Frequency required for Buff and Wax

[Spottsville]

We have been using Permanon for 2 years and are sold on it. I started using traditional wax and realized I would destroy my rotator cuffs/shoulders and had to try something different. I applied the initial application at the recommended strength after using dawn original dish soap to remove all existing wax (high alkaline) and buffed any areas that lacked a good fiberglass shine and then applied the Permanon per the the instructional videos on the website (and used distilled water vs filtered water) and then after misting it on with a one liter pump up sprayer we used a 20 inch microfiber wood floor pad (like you use to dust a wood floor (from the big box store) which made it so quick and easy.

Our boat is white gelcoat and the water spotting that apparently may occur on a non white boat was not an issue particularly using distilled water in the sprayer. The product produced an acceptable shine but the boat stays so much cleaner at the dock!! The water beads up like RainX and is great on the glass and stainless and vinyl. We wash the boat when needed (much less often) with weak simply green (low alkaline). I love it that I don't have to keep it off of the vinyl/rubber and it is great on the vinyl seating.

We put the second application on a month after the first (per website instructions) and can do the whole boat in 5-6 hours (although I have reapply to horizontal areas like the non-skid walkways and flybridge (given how easy it is to apply) but probably not needed since water just runs off (like RainX on glass).

Don't be put off by the cost for a liter of Permanon ($200) since a liter of it will make 20 liters (mixed 5% to a liter of distilled water) and goes a long way since you are applying it as a mist with the pump-up sprayer.

If you are on the fence buy some and try it on an area. I believe you will be happy you did.

http://www.permanonfinishes.com/faqs.htm

 

[Baker]

My boat is gelcoat. Carver is known for really crappy gelcoat. It gets washed twice a week to the tune of $75 per wash. And waxed every 3-4 months to the tune of $400. If it needs compound it would be $600. I do rinse the boat after every use regardless of the regimen. As you can tell by the prices, the actual laborers don't speak a lick of English. But they do excellent work.

I did have my boat wet sanded recently by an acquaintance/friend. $1700. I was not really that impressed with the results. My isinglass all of the sudden started to cloud and crack after this event as well. I had to replace one panel of isinglass and a couple of others are cloudy. It has since strained our friendship. Anyway, I went back to my "old" provider and her people compounded and waxed the boat and got it looking really good for that $600. She did admit she wasn't making any money at that price point but she got her customer back. That guy worked on the boat for 3 days and it looked great....still does.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

I have an Awlgrip painted cap rail. Polish it with a rotary buffer (lambs wool pad and 3M Finesse It) and wax it (Collonite 845 Insulator Wax) and it glistens.

It is a hard surface. The smoother you make it the shinier it will be.

If you have real Awlgrip on your rails you are destroying the top layer of the finish that is where the gloss located and also protects the lower layer.

I advise anyone who has a fresh Awlgrip finish or one that is in good condition, to do not follow above advice to buff and wax it.

 

[Bigsfish]

Baker

I hope you tipped your new/old provider with a bottle of Carmalitas. LOL

 

[BandB]

when I paid a guy to compound and wax my boat. It hadn't been done for years and needed it. I can't afford to do that every year and I don't have the time to do it myself, so it simply won't get done again for quite a while.

Certainly salt water changes things a bit, but I owned 5 boats on the lake in NC and never had a single one of them waxed or buffed over the 30 year time frame. Never even crossed my mind to do so. They all had nice finishes and still had shine.

 

[Brooksie]

I am in the Northeast plus covered in the winter.
On the other hand, my 1971 gelcoat looks like new and has a good shine.
I apply liquid acrylic floor wax each year b/4 launch and remove it when it starts to look yellow using the prescribed floor stripper 3-4 years. Even after stripping, it has a good shine. Takes me an hour to apply and 3 hours to strip and reapply. 2 coats after strip, one other years.

 

[Hotrod]

I have an Awlgrip painted cap rail. Polish it with a rotary buffer (lambs wool pad and 3M Finesse It) and wax it (Collonite 845 Insulator Wax) and it glistens.

It is a hard surface. The smoother you make it the shinier it will be.

Since you have getting some blow back, ( which I think you are brilliant), in regard to what you have done, just for curiosity, how long ago, did you awl grip your rail, buff, and Polish it?

 

[gaston]

We have been using Permanon for 2 years and are sold on it. I started using traditional wax and realized I would destroy my rotator cuffs/shoulders and had to try something different. I applied the initial application at the recommended strength after using dawn original dish soap to remove all existing wax (high alkaline) and buffed any areas that lacked a good fiberglass shine and then applied the Permanon per the the instructional videos on the website (and used distilled water vs filtered water) and then after misting it on with a one liter pump up sprayer we used a 20 inch microfiber wood floor pad (like you use to dust a wood floor (from the big box store) which made it so quick and easy.

