1997 Nitro Bass Boat with oxidation

[discoverypro]

Hello,

I am new to the forums and this is my very first post. I have come here because i want to hear from the pros. I did a lot of reading prior to becoming a member yesterday and I have found a couple product that i ordered from here.

First off let me just say I have a 1997 Nitro Bass Boat( this baby is mine--just bought it like 3 weeks ago) and I didnt really notice the fading and oxidation that is really on the boat. So I began reading on these forums as to how to take off the oxidation and I came across a couple threads that were just all about DURAGLOSS 501 followed up with Collinite--845. I ended up buying both products and wanted to redo my boat. I just want the boat to look somewhat New and taken care of--price is no expense..

Questions i have are simple and to the point with Experts in mind. Keep in mind the oxidation(and it is only moderately oxidized) is only around the top side of the boat but I will do what i can of the boat as it sits on the trailer.

1. What type or brand of Rotary buffer would you suggest? Understanding that only high speed buffer will do the trick of taking out the oxidation.

2. Did I buy the right products for the Job?

3. What are your Expert thoughts of what I have chosen to do with what i have purchased?

4. I hope you guys can help a newbie out--please give me your expert cleaning advice

Thank you guys !!!!

I appreciate any help i can get here...

 

[Jimmie]

#1=not necessarily true. My neighbor used a PC7424 (orbital style buffer) on his boats oxidation and eventually got all the cloudiness. It took about 5-6 passes though. Much faster with a rotary.
#2= I'm a fan of DG501 topped with Collinite. Got it on my motorhome. #3=However I think that your going to need an abrasive polish to get the cloudiness out of that gel coat. DG501 is a chemical cleaner (AIO).
#4=Give what you got a try. You never know. Just a normal wash, dry, and go after it with the DG501 (low speeds work better for me with DG501).

:welcome: see it's your first post. You should get more ideas. These guys are great.

 

[discoverypro]

#3=However I think that your going to need an abrasive polish to get the cloudiness out of that gel coat. DG501 is a chemical cleaner (AIO).

Oh i thought i was reading the DG501 was NOT an AIO. Thats Why i bought it thinking it would do the trick.

Maybe in like 2 passes instead of 4-5 with a PC. If you think of an abrasive polish for Fiberglass boats what would you use???

I assume you would then use the abrasive polish first, the use the DG501 and then follow up lastly with collinte 845.

Thanks guys

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

First off let me just say I have a 1997 Nitro Bass Boat( this baby is mine--just bought it like 3 weeks ago) and I didnt really notice the fading and oxidation that is really on the boat.

So I began reading on these forums as to how to take off the oxidation and I came across a couple threads that were just all about DURAGLOSS 501 followed up with Collinite--845. I ended up buying both products and wanted to redo my boat. I just want the boat to look somewhat New and taken care of--price is no expense..

Does it look like one of these?

 

[Jimmie]

Oh i thought i was reading the DG501 was NOT an AIO. Thats Why i bought it thinking it would do the trick.

Maybe in like 2 passes instead of 4-5 with a PC. If you think of an abrasive polish for Fiberglass boats what would you use???

I assume you would then use the abrasive polish first, the use the DG501 and then follow up lastly with collinte 845.

Thanks guys

The AIO statement, you're probably correct. DG501 is a marine/rv sealant with some heavy cleaning ability.
Abrasive polish? my go to polishes are still Optimum so I'd try those first. Then if need be I'd try to Menzerna SIP/106f (for harder clear coats). Many are having good success with the Meguiars 105, but I haven't tried it yet.
You are absolutely correct in your sequence of product use.

PS: Mike, those pics look identical to my neighbors "Skeeter".

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

PS: Mike, those pics look identical to my neighbors "Skeeter".

I just did a quick Google search as it helps to see what a person is working on sometimes.

Boats like these don't have a lot of horizontal surface area where is where the sun beats down and fades the paint and where water dwells both of which promote oxidation.

Most of the surface area on the boats pictures above are vertical panels, so my guess is the worst part of the OP's oxidation is on the smaller horizontal panels which means the sides should buff-out pretty easily but the horizontal surfaces might not, hard to say without being there in person.

If the finish has metallic flake in it, or mylar flake, then if you buff to much of the surface off you'll get into the flake and create a surface that has a texture and if you do this there's no practical or affordable remedy.

Meguiar's makes a pretty complete like of Marine products that work really great for removing oxidation of gel-coat finishes which are for the most part polyester resins.

