boat detailing...well more like a Yacht

[Greg Nichols]

I do a lot of boats, nothing that big, here is my opinion.

You have to charge by the hour.

Better have a rotary.

If the oxidation is such that you can scrape it off by your finger nail....you are in for a long haul. Get a 3M white scrub pad, and wash it and scrub off the oxidation. I would then either wet sand or heavy compounding M105 is a good starting point, if you need something stronger use wet sanding via an air sander. Lots of wool pads, clean often. If you work 105 right, you can finish a white gel coat pretty nice.

Use Megs #3 or #81 as a hand polish or PC it on, working it well into the gel coat.

Top it with Megs Flagship marine wax (hybrid wax).

If you can forgo the Megs 3/81 I would top it with Opti coat, and this way the owner can get 3-5 years of protection.

I would guess you`re looking at 18-25 hrs on a boat that size. It takes me 14 hrs to restore an oxidate gel on a 21` ski boat.

Cheers,
GREG

[imported_Flash Gordon]

Wonder if Mikey ever got that thing zipped up :money:

[Tuck91]

I do a lot of boats, nothing that big, here is my opinion.

You have to charge by the hour.

Better have a rotary.

If the oxidation is such that you can scrape it off by your finger nail....you are in for a long haul. Get a 3M white scrub pad, and wash it and scrub off the oxidation. I would then either wet sand or heavy compounding M105 is a good starting point, if you need something stronger use wet sanding via an air sander. Lots of wool pads, clean often. If you work 105 right, you can finish a white gel coat pretty nice.

Use Megs #3 or #81 as a hand polish or PC it on, working it well into the gel coat.

Top it with Megs Flagship marine wax (hybrid wax).

If you can forgo the Megs 3/81 I would top it with Opti coat, and this way the owner can get 3-5 years of protection.

I would guess you`re looking at 18-25 hrs on a boat that size. It takes me 14 hrs to restore an oxidate gel on a 21` ski boat.

Cheers,
GREG

Meguiars makes a pure polish in the Marine/RV line. M45 I believe.

I would imagine it works better than the Mirror Glaze line pure polishes.

[bmw5541]

I agree about charging by the hr. You dodn`t want to loose your shirt on something this large.

[mikeyg402]

I ended up using Gel-Coat labs heavy cut compound, it was the only product that I found that took off the oxidation quickly. I followed up with the gel coat labs micro polish and finally a wax the customer wanted me to use. It turned out pretty good. I wasnt completely happy with it but the customer was thrilled. I will post a few pictures later on today. The customer wanted all the white surfaces done, so I had to do all of the decks and sides of the steps, railings and everything else. It took me nearly 2 weeks to finish all of it, I had about 73.5 hours in the total project. I also cleaned and polished all of the chrome on the inside and outside, cleaned the interior cabins, renewed all leather and cut and polished all the windows as well.

I am done working with this customer for the year. I still have about 40 vehicles left that he owns. But the season here in Okoboji basically comes to an end on Labor day and he wont be around till next may/june.

Im speaking with a guy that owns a Corvette shop in Scottsdale, AZ and I will be heading out there next week to show him what I can do. He says he has tons of clients that want details done and he hates doing it because it takes to long. I am hoping I can stay in AZ till I need to come back here next June

[imported_RaskyR1]

Cool!

I was going to say 80-100 hrs sounds about right. I`ve never worked on one quite that large, but I have spent a whole week on a large more oxidized boat before. I honestly hate buffing gel-coat as it never seems to finish down quite like automotive paint can.

Got any finished pics?




FYI.....I`ve had some very good times on Lake Okoboji! :devil:

[Greg Nichols]

I ended up using Gel-Coat labs heavy cut compound, it was the only product that I found that took off the oxidation quickly. I followed up with the gel coat labs micro polish and finally a wax the customer wanted me to use. It turned out pretty good. I wasnt completely happy with it but the customer was thrilled. I will post a few pictures later on today. The customer wanted all the white surfaces done, so I had to do all of the decks and sides of the steps, railings and everything else. It took me nearly 2 weeks to finish all of it, I had about 73.5 hours in the total project. I also cleaned and polished all of the chrome on the inside and outside, cleaned the interior cabins, renewed all leather and cut and polished all the windows as well.

I am done working with this customer for the year. I still have about 40 vehicles left that he owns. But the season here in Okoboji basically comes to an end on Labor day and he wont be around till next may/june.

Im speaking with a guy that owns a Corvette shop in Scottsdale, AZ and I will be heading out there next week to show him what I can do. He says he has tons of clients that want details done and he hates doing it because it takes to long. I am hoping I can stay in AZ till I need to come back here next June

What other products did you use, that didn`t take the oxidation off as fast as gel coat labs?

Cheers,
GREG

[mikeyg402]

What other products did you use, that didn`t take the oxidation off as fast as gel coat labs?

Cheers,
GREG

I first tried a hi-temp heavy cut compound, didnt touch it. I tried heavy cut 3m coumpound, the light tan stuff. That cut it ok but left it dull looking and it took a ton of pressure and getting the surface hot before it removed at of the oxidation. I also tried some maltco heavy cut gel coat compound, it did the same thing as the 3m stuff. I was extremely impress with the gel coat labs products. Id recommend them to anyone taking on any boat project.

[g8tors09]

Luster, what a luster on that rv!