Spring Buff - product change

Geowh said:
Do you only use Elevate now? (vs Elevate and Ignition) Do you do a two step process with Elevate- white wool followed by yellow? What's your pads and process?
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If the boat is in good condition, I am pretty sure that most would be happy with just Elevate. I am a little crazy and use quite a bit of lights to try to make sure I don't have any swirls.

White wool with Elevate and a good technique will be fine for most people. You can buy a yellow wool pad and use Ignition which would give you good results with the proper technique on a rotary polisher. The best option would be a few microfiber polishing pads on a DA with Ignition.
 
Carver370 said:
If the boat is in good condition, I am pretty sure that most would be happy with just Elevate. I am a little crazy and use quite a bit of lights to try to make sure I don't have any swirls.

White wool with Elevate and a good technique will be fine for most people. You can buy a yellow wool pad and use Ignition which would give you good results with the proper technique on a rotary polisher. The best option would be a few microfiber polishing pads on a DA with Ignition.
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firecadet613 said:
I didn't switch - I have been using Smoove for a few years now and bought some Starke to help with an area of oxidation I was trying to clean up. Starke didn't deliver in time...so I used Smoove, with a new 3" rotary I picked up. As you can see above, it did great...

http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/spring-buff-product-change.107865/page-6#post-1319073 has links to the polisher and the pads I bought...

I haven't even opened up the $250 box of Starke that came in yet...
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You did a 35' boat with a 3" DA orbital?
firecadet613 said:
I didn't switch - I have been using Smoove for a few years now and bought some Starke to help with an area of oxidation I was trying to clean up. Starke didn't deliver in time...so I used Smoove, with a new 3" rotary I picked up. As you can see above, it did great...

http://clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/spring-buff-product-change.107865/page-6#post-1319073 has links to the polisher and the pads I bought...

I haven't even opened up the $250 box of Starke that came in yet...
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You did a 35'boat with a 3" DA orbital? Why not a larger 5-6" DA?
 
Geowh said:
You did a 35' boat with a 3" DA orbital?

You did a 35'boat with a 3" DA orbital? Why not a larger 5-6" DA?
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I did a small section above my rub rail with a 3" rotary - not a DA. I only had to wax the rest of my boat...which I used a 6" on. The 6" was too big to get into the angles I needed too...
 
I use a hose end foam gun too. I still use a brush or mitt but the gun is awesome. I’ll find a link to the one I use. My only gripe is it will go through soap like nobody’s business so you have to dilute the canister.
 
Here is a version I use. These can also be found for under $20 at china freight.
Ohuhu Car Wash Foam Gun, Car Wash Soap Sprayer with 3/8" Brass Connector & Car Washing Mitts, Dual Filtration, 6 Levels of Foam Concentration, Quick Connect to Most Garden Hose (Green) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LMYXKKM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WBRAZPHSAD4CET86X3ZC
I spray down the deck and use that chamois mop attachment to my pole. Swash it around. On the sides I spray the foam gun and then use mitt.
You can control soap use by dialing it back to 2 or 3. 5 looks like you are attending a boat race or something with the amount of foam lol
 
Strecker25 said:
I use a hose end foam gun too. I still use a brush or mitt but the gun is awesome. I’ll find a link to the one I use. My only gripe is it will go through soap like nobody’s business so you have to dilute the canister.
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You only put a few ounces of soap then fill with water. So with 128 ounce container. That is at least 64 washes if not more
 
I bought a foam cannon and tried it at home on the wife's car before taking it to the boat. Not a very warm day and even just pulling the car from the garage I was amazed quickly the soap dried...

Not too impressed and the little black sprayer easily falls out...I could see that going in the lake...

The one I bought the end of the sprayer (when you removed the cup assembly) was metal....I prefer rubber on my hose sprayer ends to avoid chipping gelcoat if it's dropped.
 
Strecker25 said:
Ok, I’m a believer now. This is one coat of hybrid sealant. It’s a buildup product so I’ll be adding a second pass before it splashed

the ignition product is a little difficult in cold conditions, 45* and windy today, but it comes off without residue
View attachment 123788
View attachment 123790
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Looks great Ryan! I'm considering the same process however I'm not sure I'm going to start with Restructure but go to Elevate. Since you did Restructure and Elevate above your rub rail (and not below) I'm interested to know if you thought it was worth the extra step? Also, in your polishing step with Ignition you mentioned using a black foam pad. Did you use this on a rotary or a DA or? Did it remove all the swirls? Are you happy with the results with Starke?
 
Geowh said:
Looks great Ryan! I'm considering the same process however I'm not sure I'm going to start with Restructure but go to Elevate. Since you did Restructure and Elevate above your rub rail (and not below) I'm interested to know if you thought it was worth the extra step? Also, in your polishing step with Ignition you mentioned using a black foam pad. Did you use this on a rotary or a DA or? Did it remove all the swirls? Are you happy with the results with Starke?
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I am not even considering going to Starke based on the names….. ignition, elevate, restructure ????….. what happened to compound, polish and wax…. Where those names taken?….
 
Blueone said:
I am not even considering going to Starke based on the names….. ignition, elevate, restructure ????….. what happened to compound, polish and wax…. Where those names taken?….
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Haha I had the same thoughts on the names.

@Geowh I haven't seen anyone talk about this as much as you without starting on their boat. Order it up and wheel it out...
 
firecadet613 said:
Haha I had the same thoughts on the names. .
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Not that smoove is any better with cloud and bubblegum. You see how I roll …wax is frickn wax …3M calls it like they see it.. stop goofing around with names ….geez

49951A8D-AD37-4F26-9F39-54626589C155.jpeg
 
Geowh said:
Looks great Ryan! I'm considering the same process however I'm not sure I'm going to start with Restructure but go to Elevate. Since you did Restructure and Elevate above your rub rail (and not below) I'm interested to know if you thought it was worth the extra step? Also, in your polishing step with Ignition you mentioned using a black foam pad. Did you use this on a rotary or a DA or? Did it remove all the swirls? Are you happy with the results with Starke?
Click to expand...

Yes, worth the extra step and would have been needed on the whole boat if I hadn't compounded below the rub rail last year with 3M imperial polish. Elevate isn't aggressive enough to take out the oxidation I had, especially above the rail.

Everything I did is with a rotary, I haven't seen any swirls at all once done with ignition. Elevate did leave a little bit of swirl if that would have been the final step

so far so good in terms of results but I've only been in the water for 2 weeks and it has yet to break 70* so its not much stress on the finish
 
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