That said, if the problem is just surface oxidation then just about any abrasive compound will chew off the dead resin and expose a fresh base which can then be polished and sealed with a wax or sealant. Note that after all the correction work and sealing work are done if the boat is kept outdoors you will have to continually maintain it or it will just revert back to a dull oxidized appearance. In a perfect world, you'll be able to store the boat under some kind of cover.


Any chance a pictures can be taken to show the works spots on the boat?

If if you can get some digital pictures and e-mail them to me I'll upload them into your gallery for you and place them in this thread.

[email protected]

 

[discoverypro]

I just did a quick Google search as it helps to see what a person is working on sometimes.

Boats like these don't have a lot of horizontal surface area where is where the sun beats down and fades the paint and where water dwells both of which promote oxidation.

Most of the surface area on the boats pictures above are vertical panels, so my guess is the worst part of the OP's oxidation is on the smaller horizontal panels which means the sides should buff-out pretty easily but the horizontal surfaces might not, hard to say without being there in person.

If the finish has metallic flake in it, or mylar flake, then if you buff to much of the surface off you'll get into the flake and create a surface that has a texture and if you do this there's no practical or affordable remedy.

Meguiar's makes a pretty complete like of Marine products that work really great for removing oxidation of gel-coat finishes which are for the most part polyester resins.

That said, if the problem is just surface oxidation then just about any abrasive compound will chew off the dead resin and expose a fresh base which can then be polished and sealed with a wax or sealant. Note that after all the correction work and sealing work are done if the boat is kept outdoors you will have to continually maintain it or it will just revert back to a dull oxidized appearance. In a perfect world, you'll be able to store the boat under some kind of cover.


Any chance a pictures can be taken to show the works spots on the boat?

If if you can get some digital pictures and e-mail them to me I'll upload them into your gallery for you and place them in this thread.

[email protected]

thanks guys for helping me out--here are some of the bad spots on the boat and yes your correct in stating that much of this oxidation is in the vertical plane of the boat and not on the sides. It really is a nice looking boat for a 1997 with hardly any care to it--but she is mine now and i want her to look AWESOME --thats why i came here. If i take a wet finger and rub through the oxidation it pretty much goes away so therefore i know it is probably only mile to moderatley oxidized.

Here are some pics so maybe you can help me

Like i said is only looks really minor and that i think i can get this off in one or two passes with DG501 and follow it up with Collinite 845. Just need to rent a high speed buffer and hopefully i can get this done in a day or so.

Also --can someone answer me this question....I was told to NEVER EVER--forever Never ever WAX THE BOTTOM of a boat. Because the boat actually grips the water and that if it is waxed it wont have the bite???? Dont know If i truely buy into that theory but thats what a local dealership here in Abilene, Tx told me. This might just be a myth for all i know but he said you can wax everything BUT THE BOTTOM.

Most of this mild oxidation is around the Transom and on the horizontal parts of the boat.

I thank you guys again for you help with this

 

[discoverypro]

Here is a picture of the entire boat

oh and BTW--when it gets finished I am having a custom Cover made for the boat as i really dont want this baby to sit in the sun all the time. And in West Texas the Sun can be Brutal on any car,truck, rv or Marine type vehicle. So a cover will be the best for this and will also save my interior as well

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

This picture here looks like a spot with missing clear coat?

Is the edge around this area rough? Can you feel it with your finger?

What does the blue metallic paint in this spot look like? Is it just as glossy or kind of flat? In the picture it looks like it's clear and glossy like the surrounding paint.


If you take ANY kind of paint cleaner or polish and rub on the finish surround this spot to you see blue pigment on your cloth? Or just the color of the polish?

Repeat this to the spot, if you rub on the spot do you get blue pigment on your cloth?

The rest of the finish looks pretty decent and you're right a light paint cleaner, cleaner/polish or light cutting polish or even a quality cleaner/wax should restore it pretty easily and then top it off with a sealant of your choice.


Also, don't get a rotary buffer/high speed buffer to buff this out, it will likely leave swirls and take more paint off than necessary, especially don't do this if you're not a seasoned expert with this type of tool. That goes double if you're seeing blue pigment coming off the spot in the picture above.

Invest in a dual action polisher or do your work by hand.

 

[discoverypro]

This picture here looks like a spot with missing clear coat?

Is the edge around this area rough? Can you feel it with your finger?

What does the blue metallic paint in this spot look like? Is it just as glossy or kind of flat? In the picture it looks like it's clear and glossy like the surrounding paint.

thanks Mike, Yes that spot you see is the worst spot on the boat and its in the transom of the boat. The area is glossy underneath and should buff out. It kind of flakes in the area and i just dont have my products yet to start. But i will watch out for Blue coming off on the pad.

