Polished lower
 

I am curious if it requires alot of up-keep to keep a lower polished. How many times out before you have to polish again? Fresh water use.

Thanks,
Rick

Rick...JROMY has the speedmasters and they stay pretty clean without much maintenance in salt water. They don't come with a polished surface however.

Steve,
I am curious about the polished version. Ours are not and they stay fair, they anodize and turn that gray color. Polished would look much better but I fear that it may require weekly work to keep them looking that way.

Paint it silver maybe??

Have you tried to spray clear coat over the polished area? We've had good luck with that on the Navy security boats, but that's not on the outdrives, but on all aluminum, & brass items, seems to hold up real well. Just a thought :D

i am clearing mine this year and giving it a try........The only thing that sucks is when you use all that compound you have to clean the surface very well before clearing.....It sort of dulls the finish when ya wipe the polish off....

Not worth it!!!


....speaking from experience!!:drink: :evilb: :drink: :evilb:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...=polish+lowers

Try using Final Wash prior to clearing, there shouldn't be any change in the appearance, & it cleans real good. You can get it at any place they sell automotive paint supplies.

I have a ploished lower on my Imco. It is a Royal Pain in the ass to keep it clean. I boat in Salt Water and if I use the boat all weekend it usuaully takes me and hour to clean it by hand. If you use a wheel it is much easier. Get a good meaty pad and go to town with it. Then remove with a clean pad. It comes out awsome that way. I like to use mothers metal polish...

ton of work, slows the boat down, and lasts a very short time. clear wont hold up on a speedmaster.

I have my #5's polished on my Scarab. Looks cool I'm in fresh water. Don't waste your time with standard polish get some black or green jewlers rouge & a 6k-10k rpm grinder with a hard polishing pad & they'll look awesome. The first time will take a little while but after will be pretty easy. This polish job is about 4 months old.

pics

I agree.

Hawkeye marine in IA chromed a set on a 33' Baja. I have no clue as to how that holds up.

Rick, don't polish em. Just spray them with wd-40, and hit em with a small hand orbital polisher with a 600 grit paper. You want the finished look to seem as if it has the small round circles in it. Unless you like the polished look. No one will see them while you're running, and the water goes over a sanded drive easier than a polished one. Whether or not you believe that, it's a fact. Just like a lab finished prop. They used to polish them years ago, until they found out that the rougher sanded blades will run faster.

Frank

Thanks everyone for the posts.
Frank, I know what you are talking about for the rough finish and speed. However, I thought that was only needed when you were in the triple digit club. I didn't think our speeds qualified for that concern.

After everyone's post I was going to abandon this idea until I saw post #11, sweet. What to do....

What about using some of that "AlumiBrite". I know that isn't a polished finish but it would brighten it up, right?

Thanks here's another pic a little out of focus but I took this in 6-06 & the first one was 5-03. All I've done is used some mothers or never-dull. Again this is fresh water only & they where done with rouge & a company that polishs semi trucks. I agree you can't see it in the water but I've had people follow me to the launch & ask what kind of drives they are. They look cool on the trailer & that's where my boats spend most of there life.

It is all about looking good! Even if it isn't seen on a regular basis, I know it looks good & that is all that matters.

Before my sportmaster was painted, this is what I did although I used WD-40 in combination with a green scotchbrite pad. Doesn't take a lot of work and gives it a real nice look.