To Wax or Not To Wax?

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I assume you're talking about this stuff?(...)

My bottle has a different sticker but I bet the contents are the same. Cream white thick liquid stuff. It is a re-packed, and re-priced version of the car market 3M liquid stuff.

It is easier to apply and easier to buff than hard waxes. Excellent for in between haulouts jobs.

Given plenty of time, some boat slaves and proper waxing and buffing equipment I think hard car grade wax lasts longer. I prefer hard wax for topsides. I only wax the topsides ones a season.

b.

[Hudson Force]

OK, Barnakiel, it's time for me to ask my stupid question, but I've asked plenty of stupid questions in the past. If you only wax your topsides once a season, how often is that? Where I'm from this would be four times a year, but people from the northern areas of the US count one boating season per year.

I'm just curious. Waxing the topsides is a tedious and difficult job that doesn't often produce dramatic results on my 43 year old gel coat. I do some cleaning and area work, but I don't often get a full topside wax each year.

[SF Bay Dude]

Kenomac, how much material did you go through for each product? I have a 47 footer I want to re-finish. I am thinking of buying in gallon increments for the compound and polish. But looks like the paste wax is sold in smaller 16oz increments. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by SF Bay Dude

Kenomac, how much material did you go through for each product? I have a 47 footer I want to re-finish. I am thinking of buying in gallon increments for the compound and polish. But looks like the paste wax is sold in smaller 16oz increments. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

When I did the complete job in 2015, I went through 4kg of the 3M Fast Cut Plus #50417 green bottle (2 bottles) and 2 liters of the 3M Machine Polish blue bottle (2 bottles) #09376. I also used one complete can of the 3M Marine paste wax.

Basically, one gallon of each. The wool buffing pads will last for years, and I opted for the Velcro type pads which were much easier to change.

This year, I only used a 1/4 liter of Fast Cut along the waterline and polished the hull with only soapy water. The same amount of paste wax was used this year, one can. The can of paste wax which was enough to lay on two coats to the entire hull is 9.5 fl oz. It goes a long way if spread thin and allowed to dry completely before buffing by hand using an old towel.

Good luck, the hard work does pay off..... especially on year number two when the process is much easier.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

OK, Barnakiel, it's time for me to ask my stupid question, but I've asked plenty of stupid questions in the past. If you only wax your topsides once a season, how often is that? Where I'm from this would be four times a year, but people from the northern areas of the US count one boating season per year.

I'm just curious. Waxing the topsides is a tedious and difficult job that doesn't often produce dramatic results on my 43 year old gel coat. I do some cleaning and area work, but I don't often get a full topside wax each year.

Oh, you know, my lose way of telling things.

By once a season I understood once a year. I always try to do it full monty and real well while in the boatyard. But the bigger boats I work on are not in the yard every year so I will also do it in between the yards, from the dinghy - the top part with equipment and the last 4 inches by hand.

I normally hire people to do it (the boats are normally 50 to 80 ft long) but I remember waxing and polishing a 46 HR from the dinghy. It was a two day job - one side per day, and I did have to go thru some areas twice. Mind I am an extremely slow worker, I take no breaks, I do not smoke and to not take Med style siestas either = 16 full hours of pure work on a 46 ft boat with relatively tall topsides.

IMHO it is OK to go without any waxing for extended periods of time. But I too think that gelcoat, especially the dark colors, last longer and look better if they are never left too 'dry'. I may be wrong with this, I am not too much into gelcoat technology (very many big boats have painted topsides).

On my own boat, I am way more lame with waxing and buffing - I only do it when the gelcoat is no longer glossy.

Cheers,
b.

[Hudson Force]

Thanks, I understand and admire your long days on task. That just doesn't work for me. After four of five hours in the sun I get stupid and it shows in the product of my work. I do my best work with three hours in the morning and three hours after the sun has reached it's peak!

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Thanks, I understand and admire your long days on task. That just doesn't work for me. After four of five hours in the sun I get stupid and it shows in the product of my work. I do my best work with three hours in the morning and three hours after the sun has reached it's peak!

Yep. I too think it is absolutely best to know one's body and mind and do most work when it best fits your natural rhythm.

This can be had mostly when working free-lance (which is always my attempt on big boats) or else when working on one's own boat.

About the only task I like doing in the high sun is to splash down the whole boat. I take of my deck shoes, I put on my straw hat and my long sleeve shirt and for an hour or so I will pretend I am an innocent kid in a garden of joy.

Cheers,
b.

[minaret]

Gotta say, I'm a little shocked by some of the product recommendations on this thread. Basics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke5kfYz9Ybw

Latest News : Marine Supplies : 3M Europe:Â*New 3M Marine Polishing System



http://www.amazon.com/3M-Compound-Fi.../dp/B0000AZ9J0




The 3M Marine Compound & Finishing Material (sold under several different labels) is designed specifically for gel only and is their latest product for this. Finesse It II provides an excellent finish on top of this, as recommended by 3M in the links above. If you want a truly stellar finish with unparalleled depth of image, finish on top of this with a first rate glaze, such as this:




https://www.amazon.co.uk/Farecla-FGU...HS8EEY6HBNRV5H


And then finish with a quality paste wax. Ultra is good, but Fleetwax is better. Always apply at least two coats of wax.

Finesse It II is technically a glaze, but a much finer finish can be achieved by following it with an even finer glaze.


Several of the products recommended here I would regard as too coarse for any but the most oxidized finish. I would go to a fine grit before going that coarse with a compound.

[SF Bay Dude]

Originally Posted by minaret

Gotta say, I'm a little shocked by some of the product recommendations on this thread.

Several of the products recommended here I would regard as too coarse for any but the most oxidized finish. I would go to a fine grit before going that coarse with a compound.

My hull hasn't been buffed in almost 20 years, so I'd imagine the coarse stuff is gonna be ok - or - almost required. The hull is white and should handle it well I would imagine. I'll bring enough + range of options down to Mexico this coming trip, as I don't want to come up shy like I did on paint

And thanks for the amounts Kenomac! That's exactly what I was estimating.