Our boat is white gelcoat and the water spotting that apparently may occur on a non white boat was not an issue particularly using distilled water in the sprayer. The product produced an acceptable shine but the boat stays so much cleaner at the dock!! The water beads up like RainX and is great on the glass and stainless and vinyl. We wash the boat when needed (much less often) with weak simply green (low alkaline). I love it that I don't have to keep it off of the vinyl/rubber and it is great on the vinyl seating.

We put the second application on a month after the first (per website instructions) and can do the whole boat in 5-6 hours (although I have reapply to horizontal areas like the non-skid walkways and flybridge (given how easy it is to apply) but probably not needed since water just runs off (like RainX on glass).

Don't be put off by the cost for a liter of Permanon ($200) since a liter of it will make 20 liters (mixed 5% to a liter of distilled water) and goes a long way since you are applying it as a mist with the pump-up sprayer.

If you are on the fence buy some and try it on an area. I believe you will be happy you did.

Permanon Finishes - Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ's

Thanks timely post as I have this product on order locally and hope to give it a go on the weekend We used REJEX on my last boat it lasted 12 months

 

[Pgitug]

3M 05955 Super Duty Rubbing Compound will make your life so much easier. Get an electric buffer at Harbor Freight, wool buffing pad, 1700 RPM, spread 3M with thin pad 2'x2' area at a time. Buff until the product is gone. No towel clean up. Great stuff. Follow up with your favorite boat wax. Finish with cotton pad 1700 RPM just to bring out the wet look.

 

[Rogerh]

So how do you all do the brow of the fly bridge if you have one like Alaskan Sea-duction or one like ours?

 

[smitty477]

"So how do you all do the brow of the fly bridge if you have one like Alaskan Sea-duction or one like ours?"


3 step (step)ladder laying down on top of a short 2 X 6 on foam cushion tied with a rope at the bottom.

 

[smitty477]

"I apply liquid acrylic floor wax each year b/4 launch and remove it when it starts to look yellow using the prescribed floor stripper 3-4 years."


We use a lot of that acrylic wax as well on the floors of the buildings here where I am typing this.

 

[Brooksie]

"I apply liquid acrylic floor wax each year b/4 launch and remove it when it starts to look yellow using the prescribed floor stripper 3-4 years."


We use a lot of that acrylic wax as well on the floors of the buildings here where I am typing this.

Seems to work for me.
If I never pick up a buffer again it will be too soon...

 

[smitty477]

"Seems to work for me.
If I never pick up a buffer again it will be too soon..."


You can also use the acrylic floor wax on your cars, motorcycles , RV's and anything else you like.

 

[Brooksie]

"Seems to work for me.
If I never pick up a buffer again it will be too soon..."


You can also use the acrylic floor wax on your cars, motorcycles , RV's and anything else you like.

I'm sure you could but I prefer NuFinish polish on my painted items.

 

[smitty477]

"I'm sure you could but I prefer NuFinish polish on my painted items."

This post shows various ways some boaters prefer to deal with their hulls.
Some do nothing and that works well for them.
Some paint with LP's like Awlgrip and the maintenance becomes very low.
Some detail to the extreme and appreciate the associated shine.


If your hull remains 'shiny as new' after a floor stripper than any decent hull sealant will be easy to apply and remove. I used to use NuFinish a lot a while back but the newer sealants have improved on their base a huge amount IMHO. If your hull is shiny as new then I would venture a guess it would take about 1-1/2 hours for a treatment of sealer such as Gel Coat labs on your boat (if that is it in your sig line) - I use a small DA wheel for application which goes quickly and take off is painless as well.
It will certainly last a full NE season and take 50% less time with much less costs in product.
Just another option for you....

 

[Oceania]

I guess we are talking about minimums and maximums. I like the idea that we shouldn't let cosmetics keep us off the water. Secondly, that it is enough to buff and wax so that she maintains a clean, neat appearance. And Bristol shape for big occasions! [emoji41]

 

[Spottsville]

I guess we are talking about minimums and maximums. I like the idea that we shouldn't let cosmetics keep us off the water. Secondly, that it is enough to buff and wax so that she maintains a clean, neat appearance. And Bristol shape for big occasions! [emoji41]

I think you are right. Im somewhere in the middle. I haven't found anyone local that I would trust to do a buff and wax. Turning someone loose with a buffer scares the H_ _ out of me.... If I lived in Florida with many quality people available to find it would be great.

But in the meantime I can wash our 47 footer with a 1000psi power washer in about 2 hours or less. Let it dry then grab the one liter pump-up sprayer and mist spray the hull with Permanon and I'm done. Water streams off like Rain-x and the boat is less prone to attract dust (which is huge with farming going on all around us at our home port). It last 6 to 8+ months or (until the water stops beading).

 

[BruceK]

Norm, I was apprehensive using the buffer I acquired, but some reading and some learning on the job helped, I got results, and became confident using it.
I found using a power washer on cars removed any polish, so went back to sponge hand-washing. But as you apply a protective finish to your boat immediately after power-washing,you have that covered.