- Nov 26, 2006
- 7,628
- Boat Info
- 2008 44 Sedan Bridge
- Engines
- Cummins QSC-500's
Straight Drives
I received a box of Leverage products earlier this week. They were just in time for Spring touch up on the top 1/2 of the boat.
I am going to be brutally honest with my assessment (not necessarily bad, just honest).
Leverage Oxidation Remover "The Heavy Cut Compound":
Dark tan colored - no hiding splatter or missed spots.
Very thin liquid - I swear I wasted at least 1/2 trying to get it to the surface. My initial impression was that it was difficult to work with because it would run everywhere.
I was working on the front, top 1/2 of the boat which is white gel coat and diamond non-skid surface. This is the worst part of the boat for oxidation. Most areas had some light oxidation. Just below the windshield it was moderate.
I used a Makita Rotary Buffer with a Wool pad. I tried settings 1 - 4. 4 is too high. The instructions say to apply to the surface - I agree. The least waste was achieved by shaking the bottle, squirting some on the surface (I used a line about 2 - 3 feet long), then spreading it around with the buffing pad manually (not turning buffer on), then starting on setting 1, then 2, then finally 3. The area I worked on is fully of turns, bends, windows, rails, windlass... It's not the big, easy part. It was a bit of work, but not due to the product, just the shape. Other than the initial splatter, it's pretty easy to work with. I don't like the color - it's the color of burned gel coat, so, when you see an area of tan, you don't know if you should buff it or quit buffing it.
EDIT: As always, when done, I had a mess on the non-skid surface. I used a plastic brush to get the dried compound out. It left the non-skid a light-tan color (other products leave their color too). I need to clean and treat the non-skid. The polish is not for non-skid!
After a normal application which took about 2 - 3 hours on the bow of my 340 (in the water), the job was done. It was obvious for the first time since I bought my 340 (used, 2 years old, South Florida) that I was actually looking at the original white gel coat as Sea Ray intended it to be. This may be, in part, due to the fact that this is the third compounding that I have given to this section of the boat. I was never quite satisfied before, but now, I'm sure that I'm looking at white gel and not any oxidation.
So, though the product is a little tough to work with without splattering it everywhere, it does take light to moderate oxidation down to pure gel coat without multiple applications. There is a little dust when done, but much less than with other products. I used 10 oz of the 16 oz bottle to do the front 1/2, top 1/2 of the boat, which is a lot. It's more like doing a wet compounding without grit than a dry, gritty compounding. It's like it's a chemical compounding more than a physical one, but I don't know the chemistry if it is.
Leverage Polish, Cleaner and UV Protectant:
Light blue colored - Not too easy to see on white surface in outdoor lighting
Very thin liquid - same as water
This is the final coat stuff - no wax required
The instructions say to use a soft terry cloth towel. A towel would have used an entire bottle, so I used a paper towel. This is not a buff-on product. It is wipe-on, let dry, then buff off by HAND with a soft towel. I did the entire front of the boat (top 1/2) with 2 paper towels in about 20 minutes. It goes on very easily. The instructions say to shake briefly, then apply. 1/2 way through, while shaking briefly, the straw inside the bottle came loose from the top. Easy fix.
End result: These products left the gel with a perfectly smooth, like new finish without any color variations or texture variations. It looks perfectly smooth. In the pictures below, you'll see the port bow before application (due to lighting), and the reflection of the sunset in the starboard bow (due to lighting). They were identical to start. Note the purity of the bow rail and the island, and the sun in the reflection. I am truly impressed with the products after 1 day. Time will tell about how long the polish lasts.
Summary:
Don't like the color of the compound, but that's just me
Compound goes quickly due to being so thin
Compound gets down to the gel coat with average buffing on a lightly oxidized surface
Polish goes on/off quickly and easlily with little effort
Final result is a very consistent and bright shine which is as good as, if not better than new. (Pictures loading if not already up)
Before - note chalky white above porthole
After:
I am going to be brutally honest with my assessment (not necessarily bad, just honest).
Leverage Oxidation Remover "The Heavy Cut Compound":
Dark tan colored - no hiding splatter or missed spots.
Very thin liquid - I swear I wasted at least 1/2 trying to get it to the surface. My initial impression was that it was difficult to work with because it would run everywhere.
I was working on the front, top 1/2 of the boat which is white gel coat and diamond non-skid surface. This is the worst part of the boat for oxidation. Most areas had some light oxidation. Just below the windshield it was moderate.
I used a Makita Rotary Buffer with a Wool pad. I tried settings 1 - 4. 4 is too high. The instructions say to apply to the surface - I agree. The least waste was achieved by shaking the bottle, squirting some on the surface (I used a line about 2 - 3 feet long), then spreading it around with the buffing pad manually (not turning buffer on), then starting on setting 1, then 2, then finally 3. The area I worked on is fully of turns, bends, windows, rails, windlass... It's not the big, easy part. It was a bit of work, but not due to the product, just the shape. Other than the initial splatter, it's pretty easy to work with. I don't like the color - it's the color of burned gel coat, so, when you see an area of tan, you don't know if you should buff it or quit buffing it.
EDIT: As always, when done, I had a mess on the non-skid surface. I used a plastic brush to get the dried compound out. It left the non-skid a light-tan color (other products leave their color too). I need to clean and treat the non-skid. The polish is not for non-skid!
After a normal application which took about 2 - 3 hours on the bow of my 340 (in the water), the job was done. It was obvious for the first time since I bought my 340 (used, 2 years old, South Florida) that I was actually looking at the original white gel coat as Sea Ray intended it to be. This may be, in part, due to the fact that this is the third compounding that I have given to this section of the boat. I was never quite satisfied before, but now, I'm sure that I'm looking at white gel and not any oxidation.
So, though the product is a little tough to work with without splattering it everywhere, it does take light to moderate oxidation down to pure gel coat without multiple applications. There is a little dust when done, but much less than with other products. I used 10 oz of the 16 oz bottle to do the front 1/2, top 1/2 of the boat, which is a lot. It's more like doing a wet compounding without grit than a dry, gritty compounding. It's like it's a chemical compounding more than a physical one, but I don't know the chemistry if it is.
Leverage Polish, Cleaner and UV Protectant:
Light blue colored - Not too easy to see on white surface in outdoor lighting
Very thin liquid - same as water
This is the final coat stuff - no wax required
The instructions say to use a soft terry cloth towel. A towel would have used an entire bottle, so I used a paper towel. This is not a buff-on product. It is wipe-on, let dry, then buff off by HAND with a soft towel. I did the entire front of the boat (top 1/2) with 2 paper towels in about 20 minutes. It goes on very easily. The instructions say to shake briefly, then apply. 1/2 way through, while shaking briefly, the straw inside the bottle came loose from the top. Easy fix.
End result: These products left the gel with a perfectly smooth, like new finish without any color variations or texture variations. It looks perfectly smooth. In the pictures below, you'll see the port bow before application (due to lighting), and the reflection of the sunset in the starboard bow (due to lighting). They were identical to start. Note the purity of the bow rail and the island, and the sun in the reflection. I am truly impressed with the products after 1 day. Time will tell about how long the polish lasts.
Summary:
Don't like the color of the compound, but that's just me
Compound goes quickly due to being so thin
Compound gets down to the gel coat with average buffing on a lightly oxidized surface
Polish goes on/off quickly and easlily with little effort
Final result is a very consistent and bright shine which is as good as, if not better than new. (Pictures loading if not already up)
Before - note chalky white above porthole
After:
Last edited:
