boat detailing...well more like a Yacht

B

Blackmirror

New member
WHat do you use to clean the applicators? I want to clean them by hand. Would any dish detergent work? Or go with something like Tide detergent?
 
I soak them in a bucket of Dawn first. Then I wash them with the rest of my MFs using tide or such on the gentle cycle in hot water!. Then to the dryer on gentle as well.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

can i wash the MF applicators with my white cotton Charisma towels?</blockquote>


No, do not wash them together. The Microfiber will pick up the lint from the cotton in the Charisma's. Always wash MF products alone.
 
Follow Showroom's advice. You should always wash microfiber items separately. This especially holds true with microfiber towels. The applicators may not be as problematic as the towels but I'd stay away from washing them with other items anyway. Laters
 
Ive done one boat before but nothing like this. This thing is absolutely huge. Yes that is a 8ft ladder at the end of the boat and it is sitting on a semi truck trailer. It was built for the ocean but has never seen salt water. It has only been on lake Okoboji. It hasnt been in the water for 2 years and hasnt been 'detailed' for nearly 8 years. Its a 1992 model.

IMG00387_20100802_1154.jpg


All of the white is badly oxidized and needs to be cut and polished. But i dont know if I can use the same products I use on my car details? Also if anyone has done something of this size about how much time should it take me? I will get more detailed pics today.

Any help and guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Mike
 
Your going to need several wool pads and a heavy cut compound. I would also start by washing it with a APC/Dawn mixture. This will help knock out alot of the oxidation. Unless the owner is really opening up his wallett, I wou;dn't bother claying

Once you get in a groove I think you will be surprised at how fast you will be able to get ur done. All your dealing with are alot of flat panels

Scaffoling would be ideal if theres anyway possible to get your hands on some (lot of places rent it)

Good Luck @-)
 
Flash Gordon said:
Your going to need several wool pads and a heavy cut compound. I would also start by washing it with a APC/Dawn mixture. This will help knock out alot of the oxidation.
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I think I'd give a wool pad and Solo or D151 a shot and go for a 1-step. I don't even wash boats first except for any gritty accumulations at the waterline.

YMMV... TL
 
I asked the owner if he had scaffolding available and he said he has a motorized scissor lift for me to use instead. They that owns this boat is also the same one that ownes the 70+ car collection I am also doing. In addition to this boat he has literally 20 others for me to do as well, including 8 jet ski's. This boat isnt quite 80 feet, its 50. I thought it was on a typical 80ft trailer. So thats 30 less feet to work with! But I have enough to keep me busy for awhile. While I was letting some BFWD flash on a vette I cleaned a small white area and hit it with a wool pad, makita rotary on level 2 and some Hi-temp cutting company and it cleaned up really well.

The owner said the last time the boat was done, it took the guy approx 100 hours to polish it entirely and he wasnt happy with it.So its my job to make it look better than new!
 
mikeyg402 said:
I asked the owner if he had scaffolding available and he said he has a motorized scissor lift for me to use instead. They that owns this boat is also the same one that ownes the 70+ car collection I am also doing. In addition to this boat he has literally 20 others for me to do as well, including 8 jet ski's. This boat isnt quite 80 feet, its 50. I thought it was on a typical 80ft trailer. So thats 30 less feet to work with! But I have enough to keep me busy for awhile. While I was letting some BFWD flash on a vette I cleaned a small white area and hit it with a wool pad, makita rotary on level 2 and some Hi-temp cutting company and it cleaned up really well.

The owner said the last time the boat was done, it took the guy approx 100 hours to polish it entirely and he wasnt happy with it.So its my job to make it look better than new!
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He has a motorized scissor lift? :drool5: Man, I would love to have one of those. This will make your job so much safer and eaiser @-)
 
1. Charge by the hour
2. Do one panel at a time
3. Don't get ahead of yourself
4. Take your time
5. Over-estimate your time

I've done RV's that were that large or larger. I just estimate how long it will take to do each panel and add up the hours. Then I multiply by $45. :Dancing Dot: (No, I ain't cheap!)

But remember, this is a job that nobody wants to do and you drew the short straw! Don't be afraid to charge him for the work!