I assume then the products i have chosen to work with should work then right? I could possibly use the DG 501 with a dual action polisher and then finish it with Collinite 845 and it should be good to go. How will i know though if i need to make more than 1-2 passes with the DG501?

Do I need to use a cutting wool pad with a DA polisher? and then follow up with a white pad-orange pad or blue pad? The Actual process and pad choice i get confused on.

Are there any Videos on how this process works? I would love to watch a video on how to remove oxidation or just a simple video on what each of the pads do.

just let me know

Thank you again

 

[discoverypro]

TTT--you might have missed my last post.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

thanks Mike, Yes that spot you see is the worst spot on the boat and its in the transom of the boat. The area is glossy underneath and should buff out. It kind of flakes in the area and i just don't have my products yet to start. But i will watch out for Blue coming off on the pad.

That area will likely get worse and grow with time. It looks like the clear layer is delaminating from the colored, metallic layer. I know some people clean the area as best as they can, maybe sand off the whitish flaky portions and then seal with clear touch-up paint or even clear fingernail polish to seal the lip or edge so water can't get between the two layers and cause it to get worse.

Not a recommendation, just a comment.

I assume then the products i have chosen to work with should work then right? I could possibly use the DG 501 with a dual action polisher and then finish it with Collinite 845 and it should be good to go. How will i know though if i need to make more than 1-2 passes with the DG501?

Do a Test Spot, that is test out the two products to one small area, probably the worst area and after applying and working both products wipe off and inspect the results.

The DG501 is a cleaner/wax by it's description but not a real aggressive cleaner/wax but as long as the oxidation is mild it should work just fine.

Duragloss Marine & RV Polish #501 safely removes oxidation, gas and oil film, tar and road film without harming the paint finish or gel-coat. As an added benefit, Marine & RV Polish #501 reduces algae and mildew growth. Once applied, it forms a durable, protective shield that bonds to the surface that lasts wash after wash!

To increase the cut of the DG501 use a more aggressive pad, like a foam cutting pad, to decrease the cut use a polishing foam pad.


Also, after you use this product your boat's finish will be protected in case you don't get to the Collinite 845 right away, an added benefit to using a cleaner/wax for the cleaning step.

Do I need to use a cutting wool pad with a DA polisher? and then follow up with a white pad-orange pad or blue pad? The Actual process and pad choice i get confused on.

Keep it simple, if you don't already have your pads maybe get a couple of the orange foam cutting pads and the white foam polishing pads. If you follow this philosophy,

"Use the least aggressive product to get the job done"

Then you would test the DG501 with a foam polishing pad on the 5.0 to 6.0 speed setting and see if this is getting the job done, if not then try the orange cutting pad.

Once you dial in a pad to product combo that's give you the results you want then duplicate this over the entire hull. I would test in the worst areas maybe a horizontal test and a vertical test section. Wool pads are not usually used with DA Polishers because you can usually get the done with a foam cutting pad.

Are there any Videos on how this process works? I would love to watch a video on how to remove oxidation or just a simple video on what each of the pads do.

just let me know

Thank you again

There's a couple of videos that show how to use the PC here, (scroll down a ways)

Porter Cable 7424 XP Dual Action Polisher - dual action orbital car polisher, car care kits, buffer kits, PC 7424,7424XP, 7424 XP, porter cable


If we could get an oxidized boat down here like yours or just about anything in similar condition we could make a video.

My boat will be here from California on Monday but the oxidation it has is requiring rocks-in-a-bottle type product with a wool pad on a rotary buffer so your product choices and a DA with foam pads wouldn't even begin to remove the oxidation.

If the DG501 isn't aggressive enough with a foam cutting pad then you might want to look at a dedicated paint cleaner that's safe for clear coat paints.

 

[discoverypro]

Thanks for all your support and help with this project. Mucho appreciated. You also have PM--just had a small Question.

Thanks again

 

[discoverypro]

Ok thanks again go to Mike from the forums. Excellent guy to talk to and get expertise advice.

Thank you and have a wonderful day

 

[Peabo]

Also --can someone answer me this question....I was told to NEVER EVER--forever Never ever WAX THE BOTTOM of a boat. Because the boat actually grips the water and that if it is waxed it wont have the bite???? Dont know If i truely buy into that theory but thats what a local dealership here in Abilene, Tx told me. This might just be a myth for all i know but he said you can wax everything BUT THE BOTTOM.

