Colored hull waxing.

📅 16. November 2024 ✍️ By Jim Mccoy ⏱️ 10 Mins Read 🗂️ Der Blog 🕒 Last updated: 16. November 2024

CurrentSea

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Oct 25, 2014

So at start of this year I had my colored hull compounded and waxed but by the end of the year the white chalky splotchy pattern was back.

I am told that wax is not good for colored hull. I didn't do it. I had it done but thinking ahead to spring, what should I use. Some say for colored hull the polishes are better like a pro polish or polyglow.

Anchor Management

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Oct 25, 2014

I have a pewter hull and experienced the same. I knew this going into it when I purchased the boat and had factored in having it painted in the spring but am going to pay a pro to wet sand it instead to see how that holds up. BTW, the quote to paint was 20 grand and although I have no idea what it will cost to wet sand, it has to be considerably cheaper so I figured the wet sanding was worth a shot before I go the painting route. I Have no idea what it will cost but when it gets pulled I'm going to get a quote and share with you.

cmariner32

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Oct 25, 2014

Forget Polyglop, but I have had pretty good luck with Buff Magic followed up with Pro Polish. On a newer boat like yours, I'm surprised that you are experiencing fade this early. My '89 Carver makes it thru a long sunny summer in Florida before it needs redone.

CurrentSea

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Oct 26, 2014

It's not a fade. It's more of like whitish or different colored areas. Looks great when I use a polymer type wax. Boat came from lake norman and there was a lot of white stains on boat from like limestone in water or minerals. I am not gonna paint. Not sure I trust my regular wax crew to wet sand.

cmariner32

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Oct 27, 2014

High mineral content water will leave whitish stains. Testing using a weak acid like vinegar to see if it removes the stains, or for stronger cleaning, diluted muratic acid should remove the stains immediately. Wiping and rinsing right away with plenty of fresh water should not hard the gel coat. Blue gel coat, if that is what it is, seems to be problematic with Mother Nature and Sun. Constant buff and wax/polish is the only solution.

CurrentSea

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Oct 28, 2014

My boat is like a dark brown/taupe. Other regal was the light brown which showed less white.

CaptCrunch

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Oct 28, 2014

with my blue hull on the donzi it is a nightmare to keep up with. I use 3m heavy duty compound followed by two coats of a polishing compound then a sealer wax.

pdecat

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Oct 28, 2014

colored hulls are very problematic for me, dark colors the worst. The color does indeed fade. You can restore the wet look for a while but in my experience the white blotchy look returns. Sometimes quickly.
I guess that's why many paints say they are not photo chemically reactive.

DogDaze

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Oct 29, 2014

I second the suggestion to stay away from Poli-Glo... Poli-Glo would maybe be OK for a really old old boat where nothing else will work.. but it's basically like glorified Floor Wax IMO.. you wouldn't want to put it on a nice boat like your Regal.

I'd also try to avoid the wet sand option for as long as you can.. (last I knew, Gel Coat don't grow back)
I'd suggest a good compound & professional who can make it look like new & then a good Polish to seal it.. I used ProPolish on our topside this year and it looked great all season... I would think a product like RejeX would also suffice. Anything that is a polymer based coating.. -j

CurrentSea

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Oct 29, 2014

Was thinking of doing the buff magic and pro polish.
I did use professinal last year and every year, but I have a feeling they are using ordinary wax and not the polymer stuff.

Harlan

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Oct 29, 2014

I just used Meguiar's Cold Class Carnauba Plus on my RV. It gave an outstanding shine and is easy to apply. Apply and wait at least 30 minutes to wipe off, the longer you leave it on, the easier it is to wipe off.
May want to take a peek at it.

cmariner32

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Oct 29, 2014

If you leave it on long enough...does it remove itself by itself??? I gotta get me some of dat!!!!!!!!...it's a joke..doncha know a joke when ya hear one?

