Compounding

Noah · Post by **Noah** » Mon May 21, 2007 9:17 am

The topsides on my Swede are pretty tired, and painting isn't in the cards for this year.

I have been warned that compounding the gelcoat will make the boat look great this year, but need compounding again next.

What do folks use when faced with this problem? Any preferred compounds and cleaners?

Thanks,

Noah

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:58 am

I'm facing the same issue. I've read a few reviews in Practical Sailor about Poli-Glow. It's an acrylic coating that does not remove gelocat and is, apparently, very shiny.

I went so far as to purchase a "kit" at about $70. For your tremendous (and gorgeous) boat, you would need two kits. However, there are some concerns about the product that I want answered before I apply it.

Despite Practical Sailors glowing (get it?) review, I've found some references online about the product yellowing with age. Both PS and the manufacturer indicate that Poli-Glow will not yellow (though a similar product called NewGlass 2 does).

Also, it does need maintenance. The manufacturer likens it to varnish in that it needs a couple annual coats and, after a few years, will need to be removed and reapplied. The included cleaner, Poli-Prep, will remove Poli-Glow. So, what does it look like when it is time to remove it? I couldn't get a good answer.

Instead, I was told that removal is easy. And if it's not, they'll help out by mixing a stronger Poli-Prep concentrate. Also, there is a link on Sailnet here that started off with a great review and the original poster came back and said the product yellowed.

So, I'm thinking about returning the product and compounding and waxing the hull. To answer your original question, a good wax is Collinite, which you may need to order online as it's distributors are wide spread. I've also had some success with 3M products.

I don't think that you'll need to compound the boat every year, but you will need to keep the wax up annually. I've had limited success with compounding and polishing. It looks pretty good, but it won't be mistaken for new gelcoat.

A slightly more dramatic option is to wetsand, then compound, then wax and polish. The wetsanding will reveal fresh gelcoat and that will make the boat look great. It's labor intensive though and you need to know what you're doing as it is possible to harm the boat.

Post by **Tim** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:59 am

Rubbing compound or marine polishes will work wonders on most typically aged gelcoat. There are limits, of course, but without killing yourself or breaking the bank any of the myriad boat polishes will make a difference.

I grew up using Star-Brite boat polish (the gray stuff in the blue bottle) bi-annually on my father's boat (spring and fall). We didn't wax; the polish would keep it pretty nice for our short season. I always liked this stuff, but I don't know if it's even made any more.

There are many, many products for this purpose. I don't know which are better or worse. One can restore a deep shine to gelcoat if the proper products and techniques are used, and depending on how bad it is to begin with. Wax protects the shine.

Offhand, I'm not a fan of these coatings that you apply over--the Polo-Glow or what have you. I am sure they look great right after application, but the longevity is my concern. In the past, I have heard of these acrylic coatings yellowing and cracking, but perhaps things have improved.

I'd stick with the basics: clean and polish, and wax if you so desire.

mfasis · Post by **mfasis** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:31 pm

I am a huge fan of Poli-Glow. I have have used it on my boat for three years now . It is very important to remove stains and blemishes before applying it. Also, it is very important to apply it using many very thin layers. If applied correctly to a clean hull it will last. I did remove it completely this spring and reapplied from scratch. Removal entails using the Poli-Prep product and scrubbing pad. It was very easy.

I only apply it to the topsides. I dont think it is a good idea to use it on the deck as it is very slick when wet.

I will try to post some pictures later.

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:45 pm

Hi Mark,

So what necessitated the removal? Does it build up to a point where it looks bad? Have you noticed any discoloration?

mfasis · Post by **mfasis** » Mon May 21, 2007 3:43 pm

Jason,

Poli-Glow does wear away over time. On my boat, this usually occurs from my mooring hardware rubbing on the bow, docking trials and tribulations and from my dink as I pull along side. It is for this reason that maintenance coats are required each year. After three seasons I felt that I wanted to start over from scratch instead of just covering it all over with additional coats. It was not that the original finish was yellowing or cracking but more because of blemishes that I caused (I still need to practice my docking maneuvers).

Overall, my boat is in pretty good shape. It is just that the gelcoat was getting pretty tired from the years. I did try the more conventional approach of compounding and waxing without much success. Poli-Glow also does a great job of repelling dirt and grime. This spring I put on seven coats of Poli-glow (with each application taking about 30 minutes) and I could not be happier with how good the boat looks.

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Tue May 22, 2007 1:10 pm

On my boat, I have been using the same system for about 7 years, and I really like it. I only haul every 2 years, so it only gets done every 2 years, which proves it lasts. The black stains that appear over winter just wash right off. My boat is yellow, so I couldn't tell you if it yellows with age or not. It costs only dollars a liter.

It is Future Shine (or Mop'n'Glow), they both work pretty well, however, I prefer the Future Shine.

My boat was badly oxidized, with dirt ground into the pores. One year I wet sanded it with 1500 grit paper. This isn't labour intensive if you do it right. Use a pole sander (the type they use for drywall sanding). Duct tape a hose to the handle near the head, and turn the water on enough so that the water is hitting the hull. Took about 20 minutes a side on a 24 San Juan.

Once that is done, I washed the hull with hot water and Sudsy Ammonia, using a scotch brite pad. Keep washing and rinsing until the water no longer beads up. Let it dry.

Appply the Future Shine with one of those cheap, sponge type mops. It takes about 3 coats. By the time you have worked your way around the boat, the first side is dry, so you can apply the second coat. Your gelcoat will look like new (maybe even glossier) when you are done.

On the next haulout, all you have to do is wash the hull with hot water and Sudsy Ammonia. Use a scotch brite pad. Let it dry, and apply 3 more coats of Future Shine. The ammonia strips the Future Shine off, so you don't get a buildup.

I will probably haul my boat out next month, I can snap some pictures to show you the before/after results.

Jason K · Post by **Jason K** » Mon May 28, 2007 9:46 am

I decided against the Poli Glow and went with more traditional compounds and waxes. I chose 3M products as I've had good results from them in the past.

I started with the Marine Color/Gloss Restorer which is a fairly mild compound. I applied everything with an electric buffer.

After the compunding, I applied the Finesse-It II Polish followed by the Marine Liquid Wax.

Despite the fact that I applied everything by machine, it was an exhausting job. Three coats took about 7 hours to apply and buff. It would certainly have been far easier with staging. Noah, if you do it on the Swede, buy multiple buffers and enlist some friends.

The finished product looks pretty good. I would have liked a higher gloss, but the boat looks considerably better than it did and the wax should prevent further oxidation. I don't regret not using the Poli Glow, as that ultra glossy finish is not the look I want.

Shark · Post by **Shark** » Mon May 28, 2007 11:22 am

Jason,

This is my sixth season with my 1986 Shark. When I bought her she was very grimy and definitely not glossy. Each spring in the limited time I have between taking the covers off and launching, I work on the bottom (I race her.) and topsides. I too have been using rubbing compounds and wax. I have found that acetone and also "FSR" (oxalic acid gel for cleaning waterlines etc.) are useful for "pulling" embedded stains and dirt out of the gelcoat. Just don't get the acetone on any painted surfaces. Each year there is an incremental improvement in the look of the boat. It looks cleaner and more shiny every season but it doesn't have that high gloss look.

Congratulations on the new boat! She's a beauty.

Peter · Post by **Peter** » Wed May 30, 2007 12:41 am

I'll second Shark's FSR recommendation. It made my yellowed gel coat a lot brighter. Then I wet-sanded it (by hand) with 1000 grit wet/dry, then 2000 grit wet/dry, and finished it off with a power buffer and 3M Finesse-It.

All the 'additions' (scuff marks) are gone, but the 'subtractions' (dings and deep scratches) are still there.

Oh yeah, then I waxed and buffed it, too.
Very happy with the results!

Post by **Tim** » Wed May 30, 2007 6:53 am

Another good product for stain removal in white gelcoat--or on things like Awlgripped white boottops that have yellowed from exposure to water and growth--is Y-10. (say it phonetically...)

Noah · Post by **Noah** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:13 am

Wow what a job this has been! Just don't make me raise my arms over my head...I spent Sat and Sun bringing the topsides back from the dead. Here's what worked the best:

Step 1: Collinite Fiberglass boat cleaner. I used 2 bottles of this stuff and found that it really did the job on cleaning the boat. For this I just used a rag with liberal amounts of it applied by hand and wiped off with a clean rag.

Step 2: In areas of scraping or nicks I used 2 different 3M compounds of varying cutting grit. The advice I got is that you only want to compound the area's that need it because they are more likely to oxidize again later because of the added roughness from the grit.

Step 3: 3M FinesseIt 2. Lots of it applied with a big variable speed buffer/grinder. This gave very good results and made the boat really shine.

Step 4: Collinite heavy duty paste wax. We have found that this wax gives the best durability and shine.

Back in the stern I still have a bunch of staining down by the waterline. I will try the Y-10 or FSR on it. Compounding and the Collinite cleaner didn't do the job.