Yes, another waxing thread...

U

unlvrebel

New Member
Mar 24, 2008
341
Clearwater, FL
Boat Info
2005 220 Sundeck
2002 Dodge Durango 5.9L
Engines
5.0 Merc
OK all of you trailer guys. How do you wax the hull areas that rest on the bunks? Does anyone have a system rigged to lift their boat off of the trailer or do you all just wax around the bunks?
 
To be honest, I only wax as far as I can reach, so I have not done where my boat sits on the bunks. I also do not lay on my back underneath, I just go as far as I can reach which is usually the full front half (as its a vhull) and a foot in from either side on the back half. When washed, the gelcoat under there looks like the day I bought it, so I don't think I'm hurting things by not waxing these areas.

I could be wrong. :)

Just a note, we do not beach our boat and run fresh water 100% of the time. So the bottom of our hull only touches the bunks and the fresh water. Nothing else.
 
Many folks recommend not waxing the bottom of the hull at all claiming that it will actually hinder performance. That being said, I wax only as far as I can reach.
 
I usually Zaino under there(using my car creeper works great on the garage floor), but I've not had good luck getting to the bunk areas. I tried one summer, lifting using my car jack, and some 2x's but wasn't able to do it, where I felt comfortable I wasn't going to hurt my boat, or me, so I abandoned that idea. I have gone under while out on the lake, and taken a sponge, and cleaned that area of the dirt and junk that had accumulated while wearing a mask/snorkel. It worked fairly well, but not the same as having soap/wax on it. I've also tried to set it on the bunks wrong (not that easy(although when it's wavy it seems to be diff. to get it on straight)!) so it was lopsided, in the access, and clean it, then set it on correctly, and that was a bust... so I kind of gave up on it other than the underwater cleaning.

-Garth
ps, this is in 100% freshwater too... but the first time I did this, it was surprisingly dirty, with this brown/black colored dirt. I think there's enough air in there, that bacteria can grow a little there.
 
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jhild said:
Many folks recommend not waxing the bottom of the hull at all claiming that it will actually hinder performance. That being said, I wax only as far as I can reach.
Click to expand...

You my friend have never experienced a fresh coat of wax on the bottom then. I can personally tell you its worth it from everything from my 280, to the jetski. Waxing the bottom will make the boat glide like silk. Worth every coat... Now, don't expect it to last as long as the top does... I use a cheaper, easier coating on the bottom... But what a difference!!!

That quote must have come from the guy who lost a bet and had to wax a buddies boat....
 
beachcombersc said:
That quote must have come from the guy who lost a bet and had to wax a buddies boat....
Click to expand...

:lol::smt043:lol:

That's too funny.

Seriously, one would think that there would be a way to accomplish this and that it would be beneficial to wax anything that is exposed. If it weren't necessary to wax area on the bunk then why is it necessary to wax anything below the waterline? Furthermore, why wax anything at all? This is hyperbole of course. I understand the importance of waxing (my wife really likes it:wow:) but I would think it should be an all proposition.

This sounds like a good project for my father, a former metal fabricator. Three 3 to 4 ton jacks, some metal, some carpet and see what we can make...
 
beachcombersc said:
You my friend have never experienced a fresh coat of wax on the bottom then. I can personally tell you its worth it from everything from my 280, to the jetski. Waxing the bottom will make the boat glide like silk. Worth every coat... Now, don't expect it to last as long as the top does... I use a cheaper, easier coating on the bottom... But what a difference!!!
Click to expand...

That's why I do it, it seems like it's more slippery(faster?) in the water after I wax(Zaino - not a wax, but a long lasting polish) it. I use Zaino, since it lasts longer than any thing else I've used (I use it on both my cars and boats) so I don't have to do it quite so often, yet still keep it very water repellent. I also find Zaino goes on/off faster and easier than just about anything else. truly wipe on, wipe off...

Check out this durability test.

http://forums.roadfly.com/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=5504326&page=1

-Garth
 
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Boat faster with a waxed bottom? Any proof to this? You might feel better about it and think it's faster but is it like after you get your car washed and waxed does it go faster because there is less friction? Kinda hard to believe.
 
Sounds like an episode for Myth Busters! :smt038


I just waxed my 185 from top to bottom this weekend. 4 hours and didn't try to do the bunk areas. Funny though, I was laying there yesterday, under the boat, thinking about posting the same question to the board. Very timely...:smt043
 
Geurk said:
To be honest, I only wax as far as I can reach, so I have not done where my boat sits on the bunks. I also do not lay on my back underneath, I just go as far as I can reach which is usually the full front half (as its a vhull) and a foot in from either side on the back half. When washed, the gelcoat under there looks like the day I bought it, so I don't think I'm hurting things by not waxing these areas.
Click to expand...

Ditto:thumbsup:
 
I have seen some documented tests many years ago done by a jetski magazine concerning this very subject. At that time it was determined that waxing actually slows you down. It seems that with the wax causing such a clean smooth surface, it causes the hull to stick to the water, causing friction thus slowing you down. A dirty, rough surface as it moves along actually brings air under the hull, disconnecting it from the water surface reducing drag. This has been proven on the go fast boats,as you'll notice, they incorporate air steps in the hull to introduce air in a much larger scale. Jet ski racers actually take their brand new hulls and scratch the heck out of them with 36 grit sand paper to roughen the bottom,and drag air under breaking the suction, whereas if there is the slightest concave area on the bottom it has to be removed by filling in because this causes a vacuum pulling the hull down into the water as the boat moves forward.(This really is like rocket science)
 
So what it really comes down to is that it isn't necessary to wax or clean anything below the waterline because no one really sees it? Am I translating this correctly?
 
Sounds like we need a volunteer to test this all out.... go fast - then wax on/wax off and go fast again....:smt001

Beachcomber - the article you linked to spoke about surface tension which is what I had always heard. The wax creates the slippery surface which can increase the amount of surface tension and in turn increase the friction. Not sure I actually understand it - but I think I'll just keep up on the bottom paint.
 
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