This RV is not quite as big as that boat. It took me 9 hours to polish and seal. BUT! It didn't take much polishing because it was in excellent shape.

The large flat side panels went really fast.

The problems come in when you have to climb, lay down, bend, stretch, and be a contortionist to do the polishing!!!

I'd give him an estimate range. Say 12-16 hours depending on how many problems you run into.

IMG_3409.jpg
 
Luster said:
1. Charge by the hour
2. Do one panel at a time
3. Don't get ahead of yourself
4. Take your time
5. Over-estimate your time

I've done RV's that were that large or larger. I just estimate how long it will take to do each panel and add up the hours. Then I multiply by $45. :Dancing Dot: (No, I ain't cheap!)

But remember, this is a job that nobody wants to do and you drew the short straw! Don't be afraid to charge him for the work!

This RV is not quite as big as that boat. It took me 9 hours to polish and seal. BUT! It didn't take much polishing because it was in excellent shape.

The large flat side panels went really fast.

The problems come in when you have to climb, lay down, bend, stretch, and be a contortionist to do the polishing!!!

I'd give him an estimate range. Say 12-16 hours depending on how many problems you run into.
Click to expand...


When i worked in the semi truck body shop, I worked there for about 4 years. I polished cabs, trailers, septic tanks lol, and even a few stainless steel gas trucks--those suck! So im used to big things, but this boat is way bigger than anything ive ever attempted. I told him $45 an hour, I was charging $30/hr for the classic cars I have been working on. Which i think is fair, the boat Marina's around Okoboji here charge roughly $85+ an hour :out:

I tried another small spot today with the wool pad and my heavy cut 3m compound and it came out a ton better. So i will probably use that unless you guys recommend one of the products from pac. If there is something out there that doesnt dust as much and will be 'quicker' id love to know!

Thanks guys for all your help!
 
Luster said:
1. Charge by the hour
2. Do one panel at a time
3. Don't get ahead of yourself
4. Take your time
5. Over-estimate your time

I've done RV's that were that large or larger. I just estimate how long it will take to do each panel and add up the hours. Then I multiply by $45. :Dancing Dot: (No, I ain't cheap!)

But remember, this is a job that nobody wants to do and you drew the short straw! Don't be afraid to charge him for the work!

This RV is not quite as big as that boat. It took me 9 hours to polish and seal. BUT! It didn't take much polishing because it was in excellent shape.

The large flat side panels went really fast.

The problems come in when you have to climb, lay down, bend, stretch, and be a contortionist to do the polishing!!!

I'd give him an estimate range. Say 12-16 hours depending on how many problems you run into.

IMG_3409.jpg
Click to expand...


Great advice Bill :wizard: I would break this thing into a 2 day deal. Get it washed up and then test a few spots to plan your method of attack. Then go eat a steak and baked potatoe & salad somewhere, have a big milkshake for dessert. Then go nite nite Sleep

The next morning get an early start. Say around 5:00am :sarge Then hit the ground running. Go till you feel like your going to drop :soldier:

Yea, 12-16 is about what I would estimate. Of course in reality we know that means 16-24 :cursing:

Did that guy ever sell that RV? My Wife and I have still been looking around for something similar. Its just when we crunch the numbers we wonder if its just not cheaper to rent :-B

mikeyg402 said:
When i worked in the semi truck body shop, I worked there for about 4 years. I polished cabs, trailers, septic tanks lol, and even a few stainless steel gas trucks--those suck! So im used to big things, but this boat is way bigger than anything ive ever attempted. I told him $45 an hour, I was charging $30/hr for the classic cars I have been working on. Which i think is fair, the boat Marina's around Okoboji here charge roughly $85+ an hour :out:

I tried another small spot today with the wool pad and my heavy cut 3m compound and it came out a ton better. So i will probably use that unless you guys recommend one of the products from pac. If there is something out there that doesnt dust as much and will be 'quicker' id love to know!

Thanks guys for all your help!
Click to expand...

Well, if you have expierence working at a truck wash then this should come 2nd nature to you. I think the 3M heavy cut compound would be a wise choice. As for the dusting...there is no way around that on this one. By the end of the day, you will have the biggest boogers you ever did see <:-P
 
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
 
Greg Nichols said:
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
Click to expand...


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.
 
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 :D
 
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