I've allways waxed the bottom of my boats / jet ski's. can't really tell a difference in the boat but on the jetski I allways perferred a waxed bottom because of thee ability to slide across the water with a sharp turn where as with an unwaxed bottom if you turn fast it grips and usually results in me in the water off the jetski. so I would say an unwaxed bottom does make for more grip but that isn't allways a good thing. IMHO. in my 24' run-about the boat was badly oxadized and not taken care of. I went at it by hand with 3M super-duty compound and then followed up on the rotary with 3M Finesse it on both the sides and bottom of the boat. and then followed up with several coats of liquid glass and zymol cleaner wax (I've since found better products but this was during my pre-Auto Geek days)

The advantage of waxing the bottom of my boat is protection. I boat on the mississippi which stays pretty muddy because of barge traffic. I'm a weekend warrior and the most time my boat spends in the water off the trailer is a couple days at a time and I see boats all the time with staind bottoms either because they leave their boat in the water weeks/months/perminately or because they don't properly protect/wash their boat between uses. I've never experienced any ill effects from waxing the bottom but could see in a lighter boat such as a bass boat would experience different results.

I've never detailed a bass boat I've done mostly speed boats and have allways waxed the bottom but I think this is interesting topic and will research it more incase I ever do detail a lighter boat like yours.

Another thought on different bottom surfices. My father used to race flat bottom drag boats and he said some people chose to actually sand the bottom of their boat the thought being the rougher surface would trap air bubbles and creating less friction because less surface is touching the water and more surface is t ouching "air" and thus making the boat faster

I am not an expert on the subject but just shedding light on some of my personal experiences on pros and cons of waxing the bottom of a water craft.

 

[discoverypro]

HELP--

I finally got in all my products and a new PC 7424 with 6 new pads all from yellow to red. I have tried all products(in taking the advice of Mike here go with the least application to get the job done and it if doesnt work then move up in product). I have used Duragloss 501, Meguiars mirror glaze #4 which has a #8 rating of cutting. Still the oxidation is there--i guess it is worse than expected. I assume next I just need to go straight to wet sanding it down first???? i dont know--NEED HELP !!!!!


Oxidation not coming Off....any help would be appreciated and no I dont have any more money to throw at a rotary wheel right now. so if you have some advice on what i can do with wet sanding or with my new PC i would appreciate any and all advice.

Thanks guys

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Is the "Oxidation" you're talking about on the top/horizontal surface?

Or the sides of the boat?

 

[discoverypro]

Mainly on the top horizontal surfaces --the sides were easy to get out with a PC--been working on small sections of the sides and they are no problem with the Meguiars.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Okay, if we take this problem,

Still the oxidation is there-- Oxidation not coming Off....

With this factor,

Mainly on the top horizontal surfaces

And this picture,

It could be it's not oxidation but clear coat failure.

The above pictures shows the top surface to have a clear layer of paint over the metallic finish. If the clear paint or coating used on this boat is anything close to the chemical make-up of the type of clear paint used on cars then the problem isn't oxidation but clear coat failure.

Oxidation happens to single stage paints and non-clearcoated gel-coats. Here the word gel-coat means a pigmented polyester resin.

When a clearcoat fails or deteriorates, it's usually a problem throughout the entire layer of the clear coating, not on just the surface. Thus compounding and compounding the surface will just expose more and more deteriorated clear paint.

If the problem is topical, the it would be easy to fix. IF the problem is throughout the entire thickness of the layer or matrix, then it can't be fixed.

Make sense?

Sanding would do the same thing as compounding, it would just expose more deteriorated paint.

What I would do is place a piece of painter's tape across a section and then just work on one side of the tape with something aggressive, M04 isn't for use with DA Polishers but if that's the most aggressive product you have and you've already been using it then maybe try this product to on one side.

After buffing the one side for about a minute, apply a pure polish or a cleaner/polish to try to restore some clarity and then a coat of wax and then compare the two sides. With each step you do the side you're working on should get better and better looking. If you seen no improvement with any of the steps then that's kind of a sign the problem isn't topical.

Can you contact the boat manufacture and find out what the top layer is?

Or join a forum specific to your boat make and model and ask on that forum if anyone knows what the top coating is?

That would be the way to get to the bottom of this problems. Find out what you're working on.

 

[discoverypro]

Mike,

Here is the same area of the boat where you have pictured above. it did come out somewhat and the other pictures actually show more of an up and close oxidation problem. I really dont think it is a clear coat failure here.

disregard the red in the picture as this is the due to the sun. It came out pretty good --but take a close look at these next set of pictures.

to me this is oxidation.

I can get some of it out but it would take me a week or more to get it all out.