Cleaner/Protectant Recommendation

[cpuwhiz22]

Hey Crew,

 

I am going to be joing the crew tomorrow potentially.  I'm waiting on the green light from the lender to go get a new to me 2002 Wakesetter VLX tomorrow.  With that said, this will be the first boat I have owned, despite family having one for some time.  I was wondering if anyone can recommend products for protecting and cleaning?  I have heard good things about Aerospace 303 for vinyl protectant, but I was curious what else people are using to keep their boats protected and looking like new.  Let me know!

 

Thanks!

[MalibuNation]

I'll second 303.  A lot of us use Boat Candy Speed Gloss as a fiberglass wipe down to remove water spots.

[sidekicknicholas]

+1 for 303.

 

To help with watersorts on the hull I like http://spotlessboat.com/

[cpuwhiz22]

Anyone care for the "Boat Bling" brand?  I saw the shop had a lot of their "sauce" products.  I didn't know if that stuff was any good.  I will be looking for something to clean and protect the vinyl and plastics, as well as something for the fiberglass, and potentially a wax product for the start of the season.  I appreciate all the tips!

[Ronnie]

Boat Bling for us. Hot Sauce for the hull to get the spots. Vinyl Sauce for the interior.

We used 303 on the vinyl for years before Vinyl Sauce came out. The problem we had with 303 was it left a slick finish on the vinyl. If you had surf boards with rubber footpads laying on the rear sun pad, the 303 would transfer to the surfboard pads and be so slick that it was hard to stay on the boards.

[Gavin17]

I use hot sauce too. Depending on your area and water/ mineral content different products may work better or worse for you. 

I wax 2 times per year and wipe down after each use with hot sauce. I've considered making my own wipe down  spray though. There Are Some Good DIY  recipies on the forums. 

[jrvs23]

303 cleaner and protectant for the interior. 

Colinite paste was 2x/year and turtle wax spray and dry almost every time I wipe down when pulling out. The spray and dry is really easy and keeps it super smooth and spot free. Best thing is it's under $5 a bottle!

[isellacuras]

I have been making my own with the help of my detail product supplier. I have had great results. I have been thinking about selling it. If any of you local guys wanna try it out, let me know and I'll give you a bottle to try out. 

[Gavin17]

1 hour ago, jrvs23 said:

303 cleaner and protectant for the interior. 

Colinite paste was 2x/year and turtle wax spray and dry almost every time I wipe down when pulling out. The spray and dry is really easy and keeps it super smooth and spot free. Best thing is it's under $5 a bottle!

If the boat is dirty do u put the spray on a dirty bost and wipe off or do you use water or something first?

[CharlieBeaU]

303 Protectant on the vinyl after every trip (spray on to the cloth while I'm wiping down the interior). I buy it on Amazon

303 Multi-Cleaner for spot cleans and during "big cleans" to clean the vinyl (I always apply 303 Protectant after). I buy it on Amazon

Diamond Zip Mist after every trip on the exterior (@shawndoggy recommended this to me and it works great). Buy it here: http://pacificprodux.com/car-detailing-supplies/protectants-and-final-detail/zip-mist-wipe/ 

[Socalbu]

I think I've tried almost everything listed! I use 303 at the start of the season. I bought a gallon so I figure I should use it! Ronnie mentioned it would leave a film but you're  supposed use sparingly leaving no residue.

• Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce for cleaning then follow up with Conditioning Sauce
• Hot Sauce for first wipe down since I believe it's stronger than anything else I've tried (Buy it by the gallon)
• Boat Candy Speed Gloss is the second wipe down since it cuts the remaining spots and leaves a better shine than Hot Sauce.

I buy Microfibers by the bag at Costco and I'm lucky to have teenagers that are great about wiping it down after every use.

I'm about do a complete polish with Menzerna in the next week but haven't yet decided if I'm going to use a wax or Polymer to protect.......I hope I don't regret it!

[jjackkrash]

I started using Babe's boat products this year and have been pleased so far.  I have used Boat Bubbles, Boat Bright, Spot Remover, Seat Soap and Seat Saver, and so far so good.    

