Polish/Wax
 

Fellow boaters

I wanting to know what is the best wax you use to keep your boat looking like new if operated in salt water. My boat has a clear-coated finish over the paint, if this help. Trying to establish and maintain my boats shine.

V/R

Mike P.

I have a red and black hull clear coat over paint and always in salt water, I use a regular car wash to clean it 3m light compound to remove scratches and the occasional fender scuffs and I used a polish to bring out the color followed by 3m boat wax to protect it. When it is done it looks great and it is 6 yrs old now. I also use a porter cable buffer and recommended pads for both the wax and compound.

I just got done detailing my used boat and it had some issues. I just used the normal car products I had on hand and I also detail my vehicles and order all of my stuff online from places that sell pro stuff. I also use a porter cable buffer with some good quality pads.
Went from this
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/p...psvxzcc6ei.jpg
to this
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps3ozwoppa.jpg
I used these products plus 3M compound for the first passes plus some adams butter wax for a final shine.
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/p...psbvnfa6ui.jpg
Any good quality products will do.
http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/p...psveqrj9by.jpg

I have been using Collinite Insulator wax,

Easy on...easy off.

Ken

Collinite Fleet Wax.....Been using it for years.

3M compound and then polish, followed by below.

Just started using this as well and I must say so far, so good.

I also wash the boat with Marine31 Gel Coat Wash & Wax with Carnauba, and before I dry it I apply Griot's Garage Spray On Wax. Seems to be keeping the shine and protection up on the lift.

Guys
Thanks for all your inputs, this will help maintain my boat to showroom condiction.

Mike P.

Fleet Wax is great for lake boats too. The brown stain just wipes right off with a damp towel.

Any wax will melt off with the suns rays faster than a sealer/protectant. Collonite was the best I used until I found Mirage by Prism polish ( Prism is their metal polish, which I started using 1st on my exhaust through transom pipes and highly recommend as well). Mirage is not a wax but a polymer. The owner demonstrated the heat lamp with Collonite and Mirage and after 1/2 hour the Mirage was still like teflon and deep shine and the wax was pretty much melted off. I only need to apply once a year to the boat, including black on the deck, and it lasts , shines and repels. I use it on my cars and motorcycles as well.
There are also other sealant/protectant products out there that probably do as well but I am not familiar with them.

Vitreo by fountain of youth. Super easy on and off, even in the sun. Wicked deep shine.

Can vitreo still be gotten ? I'm just about all out :-(

Bought it for the boat, now I use it on everything.

http://www.fountainofyouthrestore.co..._-_Vitreo.html

Click "purchase" and log into PayPal. I'm ordering a couple quarts for me and some pints for stocking stuffers because the shipping ain't cheap, might as well make it count.

We started just toweling our clear coated deck because we have to walk on the bow. For me, the last bit of perfectly buffed bow shine isn't worth the risk of falling.

Thanks. I thought they went out of business. Or were feuding with other partners. Or something. I love that vitreo

That ain't no joke. Dam head hits the boat . Body not far behind. Lol. Talk about embarrassing chit rite there :-))))

Man where do I start with this thread? Lol...

Carnuba is no good for boats, synthetic waxes will be the only wax that holds up long term. We make many cool products. We are not just a single line that we hope someone likes. For example- we make 20 different dressings about 10 waxes and 5-10 all purpose cleaners. We have been around since 1961. We have always just sold to the pros like shops, dealers, body shops, car washes mainly commercial sales.

Check out and Google- P&S Detailing Products

I use Presta Products for all my detailing. Their cutting compounds are awesome and they sell the buffing pads to match the compounds, makes it really easy. I use their marine uv creme wax and seems to work very well. A little pricey but really good stuff.

I've had good results w/ the Driven Wax you turned me on to. My boat is stored indoors so a good coat of Driven followed by occassional P&S spray on quick detail keeps it looking shiny, slick and the water beading. Very happy w/ the products you turned me on to.