Harlan

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Oct 30, 2014

I think, if you leave it on long and cruise in at least 4 ft. seas, it may fall off.
H

PJS

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Oct 30, 2014

I generally use toilet bowl cleaner gel (with acid ingredients) on my blue hull which takes away the vast majority of the whiteish mineral deposits. In particularly difficult areas I'll use 3M Compound by hand. Then I apply a couple of coats of polymer polish and it looks great again. I do not use Buff Magic on the blue hull but do find it works well on the white gel coat areas.

vic33004

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Oct 30, 2014

quote:
Originally posted by CurrentSea

generally white chalk is oxidation. the only way to remove it is with wax, compound or sanding depending how badly oxidized the surface is. all of the above have abrasives in them and remove some of the gel coat in the process. wax being the least abrasive of the 3 noted. best advice is to wax only if it removes the oxidation and keep as much of the gel coat as you can. eventually it burns thru and you have no choice but to either re gel coat or paint, both are costly options over regular maint.

JVM225

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Nov 2, 2014

It sounds like you have chalking that needs to be, at the very least, polished out.
Polish is not wax, and wax is not polish.
If you hire someone to correct the finish on your boat that tells you they are the same thing, hold on to your wallet and run quickly away.
Wax is really just a protective coat. Some waxes are "Cleaner Wax", generally meaning they have a solvent content in them that will clean off some light stains or loosen dirt. Garry's is a popular "Cleaner Wax" that a lot of boat guys use. I use it myself for in between stuff. It will probably clean a chalky finish and make it shine temporarily, but it doesn't correct the problem and the chalking will re-appear when the Garry's wears off.
Polish is not a wax. It is a diminishing abrasive. It is a gentler, milder, finer version of compound. The next most aggressive thing after a compound is wet sanding.
Once you wet sand, you need to compound out the marring that the sanding causes, and then polish out the area you compounded to bring out a clear, clean shine.
The last thing you do is coat it with a wax, or a synthetic sealant, designed for use on boats, to protect the finish. Your choice. But you MUST protect the surface with one or the other. If you don't, the UV Rays and other elements will destroy your finish. There should be no need for a "Cleaner Wax" after you polish because the surface should be clean.
The golden rule is to always start with the least aggressive method when trying to correct a finish. That would be polish. If polish doesn't take away the chalking, then move on to compounding, if that doesn't work then, it's time to wet sand.
You will need a good rotary (not random orbital) machine, and the appropriate wool pad. There is a wool pad for polish, and another more aggressive one to use with compound.
Random orbital machines are fantastic for cars, I have two good ones that I use frequently myself, but they are no match for the tough gel coat on your boat.
I have a Makita 9227 rotary that I love and highly recommend. But, I do my boat myself, and detailing cars is a hobby of mine. I've heard of others who are just occasional users that have had great success with a cheap rotary from Harbor Freight, but I have no experience with that machine.

Harlan

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Nov 2, 2014

"I've heard of others who are just occasional users that have had great success with a cheap rotary from Harbor Freight, but I have no experience with that machine".

I've used the cheap Harbor Freight rotary and the more expensive ones, my experience, it's not the polisher, it's the pads.

JVM225

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Nov 2, 2014

quote:
Originally posted by Harlan

I've heard of others who are just occasional users that have had great success with a cheap rotary from Harbor Freight, but I have no experience with that machine.

I've used the cheap Harbor Freight rotary and the more expensive ones, my experience, it's not the polisher, it's the pads.

Click to expand...

The right pad and product probably do have more to do with it than the machine itself. I have the Makita because I use it a lot, and like any other tool that you use a lot, it is usually better to go with something a little more expensive.
But for someone who uses it once or twice a year, the Harbor Freight version is probably more than good enough.

Anchor Management

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Nov 14, 2014

Still haven't decided on polishing or wet sanding. I agree with the least abrasive to start with. If in fact I do decide to wet sand, does anyone have experience on how long I could expect it to last before the chalk comes back? Quite frankly, it really is not that bad but it bothers me and I would like to correct. Btw, the color is pewter.

JVM225

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Nov 15, 2014

quote:
Originally posted by Anchor Management

Still haven't decided on polishing or wet sanding. I agree with the least abrasive to start with. If in fact I do decide to wet sand, does anyone have experience on how long I could expect it to last before the chalk comes back? Quite frankly, it really is not that bad but it bothers me and I would like to correct. Btw, the color is pewter.

Click to expand...

If done properly, and then maintained, it shouldn't come back.
That's the difference between correcting a surface, and just putting an all in one type product on to clean the chalking and make it shine for a while.