Gel Coat Polishing/Waxing ?

[Mike Burke]

Hello,
My dad wants me to polish and or wax his boat. Its not in real bad shape, a little oxidation and dull looking. Just needs a little shinning up and protection.
I have a Flex 3401 and all kinds of orange and white pads.

Wondering what to use for a polish and wax or aio...

Thanks

Here are some photos of it......

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[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

For "Show Boat" results get our new Captain's One-Step Compound & Polish.

See this write-up to see the product in action....


Pictures: 1960 Glastron - Wetsand, Cut & Buff at Marine31Online.com

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

If you want to do it in one-step, then get our Marine 31 All-in-One Gel Coat Polish & Wax.

See this product in action here,


Pictures: 16' Key Largo Center Console Boat Detailing Class with Marine 31



:xyxthumbs:

 

[GenesisCoupe]

^^ That is what i use as well

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Also just to note...


Unlike car paint, (all types), gel-coat doesn't really like soft foam pads for polishing work. Soft foam pads are good for applying a finishing or NON-cleaning wax after all the grunt work is done or if your boat is brand spanking new, but not for any abrading steps.


Instead, since you have the Flex 3401, get the Lake Country BLUE Hybrid Foam Cutting Pads and use this for the polishing step or to apply a one-step cleaner/wax.

Like we did here....

We did use soft foam with the Flex to apply the wax.....

And we created true show boat results....

 

[beamerstrumpet]

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/boat-rv-detailing/85561-marine-gel-coat-tips.html

this is a great thread in here

 

[primo spaghetti]

gelcoat almost really calls for wool pads and a rotary polisher. especially when it is chalky. that is the gel oxidation.

i always use aquabuff 1000 and 2000 with a wool pad on my makita for gelcoat.

with the 3401, another pad alternative to Mike's suggestion is the tufbuf wool pads. they work great on the 3401, but again, you might need a bit more teeth than the 3401.

 

[captain detail]

Detailing the renegade,before n after ,I am the cream of the cram

 

[KKYS]

I'll guarantee that according to your pictures,

You are going to need a compound or sanding..........

You'll just be wasting your time with a polish for the initial cut.

 

[captain detail]

I'll guarantee that according to your pictures,

You are going to need a compound or sanding..........

You'll just be wasting your time with a polish for the initial cut.

I did rubbing compound

 

[KKYS]

I did rubbing compound

Sorry , I was referring to the original poster....

 

[captain detail]

Sorry , I was referring to the original poster....

Ohh ,i like your knowledge yoda

 

[Mike Burke]

Well thought I would post an update on my project. I used :

Marine 31 All-in-One Gel Coat Polish & Wax
Flex 3401 and Lake Country Blue Hybrid pads.
10 hrs polishing and cleaning

Seamed to me that the AIO was more of a Chemical cleaner that an abrasive cleaner. I had to do some hand work with the blue pad and it cleaned and shinned almost as well as it did with the flex. I even used it on the chrome parts and it shined them up well also.

It did shine up real good..maybe not as much as I thought it would but for an AIO it worked just fine. The customer was pleased also....