Thanks Mike, now you have to try a product we just came out with a few months ago. It's called Bead Maker. And yes the driven is the best non P&S product. Of course we don't really sell to the public so people aren't as familiar with it. But there is a huge difference between over the counter and professional product.

Would this be a good time to bring up Leverage vs the world of other products? That discussion is usually as good as Apache vs the world in 6' seas, or Fountains vs every boat 4' shorter without a beak....

Sorry, first day off work in a month and the gulf is too churned up from Mathew for boating (I need an Apache).

Back to being serious in my derail- prayers to all impacted by Mathew

Another collonite fleetwax user here

Is the product difficult to use , or is it another issue, as not selling to the public?

There's a school of thought that what's most important isn't which wax you use, but that you use it. I know a lot of folks who just don't wax enough. I'm a fan of 2-3 waxings per season here in the mid-Atlantic. Has done well. I've used the 3M Marine Wax and been happy. Only adding the lightest of their grit products when needed, which has been rare.

The pro grade product is actually way easier to use. If only the public knew how garbage the over the counter stuff was... The pros have to have easier more efficient product to use, their time and $$ and livelihood are on the line.

We don't focus on the public much, heck we even sell Meguires stuff that is pro line, not over the counter Walmart/west marine garbage. It's a whole different animal like night and day

Before I sold the product, I had a detail business for 12 years.

I also use this product. Works great, lasts, and is easy to use.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...pscudv3rlp.jpg

Collinite marine fiberglass here.

3 coats of "Nu-finish" a year !!!!!

then why does my collinited boat stay water beading all season long?I only do it in the late spring.cleaner then wax,,good to go.use it on my cars and truck too.

I never said other stuff didn't work, I said what we are about and what people who do it for a living use is different.

And garbage in comparison to the pro grade stuff... And I will say most isn't as good, not all.

So, is this "pro grade", not available to the public, stuff available the the membership here?

If not, why bring it up?

If so, where do we get it?

That was the jist of my question earlier. My guess is we buy a quart, not a 5 gallon bucket... but maybe we're just not worthy. Lol

Driven Marine Polish last as long as anything I have tried. Easy to work with.

My uncle is in the auto body business. So I get pro 3m stuff or Meguiar's via his suppliers. The major difference from consumer products is the pro stuff is designed for use with pro buffer machines. The consumer products are fine on newer finishes. But older stuff the pro stuff brings it back to new better then regular consumer products.

Here it is fellas a direct link, by all means check it out.

http://psdetailproducts.com

Funny that no one has mentioned Performance Boat Candy yet. Maybe I should be looking for a new product.

What product is recommended for washing the boat after applying the Ultracoat Paint Sealant? What about a quick detailer spray between waxes and how often??

Yes use the spray every time you pull the boat out of the water and wipe down. Wax when scum lines don't easily wipe off with just your finger.

May hit you up later in the week so you can assist me w/ putting an order together.

"AVATAR updated as you anticipated :cool-smiley-027:

I tried their kit. Didn't work any better than plain ole Starbrite PTEF wax and Turtle Wax Detailer/Spray wax. Wasn't impressed enough to go out of my way and order it versus pick the other cheaper crap up at Wally World.

I'm not a pro. I don't have access to "pro" product. But I did take a tremendous amount of time in researching what product to use, how to apply, and how to extend results.

A painted boat with clear is just like a car. The clear gets bombarded with contaminants and gets swirl marks. No different than a car that needs paint restoration to restore the finish, remove swirl marks, and protect it from the elements. In short, there is a process that needs to be followed and there are a ton of great POLYMER products on the market. Here is what I bought and used. I was blown away with the quality, ease of application, and end result. Before anything, I clayed the entire boat from the chine to the deck. Yes, it took a long time. But now that it is done I'll be maintaining it and not having to go through the entire process in the spring.

http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-swirl-kit.html

Collinite 845 is a great sealant. I was going to use it after I used the Wolfgang sealant as that is a process many use. Some people apply two coats of the Wolfgang sealant. I ended up only needing one and I was done but I do have a bottle of 845 on the shelf if I decide to give it a try.