Frequency required for Buff and Wax

[Oceania]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

 

[Pure pleasure]

I do my boat at least once a yr but it depends on lots of stuff

 

[dhays]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

I don't like doing it. My back doesn't do well with it. So I really don't like doing it myself. I also have limited funds so don't like spending the money to have someone else do it. Fortunately, I live in an area where the UV exposure isn't as bad a southern locations.

The bottom line for me is that I have limited time, money, and physical capacity. I would much rather spend my time and money using a non-shiny boat than to spend the time and money having a shiny boat sitting at the dock.

 

[Bacchus]

We are also in the NE...similar seasons.
I try todo mine 1/yr but hiw extensive will depend on condition to start.
I am getting older and tired of tough jobs...hired my hardtop done last yr and plan to repeat...maybe more.
Hull gets done prior to launch and isnt too bad as sun & UV less
I pick away at top side sections as the mood & Wx allow.
I have switched to using a swirl remover w a good qualtity dual action polisher to clean & shine...then apply polymer sealant for protection.
No nore wax for me...lots of favorites out there but I've been happy w polymers.
NuFinish is inexpensive and works reasonably well.
I have been experimenting w some poly thats SUPPOSED to be better fir fiberglass but will see

 

[Bacchus]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

Do you have a dark painted hull or white galcoat?
If paint you will want to follow paint mfg recommendations

 

[Hotrod]

Here in fla, I would buff the hull every three to four months. The eye brow every month. We had an older boat, where the gel coat was not like new. But I wanted the boat to look like new. I had the ability and knowledge from the car business, to know how to do it. People in the car business are usually anal, with detail, with me , no exception. The boat sold after 16 years, pretty much, what we paid for it.
..

 

[Giggitoni]

Twice per year in Vallejo, California (warmer inland part of San Francisco Bay Area). I'll wax a VW Beetle, not a 42-foot boat!

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

If you're going to keep it up north where you are, once it's compounded, polished and sealed properly, you should only have to polish it maybe once a year. While applying sealant say once or twice a year depending on whether you keep it under cover or not and what type of sealant you use.

True compounding should only be necessary when the gel coat gets very chalky. And that shouldn't happen if you keep up with the polishing and sealing.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

I compound mine once a year, then do maintenance wax throughout the year.


This year I bought a Shurflow pro buffer and used their pads and compounding paste Buff Magic. Awesome stuff. I then used Starbright polish with a red pad to apply it.


For the maintenance wax I use Maguire quick wax. I am really pleased with the results.

 

[Hotrod]

I compound mine once a year, then do maintenance wax throughout the year.


This year I bought a Shurflow pro buffer and used their pads and compounding paste Buff Magic. Awesome stuff. I then used Starbright polish with a red pad to apply it.


For the maintenance wax I use Maguire quick wax. I am really pleased with the results.

I could not agree more, buff magic, is the best I ever used. It has jewelr Rouge, the pink one, is the best in my opinion. I use to cut the paint on cars also. I also love pro Polish, their sister follow up product. It does an amazing job on old gelcoat.The product was so good shurflow , bought the co, from the inventor. I have used them all, nothing in my opinion beats them.

 

[AusCan]

My boat gets buffed every 5 years whether it needs it or not. I settle for the flat white look.

 

[Insequent]

Our climate has very high UV, probably similar to Florida. My gel coat is 35 years old. About 2 years ago I had a pro compound and wax it. He was from a car detailing background, and these days only does boats. The majority of the boat is now fine with a wax and polish every 6 months, but some areas with high sun exposure (brow etc) need a fine compound.

It costs, but I don't have the patience or physical capacity (back discs...) to do it. Cal gets it looking pretty nice....

 

[BruceK]

As necessary buffing that saves resorting to painting makes economic sense. Frequency may depend on gelcoat condition, but paying someone to do the hull topsides with the regular lift and antifoul works. The rest, the house etc, you can do on a needs basis, in sections. I`m still a novice with a buffer, but you learn fast.
My neighbour recently buffed his hull in the water. That amazed me, I`d be afraid of the buffer taking a swim and any number of other problems, but he coped fine.

 

[Insequent]

Cal originally buffed my hull in the water. But it is at least 50% faster to do it on the hard, and with most of the cost being hourly rates it makes sense to do one of the yearly wax/polish when hauled.

