So you just used polish? Confused by the blue polish pads vs white or black compounding pads?

 

Those look like green pads to me.

I jumped on the Smoove bandwagon last year and so far, so good. Pro-Cut as needed, but mainly just Bubble Gum. Very easy on and off. I bought the White Cloud and haven't used it yet. They released Ceramic Ice, so I picked that up and used it instead.

Very happy with the results thus far, I'd be even happier if my wash crew didn't use a soap that stripped it off! Needless to say, I'll be providing them Purpleicious in the spring or doing it myself.... it's just too easy to walk up to a freshly washed boat....so I already know the answer to that one!

 

What compound are you thinking of using for the topside? My topside needs help as well. It isn’t bad but not great either. I’ve used Meguiars cleaner wax and put a coat of Woody’s Wax on it, however it’s not doing the trick.

 

What compound are you thinking of using for the topside? My topside needs help as well. They aren’t bad but not great either. I’ve used Meguiars cleaner wax and put a coat of Woody’s Wax on it, however it’s not doing the trick.

Smoove has 3 products. A compound, a polish and a polymer wax. So I’m using their compound “pro cut”.

 

@OllieC, my stern gets the afternoon and evening sun and I never was happy with its gloss. I peeled off the name and hit it with Pro Cut one afternoon...

Funny story on the above picture. My slip neighbor has figured out I can't sit still and chill. I was touching up a small nick and the buffer hit the name, discoloring a small spot. Next thing you know I pulled it off and buffed the whole stern.

A quick hit of BG before launch last year...

And after she was pulled out this past fall, I got a full coat of BG on by hand before covering her up with plastic...

 

@OllieC, my stern gets the afternoon and evening sun and I never was happy with its gloss. I peeled off the name and hit it with Pro Cut one afternoon...

View attachment 119604

Funny story on the above picture. My slip neighbor has figured out I can't sit still and chill. I was touching up a small nick and the buffer hit the name, discoloring a small spot. Next thing you know I pulled it off and buffed the whole stern.

A quick hit of BG before launch last year...

View attachment 119612

And after she was pulled out this past fall, I got a full coat of BG on by hand before covering her up with plastic...

Looks great! I’m ordering. My stern is a little scuffed and dull too. Thanks for the info.

 

I also invested in a Dewalt 20V cordless rotary

and 1 beer got me through one side of the boat

curious if the Dewalt cordless had the torque?

Seriously?….. one Ultra?… one Ultra???

I need 2 real beers just to start thinking about starting

 

Ah yes green. Sometimes I think I’m half color blind. By the looks of those pads I cant figure out if you are using way too much product or I am not using enough lol
I will say that I finally broke down and bought a corded Dewalt. Man what a difference compared to the HF I used for so many years. I mean they all do the trick but the torque was way consistent and the thing didn’t vibrate the hell out of me.

 

Im trying to figure out why you guys go balls to the wall with a rotary when you polish/wax every year. My .02c. The rotarys are for neglected boats. I smoove BG and WC with a 6” porter cable orbital every year and it turns out like glass. After todays work

 

Im trying to figure out why you guys go balls to the wall with a rotary when you polish/wax every year. My .02c. The rotarys are for neglected boats. I smoove BG and WC with a 6” porter cable orbital every year and it turns out like glass. After todays work
View attachment 119623

Blue hull and port sun

 

I had to chuckle at the email I got from West Marine just now. Is this how the pro's polish a boat? I can barely tell if I'm doing it right when my face is 6" away from the surface!

 

I am pondering which product and what polisher to use on the 506 this year. I bought the boat a year ago this month and it had been recently polished. I was so busy with modification and repair projects this year that all I did was wash her down, dreading a complete cut, buff and seal regimen. I am thinking of ordering the smoove system but am looking into buying a lighter weight buffer. I have an ancient classic Makita variable speed corded unit that I have used for years. I am intrigued by the Dewalt cordless unit but I am having a hard time imagining buffing a fifty one foot aft cabin hard top with a 5 inch pad.
Carpe Diem

 

I'm running 9" pads on the Dewalt 20V I showed in the picture in my first post here. Works like a dream.

For a beast of a boat like yours you'll probably need at least 3 batteries (5AH each). I'm not sure you'd be able to charge one quickly enough to run a full side with just two batteries...

 

I'm going to have Mirror Image do mine this spring. Then I'm going to get some quotes for ceramic this summer. My brother in law did his 48 Cruisers (dark blue hull) 2 years ago. It was still looking good last fall after 2 summers.

 

I finally purchased a Shurhold Dual Action machine at the end of last season. Man, what a difference from HF (heavy) long body rotary machine. After washing the season of lake off I ran down both side from the waterline to rub rail in less than 2 hours. I used their black pad with 3M 1 Step. Shurhold is easy to operate (even one handed) nice and lite. I always make one run over the hull with a 1 Step type product prior shrink wrapping for the season.

I'm game for trying some new products this spring before I too outsource this agonizing task to the pros.

 

I ordered a Dewalt 20V Da polisher but am wondering if I should have just ordered the rotary instead. I also ordered the 3M two sided wool pads and the perfect it quick change arbor. I was thinking I could use it on the DA but the DA came with a stick-it pad for 6 inch polishing heads. Should I keep it and order a polisher for cutting and just use the DA for application of the wax/sealant? I am wondering also how well using 8 or 9 inch wool pads will work on the smaller polishing head backer. We started the polish project this weekend and are trying different combinations to see what will work on the 21 year old gelcoat carver used.

 

I don't know anyone that uses wool on an orbital. Ya gotta know what your doin with a rotary. You can buy cutting foam pads that work well. Hop on Autogeek and you can find everything you want and need.

 

My trucks get the Porter Cable to polish and then I apply wax by hand.

 

while certainly more expensive than the porter cable, you should see what a forced rotation DA Polisher can do.
I have this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Flex-XC3401VRG-Positive-Drive-Rotary-Orbital-Polisher/dp/B001DB0NVG
and use Lake Country forced rotation pads when I polish and it comes out incredible (IMHO)

 

I'd own a Flex if I was using one a lot but the Porter Cable is plenty good for my use and I've had for 10+ years so it owes me nothing.

 

Pricey!

 

But.... You get what you pay for.

You can stand on this thing and it will still do its thing. I have that porter cable too and just a hint too much pressure and it stops.

 

What product and machine are you guys using on your topside (bow and gunnel) non-slip surfaces? To remove oxidation, condition/ restore, and shine?

 

I followed this routine. Worked very well.

 

I had all the white above the rub rail contracted out. They did a good job
i removed the back seat cushion and all the bungee poles and snaps on the stern so not to catch on the buffing pads…. Looks really good

Will still do the blue hull myself

 

Made some progress on mine today. Moved from the transom up the port side. Slow and steady...7 weeks to launch? ha.

Today I was actually most impressed with the results of the Smoove. I'm sure it's because my non-skid was neglected. So this result was pretty motivating. That said, it's still shocking to me how little ground I cover in 3 +/- hours of doing this.

 

what pad did you use on it? We have the diamond pattern and it eats foam but I haven’t tried a wool yet

 

Nice job!

I never did my non-skid, are you worried about it being slippery?

 

I’ve always waxed my non skid, never an issue. It drives me crazy how bad it looks if you don’t. This is my first good compounding of it, however.

 

I've been using the Star Brite products on my nonskid for many years. Non-Skid Cleaner w/ PFET and Deck Wax.

 

Ha, I purchased the exact same smaller phone pads a few months ago for doing my car.

 

ordered. thanks guys

 

All the stuff I mentioned when I started this thread. I may switch to a different UV polymer wax for the topside, haven't decided yet. But Smoove compound and polish have been great to me so far. Seems a little easier to work with than Presta in my super novice opinion.

Just curious, did you move to different polymer wax for the topside? Or Procut, BG and then wax?

 

BG has the same polymer top coat in it as White Cloud does....so there really is no need to top it after BG. They have a new ceramic style I'm trying this year though.

 

Made some progress on mine today. Moved from the transom up the port side. Slow and steady...7 weeks to launch? ha.

Today I was actually most impressed with the results of the Smoove. I'm sure it's because my non-skid was neglected. So this result was pretty motivating. That said, it's still shocking to me how little ground I cover in 3 +/- hours of doing this.

Non- skid looks great. Results of using BG or Procut? What wax was used to finish off?

 

Those photos are pro-cut and bubble gum on the non-skid. So far I've skipped waxing the non-skid with that Ferecla above. The BG allegedly has a polymer wax included so wax isn't necessary, if I'm reading it correctly.

Everything is deadly slick to the socked feet right now. Part of me thinks I should leave the non-skid with just the BG finish, avoid any further increase in potential slippery-ness. But I also want it to stay looking like it does for as long as possible. Tough decisions...I'll probably wax it right before launch. I'm the only sucker up on the bow 90% of the time anyway

 

This is what I do on the non skid and have for years. Works well:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...rl=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bev7snuRRY&usg=AOvVaw3KzVhQ5uf63SeM0V3yjrBh

Bennett

 

Well after 2 years of loving my dewalt I had to take it apart and clean the switch and connections. They were coated in white dust and were causing the motor to cut out at 1800RPM

I start polishing Thursday so we’ll see if that fixed it. Very annoying but hopefully it’s either fixed or will only need a new speed control knob

 

Starting on March 31??? Ohh man I think I started on December 31. ha. Of course I don't have exceptional new cabin flooring to enjoy

Funny you mention the dust. I brought a Dewalt electric blower with me to the boat yesterday for the first time. I used it on low to push the compounding dust over the edge as I was working. This was a huge help in keeping the mess down. Doing the topside I get piles and piles of compound dust, especially when doing the non-skid. It's a hot mess.