Wax or ceramic coating

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David Hope

David Hope

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Joined
Dec 11, 2022
Messages
20
Need some advise on what is the best options for wax or ceramic coating. Actually just looking for a recommendation for what is the best bang for the buck so to speak. Cheoy Lee 66LR- advise on what will be the best wax/ceramic to use on the boat. Boats in a warehouse right now and has been in storage for a long time (10 years). The boat was painted in the warehouse about 9 years ago but as far as I know there has not been any coating (wax, etc) used to date. Great paint job, just want to protect it. Love to have some input on this.
 
See if you can find out what paint was used and check with manufacturer’s recommendations. The right answer will vary based on the type of paint on your boat. Some wax/ceramic products that work on gel coat don’t belong on paint and vice versa.
 
My experience with a ceramic coating product on my car has been very satisfactory. I spent about $1K to have a professional coat my SUV, and I would do it again. It was a two-day process, and after nearly three years in the Florida sunshine, the paint continues to shine with a deep gloss, dirt washes off easily and folks are surprised to learn that the car isn't brand new. Detailers emphasize that the underlying paint must be in excellent condition and that, of course, surface preparation is critical. The product has to be applied in a clean, dry setting, so the fact that you're in a warehouse sounds promising.

Get at least two pros to come out and assess the condition of your existing paint, identify their recommended product and warranty, and describe how they would perform the job.
 
I switched from conventional wax (fan of Colinite products) to polymers over 10 yrs ago. I've tried lots from high end $ to NuFinish (reasonable price & availability) on boat, car & motorhome and found little difference...always came back to NuFinish... EZ on & off w good water beading & durability.
I've recently started experimenting w DIY ceramic/ graphene coatings and so far like the performance & ease of use... very EZ on/off.

I dont care what I/ you use... the shine performance is in the prep NOT the protective coating. I will use a mild polish or swirl remover w foam cutting pad on a dual action polisher for prep. Only way to tell if and how aggressive a polish you need is to do a little experimenting on small panels/sections.

I have tried 303 Graphene coating on car & boat and liked it on car / paint but didn't see much difference on gel coat. I also tried Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic/wax Coating and so far (car only) like it's ease of use... light spray & wipe & polish w microfiber. That is my new #1 recommendation but sure there are other equals out there. Many of the new ceramic coatings are very fussy w prep & environmental conditions for application & "curing". I have to work outside and sometimes in sun and found the 303 Graphene & Turtle Hybrid rather forgiving even in sun.

Good comment re boat paints above... my hull is painted w Awlcraft & mfg (obviously) recommends only hand applying their products. Their protective coating is a polymer and I've used it, NuFinish and other and don't see much difference as the hull doesn't see much direct sun.

Epilog... getting older I've looked for help / pro to do boat polish. My go to friend & his wife quit doing boat detailing ( samecreason getting older, retired & now Gkids. Hired a new young guy based on boat neighbor recommendation and took advantage of pre- pay discount... big mistake... no show on sched 1st day, got in a half day and never returned... ghosted me and wouldn't return calls. After 5 mos, court appearance and having wages garnished finally got my $ back.
DO NOT EVER PRE PAY!
 
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Great Advise, I didn't think about what paint was used on the boat and will see if I can find out. Obviously this will influence the direction I go with choosing the best paint protection. I also have to keep in mind that this is a pretty big project and the ceramics my be out of my budget. The existing paint will require a lot of cleaning. Other boats have been painted/gelcoat in the warehouse and some of the over spray has settled on the paint. Any suggestions on a good cleaner to cut thru this build up?
 
I’ve been using self-applied Meguiar’s hybrid ceramic spray coating on my Tesla and really like it. Reapply every 3-6 months. Easier to use than wax. I hate waxing and will never go back to it on boats or cars.
 
Bacchus said:
I switched from conventional wax (fan of Colinite products) to polymers over 10 yrs ago. I've tried lots from high end $ to NuFinish (reasonable price & availability) on boat, car & motorhome and found little difference...always came back to NuFinish... EZ on & off w good water beading & durability.
I've recently started experimenting w DIY ceramic/ graphene coatings and so far like the performance & ease of use... very EZ on/off.

I dont care what I/ you use... the shine performance is in the prep NOT the protective coating. I will use a mild polish or swirl remover w foam cutting pad on a dual action polisher for prep. Only way to tell if and how aggressive a polish you need is to do a little experimenting on small panels/sections.

I have tried 303 Graphene coating on car & boat and liked it on car / paint but didn't see much difference on gel coat. I also tried Turtle Wax Hybrid Ceramic/wax Coating and so far (car only) like it's ease of use... light spray & wipe & polish w microfiber. That is my new #1 recommendation but sure there are other equals out there. Many of the new ceramic coatings are very fussy w prep & environmental conditions for application & "curing". I have to work outside and sometimes in sun and found the 303 Graphene & Turtle Hybrid rather forgiving even in sun.

Good comment re boat paints above... my hull is painted w Awlcraft & mfg (obviously) recommends only hand applying their products. Their protective coating is a polymer and I've used it, NuFinish and other and don't see much difference as the hull doesn't see much direct sun.