 

[Spottsville]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

Would be helpful if you would put your boat's picture up so we know what your wax buff project looks like?

 

[Spottsville]

Cal originally buffed my hull in the water. But it is at least 50% faster to do it on the hard, and with most of the cost being hourly rates it makes sense to do one of the yearly wax/polish when hauled.

What should one expect to pay these days for a Buff and Wax on a 50 foot boat like yours?

 

[Insequent]

What should one expect to pay these days for a Buff and Wax on a 50 foot boat like yours?

Doing the exterior of the hull on the hard was 45 hours at $40/hr. Then the house/inside of the hull was done in the water. Another 40 hours, but that included cleaning and brightening the teak decks also. A few areas had 'gone' and needed compounding. A wax/polish in 6 months will be a lot less as very little compounding will be needed.

It does add up, but I'm really happy with the way the boat looks. For me, money is well spent!

Background: I had several months of excruciating nerve pain (sciatic nerve) a year ago that was only resolved after a guided steroid injection at S1/L5 in the lumbar spine. I am now very careful about doing anything to aggravate a dodgy back. It was sanding the teak around the flybridge windscreen base that did me in! Lots of awkward positions and twisting. Fortunately I now only have a small area of external teak left to prep that is quite easy to do. A quick rub of the rest with scotchbrite pad & Deks Olje #1, followed by a couple of coats of #2 finish a couple of times a year is easy, and I do it in stages as well.

 

[BandB]

Back up. Are we assuming the OP is asking about gelcoat and only gelcoat, as with paints the answers would be very different and vary buy paint used?

 

[BruceK]

Doing the exterior of the hull on the hard was 45 hours at $40/hr. Then the house/inside of the hull was done in the water. Another 40 hours, but that included cleaning and brightening the teak decks also. A few areas had 'gone' and needed compounding. A wax/polish in 6 months will be a lot less as very little compounding will be needed.

It does add up, but I'm really happy with the way the boat looks. For me, money is well spent!

Background: I had several months of excruciating nerve pain (sciatic nerve) a year ago that was only resolved after a guided steroid injection at S1/L5 in the lumbar spine. I am now very careful about doing anything to aggravate a dodgy back. It was sanding the teak around the flybridge windscreen base that did me in! Lots of awkward positions and twisting. Fortunately I now only have a small area of external teak left to prep that is quite easy to do. A quick rub of the rest with scotchbrite pad & Deks Olje #1, followed by a couple of coats of #2 finish a couple of times a year is easy, and I do it in stages as well.

Brian, Glad to hear:
1. Your back settled and
2. Deks Olje 1 & 2 is working for you. Not varnish quality, but you almost never need to take it right back. I got aggressive with sanding last year when I sensed build up, and that was enough. My swimstep looks great just with no.1.

 

[Tom.B]

Any advice or opinion on how often your fiberglass hull needs to be compounded? buffed? waxed? It's a chore so the least number of times the better!

I hear ya... I am currently in the middle of a massive wet-sanding job that may take all summer or longer. The previous owner took a massive shortcut and used Nu-Glass (the less popular brother to PolyGlow) and not only did the installers do a shitty job of applying it, it has flaked up so bad we are almost embarrassed to show our face in marinas. I will NEVER recommend these polymers ever.

The process is: floor stripper, 800... 1200... 2000 grit sanding, rubbing compound, polishing compound, colonite wax. It is a huge undertaking, but the results are amazing and, hopefully, I will never have to do it again.

I am watching this thread so I will have an idea on what the follow-up will be. Thanks for asking.

 

[Ski in NC]

If wax brings on a good shine, then do not buff. That is abrasive and should only be done if finish is oxidized or chalky. Buff too many times and you will find the thin spots in the paint or gelcoat and then you have bigger problems.

Just had a finish guy on my rig while it was on the hard. Topside had not been buffed in 9yrs and was chalky. Buffing brought it right back to life. Awlcraft paint. Did find some thin spots.

I use the "ten foot rule" regarding finish on my rig. If you see a flaw, back up ten feet. If you can't see it from ten feet, it is NOT THERE.

You have to figure out how many feet apply to your boat. Some are ten, some twenty, some are two feet. Once you settle on your "rule", it makes fussing over finish much simpler.

 

[Bruce B]

My only comment on this is that it is far, far easier to take care of any finish than it is to re-finish!
If you think getting a boat waxed is expensive, price an Awlgrip job...or better yet, grab the longboards and fair a hull. I've faired one hull in prep for Awlgrip and let me tell you...I wax our boats!
With proper care a well cared for gelcoat can last many, many years. One of the tricks is to clean and wax before any buffing is necessary. Buffing removes gelcoat.
I've seen great looking 30 year old gelcoat and I have seen bad looking 10 year old Awlgrip. As to those who say they like the dull unwaxed look, I am reminded of the fable of the fox with no tail...
The choice is yours.
Bruce

 

[Gordon J]

Bruce is right

My only comment on this is that it is far, far easier to take care of any finish than it is to re-finish!
If you think getting a boat waxed is expensive, price an Awlgrip job...or better yet, grab the longboards and fair a hull. I've faired one hull in prep for Awlgrip and let me tell you...I wax our boats!
With proper care a well cared for gelcoat can last many, many years. One of the tricks is to clean and wax before any buffing is necessary. Buffing removes gelcoat.
I've seen great looking 30 year old gelcoat and I have seen bad looking 10 year old Awlgrip. As to those who say they like the dull unwaxed look, I am reminded of the fable of the fox with no tail...
The choice is yours.
Bruce

Almost any thing is better than painting. I have been working with a painter on our OA 456. Every surface to include underside of flybridge hardtop gets painted. We finished priming and sanding on Saturday. We have combined about 450 man-hours into the project thus far. We will tent the boat tomorrow and hope to start awl-gripping (new word) on Wednesday.

The gelcoat was among the poorest quality I have seen. The boat is a 2003, but had thousands upon thousands of cracks. We sanding the entire boat with 80 grit and applied five coats of thinned Interprotect 2000e primer. We then sanded it to a glass smooth finish. Not a single crack is to be seen. I am hoping to have her back in the water in a week. I think we have about 40 man-hours of work remaining.

I am hoping that I have paid forward all the time required to buff. With regular waxing, I should never have to buff the boat. My last boat had Imron paint and after 11 years, looked new, except for a couple of rubs here and there.

Gordon

 

[smitty477]

"I am hoping that I have paid forward all the time required to buff. With regular waxing, I should never have to buff the boat."


Gordon - have had great results with Awlgrip but you never wax Awlgrip surfaces.
maybe every second season you can put a coat of awl[polish on it but its nothing like wax and you want to avoid typical polishing pads and wax.
The surface resists stains, salts and most any degradation with a quick rinse and some soap when necessary - just don't use a brush only a soft pad is required.
We got to 12 seasons on one boat we Awgripped before we sold it with no sign of any problems and it still shined like near new.

 

[BandB]

With regular waxing, I should never have to buff the boat. My last boat had Imron paint and after 11 years, looked new, except for a couple of rubs here and there.

Gordon

A huge NO. Don't wax Awlgrip and if it ever seems to need it, use their polish and their instructions. Do what they say.

The other thing I haven't seen mentioned in this is the importance of regular washing with a mild detergent as recommended, a non abrasive product. If you let dirt and grime accumulate and then have to scrub hard, each time you'll be removing wax and often requiring waxing and buffing. Washing is the first step of the maintenance process.

 

[Northern Spy]

...This year I bought a Shurflow pro buffer and used their pads and compounding paste Buff Magic. Awesome stuff. I then used Starbright polish with a red pad to apply it...

Do you and hotrod mean Shurhold?

Can't find any Shurflow.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Opps yes that is what I meant. Fat fingers....

 

[Northern Spy]

Opps yes that is what I meant. Fat fingers....

Thanks!

I've looked at these and the ones vended by Chemical Bros before, but haven't heard any first hand reviews.

 

[O C Diver]

My boat is Awlgripped and gets waxed at least once a year. It's so much easier to clean with a coat of wax between the dirt and the paint. My charter boat is Awlgripped. The top side paint is 13 years old and still looks good because it's waxed every spring. Just finished having it waxed for the big trip this year. Bill should be around $1,200 (3 to 4 days).



Ted

 

[Bruce B]

Best old Awkgrip finish I've ever seen on a boat is waxed several times a year. The finish is now 15 or 16 years old and it looks like new!
I understand the argument against waxing it but I've never seen such old awlgrip look so good so...
Bruce