[jrvs23]

9 hours ago, Gavin17 said:

If the boat is dirty do u put the spray on a dirty bost and wipe off or do you use water or something first?

I really only day boat in clean lakes. There might be some weeds on the hull, but no scum or brown water stains. So when I pull off the ramp I spray one side, wipe down, then do the other side. I keep separate wipe down towels in the back of the vehicle so I don't get wax all over our swimming towels. I also wash them separately otherwise everything smells like wax. If it has been in the water for a week on vacation I would wash it all down and use the collinite then.

Be careful not to use the spray too often. I found it can be a little dangerous. I will sometimes jump in off the bow when swimming if it's crowded off the back. It can be super slippery even if your dry and the boat is dry. I cut back and spray wax when I have a lot of spots or every other time out.

[KentC]

Another vote for Hot Sauce and Vinyl Sauce.  I use it every time the boat comes out of the water.  I keep a spray bottle of each in the boat and then buy the one gallon jugs to refill.  Way cheaper that way!

[semi]

303 is probably one of the best vinyl protectants. i use collinite for wax. AGain, great stuff that lasts forever. 

[MaliWop]

303 Aerospace on the vinyl as needed
2 Coats of Collonite Wax per Year
Prep the hull with Collonite Fiberglass Hull Cleaner before each wax
Wipe down with a damp microfiber cloth (and usually a spray wax) after each day of use.

This recipe has worked great for us. We have a 2 and a 4 year old who are always on the boat with us. You never know what kind of mess they'll make. The 303 makes it so that a quick wipedown of the interior makes it look new again. Doesn't seem to matter what gets spilled on it. Realistically, one coat of Collonite would last fine for an entire season up here. Last year I pulled our MXZ out of the water mid-season and waxed it. I couldn't even notice a difference as the other coat hadn't worn off. The collonite is easy to use as well. I find it a lot nicer to work with than typical Paste Wax.

One more thing..... anytime your boat is left in the water for any amount of time, wipe down the hull as soon as you pull it out of the water. This easily gets rid of any scum or water lines rather than having to scrub away at it for hours the next day. Our lake is pretty clean so these results will for sure vary depending on your lake/mineral content, etc.
 

[Bmckevs]

Question? I bought Boat Bling hot sauce and it smells just like straight vinegar. Does it honestly work any better than using just vinegar? I have used vinegar for hard water and it worked great however, I do not want to pay the price of the Hot Sauce if it is mainly vinegar.

[jbower]

11 minutes ago, Bmckevs said:

Question? I bought Boat Bling hot sauce and it smells just like straight vinegar. Does it honestly work any better than using just vinegar? I have used vinegar for hard water and it worked great however, I do not want to pay the price of the Hot Sauce if it is mainly vinegar.

This is interesting because doesn't vinegar remove wax along with waterspots? I bought a bottle of the boat bling quickie sauce and love that stuff

[oldjeep]

16 minutes ago, Bmckevs said:

Question? I bought Boat Bling hot sauce and it smells just like straight vinegar. Does it honestly work any better than using just vinegar? I have used vinegar for hard water and it worked great however, I do not want to pay the price of the Hot Sauce if it is mainly vinegar.

You get the added benefit of staining your rags with food coloring.  Most of the anti-spot wipedown cleaners are just vinegar and water.  I use Eagle One Wax as you dry for wipedowns - takes care of spots and doesn't remove the wax - it contains wax.

The stuff I tried out was Babes spot solver - smells like straight vinegar and stains your rags purple.

Edited May 26, 2017 by oldjeep

[Bmckevs]

Just now, oldjeep said:

You get the added benefit of staining your rags with food coloring.  Most of the anti-spot wipedown cleaners are just vinegar and water.  I use Eagle One Wax as you dry for wipedowns - takes care of spots and doesn't remove the wax - it contains wax.

The stuff I tried out was Babes spot solver - smells like straight vinegar and stains your rags purple.

This is good info thanks. I used to always wax the boat after a weekend of use. This year I am going to use the menzerna polymer sealant on the new boat and try to keep from waxing so much. I will try the quick detailer for the daily wipe downs.