buffing out oxidized paint

[anaisdog]

below is an image of medium grit rubbing compound, on my blue paint, that a friend decided to do, to show me how dirty my boat is and how oxidized the paint is.  the problem is, so much blue came off that it gummed up the buffer.  I bought
Star brite Premium Cleaner Wax with PTEF to use on my boat, before he did this but i realize i should clean the boat, then use the buffer so as to not gum it up.  is the Cleaner/wax okay to use, before the buffing compound or should i use something else, in this special case?

thanks

becki kain

[KWKloeber]

becki,

YES!!!  The boat should be clean, otherwise you're compounding the easily-removable removable dirt into the gel coat.


JTSO, others' mileage may differ:
A cleaner/wax is the worst of both worlds.  Would you take a shower, save the water, and rinse off using the same water with all the dirt you took off??   If you want to really save time, just mix the rubbing compound into the cleaner/wax -- and apply all at once.

The BEST I've found -- BY FAR, (JTSO, OMMV) is Collinite fiberglass cleaner, and Collinite Boat Wax (Insulator Wax is the same product at a lower price.) Not the Fleetwax (cleaner/wax.)

By hand on a small section, try the least abrasive compound first, even just the Collinite cleaner, before going to a more aggressive grit. You'll be very sorry of you burn through the colored gel coat (it happens) with the wrong compound and/or buffer.

Using a buffer takes the RIGHT one, with the RIGHT SPEED, and experience.  Otherwise, do it by hand.   You have to compound differently than polishing.  If the buffer is caking up when compounding, you may have the wrong buffer.  A variable speed buffer  is best for multiple uses.

kk

[Stu Jackson]

1.  A cleaner/wax is the worst of both worlds.  Would you take a shower, save the water, and rinse off using the same water with all the dirt you took off??   If you want to really save time, just mix the rubbing compound into the cleaner/wax -- and apply all at once.

2.  The BEST I've found -- BY FAR, (JTSO, OMMV) is Collinite fiberglass cleaner, and Collinite Boat Wax (Insulator Wax is the same product at a lower price.) Not the Fleetwax (cleaner/wax.)

1.  Too true.

2.  Yes. 

becki,

Here's the Holy Grail:

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/tips-for-a-great-buff-wax.117266/

by Maine Sail

[KWKloeber]

2.  Yes. 

becki,

I'll relay a true experience from 1994....

When we bought the C30, we cleaned, prepped, and waxed her while she was still on the hard (actually before the deal closed, but that's another story.)   It took a while to get the vinyl guy arranged, so he applied the graphics after she was in the slip.

He apologized for needing to use his super-duper high-tech auto-refinisher Dupont dewaxer/cleaner with a mild scrubby and screw up our new wax job, but.... it's easy to wax over the finished job.

He applied the port side first, doing his normal apply, smooth out any bubbles, burnish the backing paper to get his superior bond. 

he proudly peeled off the backing paper -- and the vinyl literally peeled back off still attached.   "Hmmmm... I must not have used enough dewaxer.."   So he tried again with a new scrap piece of vinyl.  Same deal.  "Whatever wax did you use on this boat??"

The next day he called Collinite.  The owner laughed and said, "You're not going to get it off with any dewaxer.  You have to use mild compound on a 3M pad, then our fiberglass cleaner.  And then do a test check before you apply it again."

So the next weekend, by hand, I removed all the Collinite we had just applied.  Quite large areas, unfortunately.

kk

[anaisdog]

thank you everyone!  i had taken an "old dog's" advice on the cleaner/waxer brand and now have like 4 bottles of it.  guess i'll be using it up this year but using the 2 part next year!

[anaisdog]

Ken, how much of the cleaner and wax would i need, for my 34, do you think?

thanks

[KWKloeber]

thank you everyone!  i had taken an "old dog's" advice on the cleaner/waxer brand and now have like 4 bottles of it.  guess i'll be using it up this year but using the 2 part next year!

Do yourself a big favor and use it on something else -- !!  or return/exchange it???!!

I had some leftover (still do.) -- I use it below on the liner -- clean non-stick surface helps prevent mold/mildew, or on other things I don't care that much about and are "clean" before waxing -- i.e., spars, any stainless, etc.

Stu -- what do you think 5 bottles each as a safe number. just for the topsidea?  I think I use 3 each on the 30.  CRS, though.

kk

[anaisdog]

i can't return it, it was from amazon.  what did you use it on to use it up?  the liner?  like the ceiling?

[KWKloeber]

On the liner ANYwhere    NOT the sole. LOL

And other places I mentioned. Stainless.  Power cord. Whatever else you may want to protect. On or off the boat.

If it was fulfilled by Amazon, you can return it.
Shipped direct from others, questionable.

k

[anaisdog]

amazon says "This item isn't eligible for return.
This item can't be returned since it requires special transportation and handling which we can't provide. Use the Contact us button for help addressing your issue. "

so i'm contacting them

[KWKloeber]

amazon says "This item isn't eligible for return.
This item can't be returned since it requires special transportation and handling which we can't provide. Use the Contact us button for help addressing your issue. "

so i'm contacting them

Sell it to the OLD SALT friend. LOL!!

[anaisdog]

i probably will!

[Noah]

BTW Becki- your hull is gelcoat not paint. Unless someone after the fact painted a new bootstripe.

[anaisdog]

then what would be blue coming off?  though i was not the one buffing, i wasn't there.  thanks

[KWKloeber]

, i wasn't there.  thanks

Sounds like an auto shop scam "hey lady look here .... while we were changing your tire your muffler fell off.  It's  right here -- we put a new one on for you".  😂

Seriously though, it's blue gel coat. Colored gel coat is "softer" because of the pigments, same as (think FORD) an auto with a dark paint job is more susceptible to oxidation and environmental pitting than  a white vehicle.