Epilog... getting older I've looked for help / pro to do boat polish. My go to friend & his wife quit doing boat detailing ( samecreason getting older, retired & now Gkids. Hired a new young guy based on boat neighbor recommendation and took advantage of pre- pay discount... big mistake... no show on sched 1st day, got in a half day and never returned... ghosted me and wouldn't return calls. After 5 mos, court appearance and having wages garnished finally got my $ back.
DO NOT EVER PRE PAY!
Click to expand...



Fellow user of Collonite amd works great but I hear Mr Myagi in my head every time I use it. I’m gonna try NuFinish this season. Thx for the post.
 
David Hope said:
Great Advise, I didn't think about what paint was used on the boat and will see if I can find out...
Any suggestions on a good cleaner to cut thru this build up?
Click to expand...

David
I have used a couple that work well but I'm sure other mfg work equally well.
Colinite cleaner does a good job cleaning and I belive has a rather mild polish to enhance gloss.
Meguires has a range of compounds/ polishes that I've used and readily available in most auto stores and even Hbr Frt. The level of aggressiveness / cut is clearly shown on the label.
I know Awlcraft does not recommend compounds/polishes or machine application except in very limited cases (Awlgrip not at all).
I would do a little experimenting with a very low cut polish using hand application first in a small area as an experiment. I wouldcalso consult Awlcraft/Awlgrip Mfg to get their input.
The DIY ceramic, especially Turtle or 303 products are not all that expensive and go a long way once you have the surface & shine you want to preserve. Some of the high end ceramics are more $ as well as fussing about prep & environmental for application.
View attachment 143156
 
Do not use ceramic car finishes on gelcoat - must be paint.

I’ve had great luck the last five years with Rejex as an alternative to Collonite. I goes on much easier than wax (no power buffer needed) and seems to last longer. I was introduced to it by a guy with a $10M sports fisherman next to me in the yard who swears by it.

Don’t use NuFinish. It’s miserable to remove when it starts to fail. Any cleaner will easily remove Rejex

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006V0LNY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Contrary to what Awlgrip recommends, I've used Collonite cleaner wax on Slow Hand for the last 8 years. Paint is aging between the Florida sun in the winter and all the cruising crud during the summer. Still very happy with the Awlgrip and the Collonite.

Ted
 
David,
We'd all love to see how your Cheoy Lee is coming along so feel free to post pics and/or stories of your refit. My 66' Cheoy Lee LRC (1991) is now sold but would enjoy hearing about your project.
Good luck!
Taras
 
Still trying to find out what paint was used on the boat, previous owner passed away a couple years ago. If I can't find out I'll pick a couple areas that are inconspicuousness and do some testing for the wax/ceramic. Almost done with the electrical upgrade including circuit breaker box, generators, batteries, etc pretty much everything. I'll start posting pic's of the before and after. Hoping to have it in the water the end of February. Thanks for the feedback on the wax/ceramic, it is appreciated. This is my 2nd Trawler and the other was wood so I'm on a pretty step learning curve.
 
Just finished the floors. Floors.jpg
 
CarlF said:
Do not use ceramic car finishes on gelcoat - must be paint.

I’ve had great luck the last five years with Rejex as an alternative to Collonite. I goes on much easier than wax (no power buffer needed) and seems to last longer. I was introduced to it by a guy with a $10M sports fisherman next to me in the yard who swears by it.

Don’t use NuFinish. It’s miserable to remove when it starts to fail. Any cleaner will easily remove Rejex

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006V0LNY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...
I’ve used NuFinish for years on both boats and automobiles. I’ve had excellent results as the final coat on Gelcoat after using a light polish on any oxidized surfaces. Not sure what you mean about removing it when it fails. Are you confusing this with Poliglow? NuFinish just fades away as it’s depleted. I’ve done a few test sections on my boat using both Collinite 885 and NuFinish, and the NuFinish definitely outlasted the Collinite. I like also like that it goes on easily and buffs out with minimal effort. I’m currently trying the 3M Perfect-it products… but don’t have enough use to form an opinion.
 
By "NuFinish" are all of you referring to the 'Better Than Wax' ceramic coating product? Or the 'Graphene' coating?

I've never used either of those, but have had some experience with their traditional 'Once A Year Car Polish.' I would be careful using that one.

The 'Once A Year Car Polish' can indeed restore a shine to faded paint - but it does so with a mild chemical and/or physical ablative action on the paint. I found that out the hard way on a couple of old cars. After using it once and seeing what initially seemed like magical results, I used it a second time - and was shocked to see the paint worn through to the underlying primer.
 
CarlF said:
Do not use ceramic car finishes on gelcoat - must be paint.

/QUOTE]

I'll echo the advice to not use Turtle wax ceramic on fiberglass. Having had good luck with it on a car I contacted them to ask if it can be used on fiberglass, and there answer was basically no.

However, it can be used on glass, paint, and rubber gaskets. So I am thinking I might give it a go on windows, the black rubber gaskets around them, and the painted aluminum frames. And the black rubber portion of the rub rail.
Click to expand...
 
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