OK folks......let's hear how you keep your Sea Ray shining and looking like new! Tell us what your "shine routine" is and what products you use. A couple of pictures wouldn't hurt either. :grin:
The official boat polishing thread !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Dave S
- Start date
slack250
New Member
Yea, alright Dave! Good post :smt038
I use meguiars exclusively and love the results. www.meguiars.com When we purchased the boat, it had some oxidation problems and what kinda chalky. I used the 3 step oxidation box meguiars offers. It was very easy to apply and worked very well. I'm now going to use their "flag ship" products once I'm out of their regular line.
To apply the cleaner, polish, wax, I used a Porter Cable 7424. http://portercable.cpoworkshop.com/polishers/7424.html?ref=googaw445
It works well, has different sizes of polishing heads that allow you to get just about anywhere on the hull. The pictures on the web make the 7424 look a lot larger than it really is and it's fairly light too. I'd recommend this purchase to all boat owners, thos wal-mart specials car buffers just don't hold up.
I use meguiars exclusively and love the results. www.meguiars.com When we purchased the boat, it had some oxidation problems and what kinda chalky. I used the 3 step oxidation box meguiars offers. It was very easy to apply and worked very well. I'm now going to use their "flag ship" products once I'm out of their regular line.
To apply the cleaner, polish, wax, I used a Porter Cable 7424. http://portercable.cpoworkshop.com/polishers/7424.html?ref=googaw445
It works well, has different sizes of polishing heads that allow you to get just about anywhere on the hull. The pictures on the web make the 7424 look a lot larger than it really is and it's fairly light too. I'd recommend this purchase to all boat owners, thos wal-mart specials car buffers just don't hold up.
slack250
New Member
Maybe this thread should be moved to maintenance??? (Maybe not) :smt101
280 SeaRay
New Member
Step 1 - Wait for it to rain
Step 2 - Pull that custom blue tarp off the boat
Step 3 - Hope it rains hard enough to clean all the dirt off...
:grin:
Kidding guys just kidding....
Step 2 - Pull that custom blue tarp off the boat
Step 3 - Hope it rains hard enough to clean all the dirt off...
:grin:
Kidding guys just kidding....
slack250
New Member
HA HA HA!!!! Yea, right, with your cleaning educate!
Nice to hear from ya! Now, let's hear the the secret to your sparkling hull!
Nice to hear from ya! Now, let's hear the the secret to your sparkling hull!
- Oct 6, 2006
- 12,153
- Boat Info
- 1996 450DA
- Engines
- 3116 Caterpillars
Mr Webster are we still using the excuss that my boat is too big? :lol:
Welcome SeaRay 280, make sure to include the slippers in the SeaRay280 Cleaning Program. :thumbsup: I
Wesley
Welcome SeaRay 280, make sure to include the slippers in the SeaRay280 Cleaning Program. :thumbsup: I
Wesley
280 SeaRay said:
Welcome aboard "280 SeaRay" we missed you. What do you mean you were kidding. I thought it sounded good to me if it works. Only question is how do we get the wax on it now before we put the cover back on :smt043
slack250
New Member
Hey, hey, hey now. If I could have a boat that big, NO PROBLEM!!! A shiney contest would be on!!! :smt038
280 SeaRay
New Member
Guys I gotta tell ya... Franks gel is in spectacular better than showroom condition.... I had the privilege of seeing it first hand.
I have had excellent results with Meguiars products in the past.
Light scratching and any dock rub (not that we ever do that) I have used Meguiars Color Restorer with good results.
Polishing I have used Meguiars Boat Polish.... it is a pure polish... so wont do a much for light scratching.... maybe the really really light stuff. It is a oil rich formula....
Wax I have used the Pure Wax from Meguiars with good results.... the Flagship wax has been on and off for me... sometimes I get a good wax job and sometimes it seems to not last very long.... not sure what the difference is but each bottle seems to vary.
I use a Porter Cable thus far for any Color Restorer or Polishing work. I will likely be obtaining an regular orbital as well. As far as pads go I like the Megs polishing pads.... I will sometimes do the first polish with a polishing pad and finish with a second polish and a finishing pad. I always do my 2 thin coats of wax by hand. Let the wax sit for at least as long as the bottle says....
I have been turned on to 2 different abrasive-less products recently that I have not yet tried.... the first was Yacht Bright buff magic.... the SR guys used this product with an orbital on the gel after sanding was completed.... they used this stuff at the factory as well. The second is a product I cannot remember the name.... a good friend sent me a little sample.... I have not yet tried these products but am excited to do so.....
I am much more challenged now as the boat lives outside..... much more dirt..... especially dust... as we easily go 6 months with no rain at all around these parts. A weekly wash is a must to keep things looking new.... dirt is the root of all evil.... errr... ummm something like that. Use a good quality boat soap. I like 303 on the "weird texture" dash areas and all rubber, plastic or vinyl on the boat. Keeps stains off... and colors stay the same.
The process take me forever... as I spend a great deal of time evaluating the finish and marking spots with blue painters tape prior to beginning.... detailing a boat... is almost as fun as running it.... and just a little more fun than working on it :smt001
I have had excellent results with Meguiars products in the past.
Light scratching and any dock rub (not that we ever do that) I have used Meguiars Color Restorer with good results.
Polishing I have used Meguiars Boat Polish.... it is a pure polish... so wont do a much for light scratching.... maybe the really really light stuff. It is a oil rich formula....
Wax I have used the Pure Wax from Meguiars with good results.... the Flagship wax has been on and off for me... sometimes I get a good wax job and sometimes it seems to not last very long.... not sure what the difference is but each bottle seems to vary.
