Im gonna be doing some fiberglass work on a boat in the next week or so and I have to gelcoat the areas that im doing the work. After im all done with it, the guy wants me to clean it up real good for him to remove some hard water spots. So im looking for a little help with that part of it. Im not 100% sure of the specs on it but it looks like an Eliminator at least 30'. He wants me to do the sides and top of it. Ive done plenty of cars and stuff but never a boat, I have a pc and can get a rotary. Ive got access to pretty much all meguiars products out there. What steps would you take just to clean the thing up, im not trying to remove swirls and all that, just hard water spots and get it shiny as hell. also how much would you charge to do a boat like this?
need some tips for boat?
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This site has great boat and car equipment: http://properautocare.com/bcp.html
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A rotary, wool cutting pad (Either 100% wool or synthetic wool) and a light compound will be your best bet and give the best/quickest results IMO. I've detailed quite a few oxidized/spotted boats and this combo always works. Apply a nice boat/RV wax afterwards and it'll look snazzy as hell :anitoof:
if i use a light compound, am i gonna have to use a swirl remover afterwards? also whats the difference between a boat/rv wax and say meguiars NXT? I just wanna make it real simple and go over it with a buffer once and some qd and be done with it
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Dont use car products on the boat. We use 3M finesse and 3M Perfect-it. One is like a rubbing compound and the other a polish. Works wonders. If you wanted to after that you could use a regular boat wax or sealer on it.
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in my experience with a few boats i have done.....the gel coats/clear coats on boats are EXTREMELY hard...for good reason too...
but even a light compound wont do much on a boat with any sort of heavy oxidation, spotting, or swirling......i really cant suggest anything cuz the boats i have done honestly never turned out that great cuz that gel coat is hard to work on....
talk to Mike (laynlow77) though...he has done a few and can prolly lead you in a good direction
but even a light compound wont do much on a boat with any sort of heavy oxidation, spotting, or swirling......i really cant suggest anything cuz the boats i have done honestly never turned out that great cuz that gel coat is hard to work on....
talk to Mike (laynlow77) though...he has done a few and can prolly lead you in a good direction
im not really trying to do anything with swirling, just removing some water spots and get the red paint that is on there shining good, the red on there is single stage and i think its just automotive paint but i would be totally wrong:think:
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I've had great success using a light compound with a 100% wool cutting pad 
Generally, no...I won't go over the boat a second time with a swirl remover...unlesss it's a dark color. I've never noticed many swirls in the gel coat and the owners have all been happy...
I reccomended the boat/rv wax over normal wax mainly because it's personal preference. I've buffed out oxidized boats before only to screw it up again with a typical sealant. I don't know why it happens, but since I've been using P&S Challenger wax (For gel coats) I've had zero problems
Generally, no...I won't go over the boat a second time with a swirl remover...unlesss it's a dark color. I've never noticed many swirls in the gel coat and the owners have all been happy...
I reccomended the boat/rv wax over normal wax mainly because it's personal preference. I've buffed out oxidized boats before only to screw it up again with a typical sealant. I don't know why it happens, but since I've been using P&S Challenger wax (For gel coats) I've had zero problems
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