Anyone detailed a boat before with car stuff?

[zimmerDN]

Someone asked me I could help them with their boat. Anyone have any ideas what i would need? I already have a PC and klasse twins plus other waxes.



Is a boat`s paint similar to a car`s (clear coat finish)?

[steveAZ]

I used FPII followed by 4* UPP on my Sea Doo a few weeks ago. Worked great, except it couldn`t get those really stubborn water spots out, but they were only visible from a certain angle with direct light. Not sure about the paint, but it seemed to bond with the UPP just fine. Used 303 on all the trim also. I was happy with the results and put it away for the season.

[mixxmstrmike]

Purchased a few tins from a boating supply store. There`s got to be a reason why a boating store would be carrying this stuff.



-Mike

[aabfeh]

I`m brand new here but finally someone has asked a question I have a little experience with. Hope I can help. I`ve done a ton of boats from 20-40 footers and they`re really a lot of fun. Very physical though because of the size. First check to see if the boat is gel or has been painted. For gel coat surfaces a rotary buffer with a wool pad is almost mandatory. Get a compound, I`ve had good luck with the 3-M stuff, and polish the surface to remove minor scratches, oxidation, and stain. Choose a compound that is aggressive enough for the situation but not so harsh that additional polishing will be needed. For a final protectant, Collonite insulator wax does a good job. A PC really helps when applying the wax. If the boat has been painted it`s usually Imron or a derivative of that`s pretty hard stuff. Use the same products, just be a little more careful. WATCH the decals if there are any. Stay away with the rotary, It`ll eat them and ruin them in no time. I have done entire boats with 3-M cleaner wax and it comes out pretty nice. The collonite is just added protection that lasts as long as anything else on the water. I`ve tried some of my auto products and they do a good job but other that the collonite the expense and volume needed doesn`t seem to work for a boat. I think there`s a website called properboatcare that will give you a pretty idea of how to do a boat. Unpainted fiberglass is a different animal than clear coated paint.