I use a Porter Cable thus far for any Color Restorer or Polishing work. I will likely be obtaining an regular orbital as well. As far as pads go I like the Megs polishing pads.... I will sometimes do the first polish with a polishing pad and finish with a second polish and a finishing pad. I always do my 2 thin coats of wax by hand. Let the wax sit for at least as long as the bottle says....
I have been turned on to 2 different abrasive-less products recently that I have not yet tried.... the first was Yacht Bright buff magic.... the SR guys used this product with an orbital on the gel after sanding was completed.... they used this stuff at the factory as well. The second is a product I cannot remember the name.... a good friend sent me a little sample.... I have not yet tried these products but am excited to do so.....
I am much more challenged now as the boat lives outside..... much more dirt..... especially dust... as we easily go 6 months with no rain at all around these parts. A weekly wash is a must to keep things looking new.... dirt is the root of all evil.... errr... ummm something like that. Use a good quality boat soap. I like 303 on the "weird texture" dash areas and all rubber, plastic or vinyl on the boat. Keeps stains off... and colors stay the same.
The process take me forever... as I spend a great deal of time evaluating the finish and marking spots with blue painters tape prior to beginning.... detailing a boat... is almost as fun as running it.... and just a little more fun than working on it :smt001
walts
New Member
Jeremy,
Welcome aboard! It's good to hear from you.
Welcome aboard! It's good to hear from you.
slack250
New Member
And the score is:
Meguiars 2 Competition 0
Frank, what do you use?
Meguiars 2 Competition 0
Frank, what do you use?
Nehalennia II
New Member
Again to echo above; the sentiments and glad to see Jeremy has arrived. I use SeaPower and a Starbrite Poly polish with great results but I am not above the Meguiars since it seems so popular. I have used it many years ago but not lately. I just need my boat back from the trailer repair....yes still at the dealer. 6 weeks later :smt021
Attachments
slack250
New Member
Wow, getting it back ... just in time for winter!! :smt009
- Oct 6, 2006
- 12,153
- Boat Info
- 1996 450DA
- Engines
- 3116 Caterpillars
I use that stuff Jeremy said a friend sent him to clean up oxidation, a precleaner where there is no oxidation and a proprietary polymer style polish containing UV inhibitors and teflon.
I find the Porter Cable polisher to be a little small for me so I use a Gem Industries orbital...I think the model number is a BW-C. THe only bad thing about it is the weight...at 16 lbs, you know whan the day is over.
I find the Porter Cable polisher to be a little small for me so I use a Gem Industries orbital...I think the model number is a BW-C. THe only bad thing about it is the weight...at 16 lbs, you know whan the day is over.
Hey Jeremy................nice to hear from you.
I still haven't decided on the products to use on the 260DA yet. I may put Zaino on her since I bought enough to do my 240SD (which is still for sale) and didn't use it. But I'll tell you what........one of the easiest to use and best products I have ever found for "between wax jobs" is Maguairs Quick Wax. Yesterday I put that stuff on my blue hull and in sight of an hour I did the whole thing and man did it sparkle.
Unfortunately the hull is still not up to my standards yet and will require some serious rubbing and polishing to get it the way I want before I apply Zaino or wax or whatever. Right now I just want to enjoy the boat......polishing comes later. :grin:
I still haven't decided on the products to use on the 260DA yet. I may put Zaino on her since I bought enough to do my 240SD (which is still for sale) and didn't use it. But I'll tell you what........one of the easiest to use and best products I have ever found for "between wax jobs" is Maguairs Quick Wax. Yesterday I put that stuff on my blue hull and in sight of an hour I did the whole thing and man did it sparkle.
Unfortunately the hull is still not up to my standards yet and will require some serious rubbing and polishing to get it the way I want before I apply Zaino or wax or whatever. Right now I just want to enjoy the boat......polishing comes later. :grin:
- Oct 3, 2006
- 2,019
- Boat Info
- 04 SeaRay 185Sport, Smart Tabs, Mageln Meridian Gold GPS, Hbird Matrix 87 dept/ff/gps/cp, Uniden vhf
- Engines
- 4.3L 190HP, Alpha 1 1.81 ratio, 14 1/4X21 Turning Point Prop
First, Welcome Jeremy, great to see you here, now the polishing can begin as the master of polish is in the house. :grin: :thumbsup:
Alex D
Active Member
My hullsides look just like Franks ... we compounded the entire boat this year after we bought her and were able to get her back looking like new.
My regimen is as follows:
Once a year I wax the entire boat with Meguiar's Flagship Premium Boat Wax. This tuff is actually a polymer and not a wax. I had very good experience with polymers. They simply outlast wax by two to three X.
Every weekend we are out I wash the hull sides with Starbrite WAsh&Wax also a polymer compound in there.
This regimen and the fact that she's in a covered slip and freshwater lets me get away with just one wax job a year without a problem. The Wash & Wax really supports the Flagship wax job.
My regimen is as follows:
Once a year I wax the entire boat with Meguiar's Flagship Premium Boat Wax. This tuff is actually a polymer and not a wax. I had very good experience with polymers. They simply outlast wax by two to three X.
Every weekend we are out I wash the hull sides with Starbrite WAsh&Wax also a polymer compound in there.
This regimen and the fact that she's in a covered slip and freshwater lets me get away with just one wax job a year without a problem. The Wash & Wax really supports the Flagship wax job.
ImpulseIII
Active Member
'been using Klasse AOI on the hull of my 410 and water is still beading at the end of the season. Topsides get the three step Maguires process. Both are applied with a PC random orbital.
Hey Jeremy, good to see you.
Hey Jeremy, good to see you.
TheAcademy5
New Member
Dave S said:
I had just purchased a 05 vette and was told to you use Zaino and I'll tell ya I'm going to use it on the boat for sure this spring
