Recommendation for compound product

[ScottyCee]

Hi All,

New member here. Just sold my 226 Seafarer and bought a 272 Sailfish. It needs compound and wax work, so I thought I would ask some of you experts what a good product to use might be. I am familiar with the older 3M line - rubbing compound and then wax in separate processes, but interested in whether the new "one step" lines I see advertised are a good idea. It's a BIG boat, and I'll be doing the work with a handheld electric polisher, so the idea of a single pass sounds great.

Recommendations?

Thanks!

 

[seasick]

If the finish is not very oxidized, a cleaner polish will work. There is no harm in trying. You should experiment to find the least abrasive product that works for your hull condition. For decent hull surfaces, I use Garry's wax as a one step process. If I have small marks, I buff them first with either 3M finesses cream or Colonite fiberglass restorer, followed by either colonite wax or Garry's wax.

The pads you use to apply or rub off the products are important, don't scrimp on them and be aware that you may need several since you may need to clean them after a time of use and if you wash them, they can take a day or more to dry. The foam pads work well for rubbing or polishing compounds. The lambs wool are best for polish.
Next to bottom sanding and painting, polishing is my second least favorite maintenance task, Especially the upper deck components!

 

[ScottyCee]

Thank you!

I haven't seen it with my own eyes yet, but the surveyor says that it needs compound and wax. Mine seemed to every year or so too.

Do you mean This product??

I have a pair of lamb's wool buffing pads, and a tool to clean them with. It has always worked well before, and I like your idea of using whatever is the least abrasive. More to follow. Vessel should arrive end of this week...

 

[SeaVee]

Lots of good ideas and videos on the Shurhold website. I broke down and bought their DA Polisher and some of their compounds and waxes and they are as advertised. My 01 looks new and it was a chalky mess when I bought it

 

[seasick]

Compound is more aggressive than polish which is more abrasive than wax. So if the report says it needs compounding, you can be pretty certain that more than one step will be needed, maybe more than two steps. You won't know till you see it and experiment. In the best case, rubbing compound and wax. In the worst case, wet sanding compounding, polishing and waxing

 

[seasick]

As mentioned, there are some really YouTube videos on hull restoration on the web

 

[ScottyCee]

Thanks. It's hard to really tell, but it doesn't look too bad. I'm sure I'll get a workout though. 8^)

 

[Fishtales]

For cleaning hard to beat the Collinite Cleaner. You have to wax over it. I used Dupont#7 cut 50% with water in the past if it is real bad.

 

[ScottyCee]

Collinite 920?

 

[wrxhoon]

I use 3M compounds and Collinite paste wax. Depending on condition you may need coarse compound. I use lamswool pads for compounding, again you can get different grades depending on gel condition. I keep my boats under cover when not in use they stay polished for a few years.

 

[blindmullet]

I have used a bunch of different ones over the years, but most experience with the 3m stuff. Now this is my go to.

Wet sand/Buff magic - restore

Presta - normal oxidation removal

Starbright polish with Collinite top coat - protect