Posted on my site - veradoclub.com in the Library:
Before we start discussing this, realize this is like washing your car, there are THOUSANDS of products that will work.3M, Meiguars, Collonite and RejeX products are just a few. Bit here’s what I have found works and lasts. It’s the “and lasts” part that I underscore as the motor is in some extreme environments; saltwater, the heat of summer (being a black motor) and the cold of winter. Take the cowls off & move them to your garage or porch. I’ve been known to do them in my den, much to my wife’s chagrin.
1. Wash all cowls and lower parts with Dawn Dishwashing detergent. – Wash it good. I mix dawn in a 5 gallon bucket with ¼ cup of white vinegar as this reduces water spots. Dry it with a chamois so there are no water spots. Inspect the cowls carefully as the next step will seal in any dirt and it won’t come off easily. At this point, you can touch up some of the flecks with touch up paint if you need to. However, now you must wait a day or two.
Up until know I have used rejex or nu finish as they are a polymer that lasts a long and sloughs off salt when rinsing. However, the technology has progressed and now they make the same type polymer that is a wipe-on- walk- away product – no more buffing or white powder left in the cracks, rubber and plastic pieces. A true pain to get off. The polymer I use is called Ultimate Paint Guard Plus.
So first to get rid of surface dirt and water spots I use Meiguars Ultimate compound which is a finishing product and rids all but the most stubborn surface imperfections. And This is also why I love my 3 inch Griot’s buffer with sponge pad as it’s light and gets around the corners and features of the cowl. A regular buffer is just a PIA. So put on a coat drinking a beer and with one hand, and the buffer with the other. A nice platform for buffing a cowl is hang em over the straight up back of a chaise lounge. Then buff them off good. If your cowls are new , skip this step.
Now comes the UPGP…with the supplied microfiber brick, you spritz 2 -3 times and do the whole cowl – just a quick coat will do it. Wait 45 min and do another coat. You literally want to put it on like you can’t see anything happening or the stuff going on – it is, just wait 45 min…
When you are done, if you have a smears you can just wipe off with another microfiber towel and run over the cowl one time with the MF. Done.
The 3 inch buffer and Meg’s Ultimate Compound
The finished product with two coats:
The bottle:
Do the whole process on the lower plastic pieces on the outboard “leg”. These pieces are know as “chaps”
Once you get all done, don't use anything except Boat Soap (Orpine or Woody) or Meiguars Car shampoo - they won't strip the wax and shine like crazy when dry...
Enjoy and get some covers for your motors – they will shine years longer than being out in the open.
Before we start discussing this, realize this is like washing your car, there are THOUSANDS of products that will work.3M, Meiguars, Collonite and RejeX products are just a few. Bit here’s what I have found works and lasts. It’s the “and lasts” part that I underscore as the motor is in some extreme environments; saltwater, the heat of summer (being a black motor) and the cold of winter. Take the cowls off & move them to your garage or porch. I’ve been known to do them in my den, much to my wife’s chagrin.
1. Wash all cowls and lower parts with Dawn Dishwashing detergent. – Wash it good. I mix dawn in a 5 gallon bucket with ¼ cup of white vinegar as this reduces water spots. Dry it with a chamois so there are no water spots. Inspect the cowls carefully as the next step will seal in any dirt and it won’t come off easily. At this point, you can touch up some of the flecks with touch up paint if you need to. However, now you must wait a day or two.
Up until know I have used rejex or nu finish as they are a polymer that lasts a long and sloughs off salt when rinsing. However, the technology has progressed and now they make the same type polymer that is a wipe-on- walk- away product – no more buffing or white powder left in the cracks, rubber and plastic pieces. A true pain to get off. The polymer I use is called Ultimate Paint Guard Plus.
So first to get rid of surface dirt and water spots I use Meiguars Ultimate compound which is a finishing product and rids all but the most stubborn surface imperfections. And This is also why I love my 3 inch Griot’s buffer with sponge pad as it’s light and gets around the corners and features of the cowl. A regular buffer is just a PIA. So put on a coat drinking a beer and with one hand, and the buffer with the other. A nice platform for buffing a cowl is hang em over the straight up back of a chaise lounge. Then buff them off good. If your cowls are new , skip this step.
Now comes the UPGP…with the supplied microfiber brick, you spritz 2 -3 times and do the whole cowl – just a quick coat will do it. Wait 45 min and do another coat. You literally want to put it on like you can’t see anything happening or the stuff going on – it is, just wait 45 min…
When you are done, if you have a smears you can just wipe off with another microfiber towel and run over the cowl one time with the MF. Done.
The 3 inch buffer and Meg’s Ultimate Compound
The finished product with two coats:
The bottle:
Do the whole process on the lower plastic pieces on the outboard “leg”. These pieces are know as “chaps”
Once you get all done, don't use anything except Boat Soap (Orpine or Woody) or Meiguars Car shampoo - they won't strip the wax and shine like crazy when dry...
Enjoy and get some covers for your motors – they will shine years longer than being out in the open.
