boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

Got a long neglected white, fiberglass boat hull I want to get looking nice.
I don't have the physical stamina and endurance to do much in the way of
physical labor. But, I do have a good electric buffer and lots of chamois
pads.

Is there any kind of gunk I can put on a buffer pad and let the buffer get
it cleaned up?

There are several good polishes that will finish the job that I can dry
buff, once I rub them on.

But, I need something to substitute for main strength and awkwardness in
getting the hull clean to the point I can then polish/wax it.

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

Suggestion ... if you try buffing using rubbing compound with a "light
weight" buffer, you will burn it out. You will require a heavier duty 2-spd
buffer ... which can get pretty heavy after the first 10-12 hours :-) The
light weight buffer may be ok for the yearly waxing and polishing.

Another suggestion, try doing maybe a small spot say on the stern using #800
wet paper with a trickle of water from the garden hose for rinse. I think
you will find not much work is required to quickly get rid of the chalky
surface and bring up a nice shine. You may find the work's not too hard ...
mainly takes time ... but we're all different. If you use the #800, you may
get away with going from that directly to applying the 3M wax/rubbing
compound combo product.

But man, that starting with even a coarse rubbing compound is gonna be a
lotta work. Just ask my son ... I paid him a coupla hundred to get my new to
me old beater (18' I/O) looking good. If it's any consolation, the neighbor
across the way said he just could not believe how nice the shine came up ...
looks like new he said ... unbelievable he said.

So ... for a really chalky boat, from experience I suggest #800 wet for
most, if not all the hull/deck, then optionally the 2-spd buffer with
compound, and lastly the polisher or 2-spd buffer with the 3M wax/rubbing
compound product.

Oh yeah, if there is pinstriping/decals suggest you peel those off ... and
remove all the rails/fittings before starting.

And that's why I was quoted between $800-$1200 to have mine done.



RB wrote in message
. ..
Got a long neglected white, fiberglass boat hull I want to get looking
nice.
I don't have the physical stamina and endurance to do much in the way of
physical labor. But, I do have a good electric buffer and lots of chamois
pads.

Is there any kind of gunk I can put on a buffer pad and let the buffer get
it cleaned up?

There are several good polishes that will finish the job that I can dry
buff, once I rub them on.

But, I need something to substitute for main strength and awkwardness in
getting the hull clean to the point I can then polish/wax it.

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

And good luck getting that poliglow stuff off in a year...It looked
great for about 9 months and then it started looking dirty where diesel
soot worked it's way into it... I went through 3 bottles of remover and
I finally had to work it off with compound.

wrote:
On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 15:17:17 -0500, "RB" wrote:


Got a long neglected white, fiberglass boat hull I want to get looking nice.
I don't have the physical stamina and endurance to do much in the way of
physical labor. But, I do have a good electric buffer and lots of chamois
pads.

Is there any kind of gunk I can put on a buffer pad and let the buffer get
it cleaned up?

There are several good polishes that will finish the job that I can dry
buff, once I rub them on.

But, I need something to substitute for main strength and awkwardness in
getting the hull clean to the point I can then polish/wax it.



Buff it out with a medium compound to get rid of the really dead stuff. Then use
poli-prep followed by 6 or 7 wipe-on coats of Poli-Glow. This goes pretty fast,
as by the time you get around the boat, you can start the next coat. No buffing!
After that, your yearly maintenance will consist of washing the boat before
launch and wiping on two more coats of Poli-Glow. Your boat will be like a
mirror all season with no additional work.

BB
No connection to Poli-Glow other than as a very happy customer.

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
wrote:

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:35:27 -0400, Harry Krause

wrote:


wrote:


On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:43:51 -0400, Ed wrote:



And good luck getting that poliglow stuff off in a year...It looked
great for about 9 months and then it started looking dirty where
diesel
soot worked it's way into it... I went through 3 bottles of remover
and
I finally had to work it off with compound.



???

Mine has been on for 6 years and it doesn't look like I'll be needing
to remove
it anytime soon. A friend had to remove and redo his after some
extensive hull
repairs, and it was very easy to do. Poli-prep softened it right up,
and we took
it off with scotchbrite pads. No harder than dewaxing a boat.

BB




Bill...what about UV....does PoliGlow block UV? If not, doesn't the gel
coat underneath the Poliglow simply get duller?


Poli-glow has UV protection. After 6 years of poli-glow my boat finish
looks
better than it ever did using wax. It now has more shine at the end of
the
boating season than it used to have at the beginning. My boat always
looks like
it is wet.

