I recently bought an older fiberglass boat. I want to get some type of wax or buffing compound to make it look better. The hull is white and the inside is light blue. Any ideas?
I have an older 24 ft SeaRay and have only ever just waxed the hull every year. Brings it up nice. I just buy a regular brand buffing wax at the local marina. I’d suspect any auto product would work equally as good.
I used to own a 23 ft Sea Ray, and my dad and I tackled the buffing task one weekend (ok, it was more like 4 days). I don’t remember the type of the compounds that we used, but that’s not important to the point I want to make. I kept my boat in the water at a marina, but we started the buffing project with the sides and bottom while the boat was on a trailer. By the time we got to the top of the boat (the part that’s actually visible to people walking by the boat at a marina), we were so sick of doing it that we didn’t do nearly as nice of a job as we had on the sides and bottom that nobody ever saw.
So, the lesson of the day was start with the most visible section.
drew
I grew up around boats (I can clearly remember the week before the boat when in the water, my brother and I would have sore shoulders for days from all the waxing) and then worked around boats for years.
If it’s an older boat, started with a cleaner/wax, there is a brand called Gary’s, which works very well and after washing the boat, will help remove dirt, stains, etc. in the hull. After a good cleaner wax, then you can put a polish/wax on top. This goes on and comes off easily because now the hull is clean and smooth. Fleet Wax works very well, it’s is designed for use on aircraft and boats.
The main thing, as I said, especially if it’s an older boat, is that it will be a 3 step process to do it right. Wash, cleaner/wax, polish/wax.
Here’s a link and some info on the Fleetwax, it’s actually made by Collinite. As I said, it works best after the hull has been cleaned well
http://www.collinitemarine.com/products.htm#885
By the way, white hull, blue inside, is this boat an older Boston Whaler by any chance?
I recently bought an older fiberglass boat
My most sincere condolences… 
I’ve used this product before and it works pretty darn well…and the effort is far less than the traditional deoxidize/compound/wax/buff process.
http://www.marinestore.com/vertglas.html?cart=3331629288370596
One thing to remember if you do decide to compound/polish, the boat is fiberglass with a very thin layer of gelcoat covering it. The gelcoat contains the color and is what makes the surface smooth and shiny. You need to take care not to compound/polish so aggressively that you eat through the gelcoat.
Thanks for the info.
Good guess on the boat. It is a 16 foot Mckee Craft. I do have a 13 foot Whaler though that matches the description too and needs more “finish” work than the Mckee. I bought the McKee to sell after getting a very good deal on it. It has a 75 hp Johnson that runs well, it just needs trim and tilt.
I’ve had my Whaler for 20 years, and it was rough when I got it. It’s been a good boat.
I believe Mckee Craft actually had some sort of relationship with Boston Whaler at some point.
We have a late 60s/early 70s 16 foot Whaler, got it at an auction after sitting in a yard for years and the blue color on the inside of the hull was completed faded but we were able to bring it back nicely.
It’s a pretty smalll boat you have, so worth the time and the work. I’d definitely recommend started with a good cleaner wax, I like the Gary’s stuff, but there are others, and then finishing with the Fleetwax. The Fleetwax isn’t cheap, but it’s worth it, just make sure to follow the directions, if I remember correctly you don’t need to let it sit for very long before taking it off.
If the surface is oxidized, I would use heavy duty rubbing compound, (like this)
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayIncludeDynamicView?storeId=10001&inc=high_res.jsp&image=250860.jpg&desc=Super%20Duty%20Rubbing%20Compound
then wax. It is worth it to find someone who has an electric polisher you can borrow/rent to apply the rubbing compound, something like:
http://www.makita.com/en-us/Assets/Images/Products/9227C/9227c_l.jpg
"My most sincere condolences… "
LOL!! I’d describe boat ownership as akin to standing under a cold shower and tearing up $100. bills.
Whoops. Replied to wrong person. Sorry.
X2 on what kdw said. If it is really oxidized then you’ll want a good paste rubbing compound and a power buffer with wool pad and the spur tool to “revive” the pad.
I restored my 1969 Cal 25 a few years ago with the help of a professional (friend). He had the know-how and I supplied the labor.
Here’s a link to pics of the process.
http://picasaweb.google.com/kentonlowry/CalAmity?authkey=Gv1sRgCIyv2b_Gqvzu_gE
If the boat is older it will do no good to buff/wax like a madman! If there is oxidation on a regular basis your gel coat is probably gone. I have a '89 Malibu and it needs a gel coat. I can buff/wax every day(looks great) but the minute it comes out of the water it looks very worn. A friend of mine had a new gel coat put on his Ski Nautique for around $3000. Hopefully next year I can afford the gel coat, yes boats are work but I love every minute of it when I am on the water and so do the kids!