Meguiar's #4 or #84 for extreme fiberglass oxidation

[AndrewOSU]

+1 on the 3M compound, wool pads, rotary buffer, and lots of pressure. I few years ago I had a crew of 4 guys and a girl buffing out a 50' Sea Ray Sundancer that had never been waxed. It was chalky white and filthy. Make sure you wash it extremely well with the strongest cleaner you have at your disposal. Then tear into it with the 3M Marine Compound and LOTS of twisted wool pads. Run the buffer at medium/high speed and put a lot of pressure on it (but keep it moving). It took us all 5 days to finish it, but got it looking brand new in the end.

If there's a stripe or any colors on the boat, make sure you're using separate pads for the fiberglass and the vinyl decals (you can actually burn some of the color into the white fiberglass if you use the same pad).

And FWIW, I have been professionally detailing boats for over 10 years. I have used every compound you can ever imagine. And I have NEVER burned through gelcoat; not one single time. Gelcoat is a LOT thicker than most automotive guys think, and it's very forgiving. Lay into that sucker!!!

[gofastman]

Originally Posted by AndrewOSU

+1 on the 3M compound, wool pads, rotary buffer, and lots of pressure. I few years ago I had a crew of 4 guys and a girl buffing out a 50' Sea Ray Sundancer that had never been waxed. It was chalky white and filthy. Make sure you wash it extremely well with the strongest cleaner you have at your disposal. Then tear into it with the 3M Marine Compound and LOTS of twisted wool pads. Run the buffer at medium/high speed and put a lot of pressure on it (but keep it moving). It took us all 5 days to finish it, but got it looking brand new in the end.

If there's a stripe or any colors on the boat, make sure you're using separate pads for the fiberglass and the vinyl decals (you can actually burn some of the color into the white fiberglass if you use the same pad).

And FWIW, I have been professionally detailing boats for over 10 years. I have used every compound you can ever imagine. And I have NEVER burned through gelcoat; not one single time. Gelcoat is a LOT thicker than most automotive guys think, and it's very forgiving. Lay into that sucker!!!

I was really hoping someone would say that!

also, when you say strong cleaner, do you mean go crazy? I have some stuff with sodium hydroxide that will melt skin off.

[gofastman]

Has anyone compaired Meguiars 91 power cut compound to 3m marine compound? which cuts faster and works better overall for this type of work?

lastly, I take it 3m's super duty compound is even more agessive then the one with green letters on the bottle.



vs

[yanks_178]

My shop is next door to a marina so I do tons of boats.. love them. In my opinion easier than a car and more money. My process:

Wash with toilet bowl cleaner using a sponge
Buff with Rotary with 105 on a wool pad (if I don't get the results I want I use the Meguiars Boat Resto Kit) About 1800RPM
Buff with 205 on a Meguiars Yellow polishing pad About 1200 RPM
Wax with Meguiars boat wax with Da

Works every time. I can do the outside of a 20' boat in about 3-4 hours. Don't worry about burning through that gel coat!!!!!

I do not do the bottom's of boats for customers. I will get from about the trailer bunks/rollers forward but do not crawl underneath.

I have used Ultimate Compound a few times with great success too.

[camaroDan]

What exactly do yall recomend washing a filthy boat with before starting
with the compounding + polishing?

[gofastman]

Ok I picked up some LC twisted wool cutting pads and some M105, I still would like to try M04 or M84 first as I rarly use them and I wanna use them up because their getting old. Anybody have any insight as to which compound would be more effective on gellcoat?

yanks_178, you said scrub tha outside with toilet bowl cleaner, should I use the stongest stuff I can find or do you use a perticular brand? Im woried about doing damage to the finish if I use an industrial strienth acid cleaner on the outside.

[VanityDetailing]

I use the Meguiar's Velocity Mold Release products for heavy oxidation on boats.


Meguiar's Velocity MV80 has the cutting power almost equivalent of about 800grit sand paper.
Meguiar's Velocity MV81 is like the cutting power of 1500 grit, that breaks down to a fine polish as it's used.


It's used in the fiberglass mold productions, to make a glass-smooth finish.

I use MV80 with a W4000 wool pad, for severe oxidation.
MV81 with a W4000 wool pad for heavy oxidation.
MV81 with a W8000 foam polishing pad for mild oxidation/general polishing. I'll usually use this after the MV80/W4000 combo.


It is aggressive stuff. And it will eat through the paint stripes if you're not careful. But to make a gelcoat look brand new, I haven't found anything better. Not that there isn't something better out there, but I've used a lot of different compounds, and those are the best I've found.

Here's a link for the MV80:
Meguiar's Velocity 80 Speed Cut Mold Compound Gallon - SKU# MV8001

And the MV81:
Meguiar's Velocity 81 Mold Compound Gallon - SKU# MV8101


They only come in gallon sizes, though.

Here's a before of some severe oxidation I had on a 65' Novatec yacht:


Here's an after, from the MV81 and wool pad:


And here's the profile shot, from using MV81 and a wool pad: