right away, because the sealant still has the protection you need. For a boat, I honestly may not wax it except for once a season as long as I have a good base sealant on there.

In between detailings you use a quick detailer. I use the Chemical Guys V7 quick detailer/sealant. I keep a bottle in the trunk of both our cars, and on the boat. When I pull it out of the water I do a quick mist down the sides and then use a microfiber towel to dry it off. It never leaves streaks or waterspots and actually adds a little protection on there till the next time - on top of leaving it shiny. (I have super ADHD, so I love shiny stuff.)

I keep hearing magical things about Hot Sauce and Speed Gloss, but they're both "vinegary" - and vinegar tends to remove wax so that's my first test is to do a sealant then wax, and then hit it over and over with the different quick detailers and see how long the sealant/wax lasts."

Edited May 1, 2015 by ibelonginprison

[Blueforester]

Great info Ibelongin. Although, I'm still undecided on which product to go with. I've got to pull the trigger on something soon.

Question, I have some scuffing on the very bottom of boat on each side of the keel near the front. Looks to be from runners on trailer. What would be the best way to remove these scuffs. A more aggressive cutting compound? Suggestions?

Blue

[ibelonginprison]

Great info Ibelongin. Although, I'm still undecided on which product to go with. I've got to pull the trigger on something soon.

Question, I have some scuffing on the very bottom of boat on each side of the keel near the front. Looks to be from runners on trailer. What would be the best way to remove these scuffs. A more aggressive cutting compound? Suggestions?

Blue

Try an aggressive cutting/polishing compound, then a finishing polish to bring back the shine.

That's where I'd start, and I think that would likely give you the best results based on our description.

I have some major scuffing I'm going to have to take care of, myself. :/

Edited May 5, 2015 by ibelonginprison

[NorrisMike]

A white boat will hide a lazy owner...for a little while.

I couldn't agree with this more. Maintaining the appearance of my white boat has been like living on easy street. I love it! Coincidentally I have all white vehicles as well. A while back I did some research on the detailing forums and ended up with a pretty good combo for my white rides. I have yet to use this combo on my boat but plan to this season. I will snap a pic of what I got and would like to get Ibelong's opinion. off to the garage I go...

[bcoppess23]

How do you know when the sealant and wax are no longer working/present?