BB


Thanks...I'm thinking of giving it a try.

Before you $pend the bucks -- suggest you compare the ingredients to some of
the floor treatments avaiable. I heard someplace that it's comperable to
Mop and Glow floor wax (which isn't wax)

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 10:56:50 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Jim wrote:

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

wrote:


On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:35:27 -0400, Harry Krause



wrote:



wrote:



On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:43:51 -0400, Ed wrote:




And good luck getting that poliglow stuff off in a year...It looked
great for about 9 months and then it started looking dirty where

diesel

soot worked it's way into it... I went through 3 bottles of remover

and

I finally had to work it off with compound.



???

Mine has been on for 6 years and it doesn't look like I'll be
needing

to remove

it anytime soon. A friend had to remove and redo his after some

extensive hull

repairs, and it was very easy to do. Poli-prep softened it right up,

and we took

it off with scotchbrite pads. No harder than dewaxing a boat.

BB




Bill...what about UV....does PoliGlow block UV? If not, doesn't the
gel
coat underneath the Poliglow simply get duller?


Poli-glow has UV protection. After 6 years of poli-glow my boat finish

looks

better than it ever did using wax. It now has more shine at the end of

the

boating season than it used to have at the beginning. My boat always

looks like

it is wet.

BB


Thanks...I'm thinking of giving it a try.


Before you $pend the bucks -- suggest you compare the ingredients to
some of
the floor treatments avaiable. I heard someplace that it's comperable
to
Mop and Glow floor wax (which isn't wax)



I'm not sure I'm getting your point here, Jim. If the boat stays shiny
and looks almost new year after year, and doesn't chalk up because ofUV
damage, what difference does it make whether poliglow is wax...or
something else?


If it's the same stuff as Mon and glow, and costs a lot less, why go for
the high price stuff?



--
Jim

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

Jim wrote:

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

wrote:


On Mon, 12 Apr 2004 09:35:27 -0400, Harry Krause



wrote:



wrote:



On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 23:43:51 -0400, Ed wrote:




And good luck getting that poliglow stuff off in a year...It looked
great for about 9 months and then it started looking dirty where

diesel

soot worked it's way into it... I went through 3 bottles of remover

and

I finally had to work it off with compound.



???

Mine has been on for 6 years and it doesn't look like I'll be needing

to remove

it anytime soon. A friend had to remove and redo his after some

extensive hull

repairs, and it was very easy to do. Poli-prep softened it right up,

and we took

it off with scotchbrite pads. No harder than dewaxing a boat.

BB




Bill...what about UV....does PoliGlow block UV? If not, doesn't the gel
coat underneath the Poliglow simply get duller?


Poli-glow has UV protection. After 6 years of poli-glow my boat finish

looks

better than it ever did using wax. It now has more shine at the end of

the

boating season than it used to have at the beginning. My boat always

looks like

it is wet.

BB


Thanks...I'm thinking of giving it a try.


Before you $pend the bucks -- suggest you compare the ingredients to some of
the floor treatments avaiable. I heard someplace that it's comperable to
Mop and Glow floor wax (which isn't wax)



I'm not sure I'm getting your point here, Jim. If the boat stays shiny
and looks almost new year after year, and doesn't chalk up because ofUV
damage, what difference does it make whether poliglow is wax...or
something else?

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

"Bowgus" wrote in message
e.rogers.com...
So ... for a really chalky boat, from experience I suggest #800 wet for
most, if not all the hull/deck, then optionally the 2-spd buffer with
compound, and lastly the polisher or 2-spd buffer with the 3M wax/rubbing
compound product.

You can get even finer grit wet/dry paper from automotive supply stores and
it works great and minimizes the rubbing/cutting compound work. (I used
#1000, medium rubbing compound, and wax - all by hand and the gelcoat is, as
you say, 'like new'.

Larry

boat hull cleaning and polishing
 

"RB" wrote in message
. ..

Is there any kind of gunk I can put on a buffer pad and let the buffer get
it cleaned up?


The basics of buffing is to use a "rubbing compound". This is essentially
an abrasive in paste format. Sort of like using a very, very fine
sandpaper. Smear some on the buffing pad and go to work. If the fiberglass
is heavily oxidized you may want to start with a "course" or "heavy duty"
rubbing compound to start with and then go over it again with a finer grit.

I find that holding the buffer is work enough, especially when you aren't
accustomed to it.

Rod McInnis