Here is the bottom line. I have tried almost every compound/wax out and a few months back I came across the one that works the best for me BY FAR! The stuff is called Aquabuff 2000 and a guy that was doing some fiberglass work on our boat turned me on to it. It is a compound/polish with no abresives. If your gel coat/paint is in perfect shape, then you do not need this. If it has any oxidation, or scratches, or swirls, etc. that you need to get out, try this stuff! The problem that I was having is the "sun" areas on our boat looked shiny, but they have/had a light oxidation that was tough to see unless you compared it to an area that was in perfect shape. I have used almost everything to try and bring these areas back out, and found products tough to use(I have 84' plus a sky lounge to deal with!), or just non-effective. The Aquabuff is this simple. Spread it on(it is a very soft paste), mist it with water, get your buffer , and get busy!(The buffer needs to be 2500 rpm or higher.) A little bit of this stuff goes a long way, and the best part is it sells for about $30 bucks a gallon! When you are finished you will truly have the "wet" look. Although it will already look great, it is recommended to wax/polish over this for even added protection. I have been using a company called Hi Temps boat polish over it with good results. This stuff is easy to wipe on, wipe off. We used it on our dinghy bottom a while back, and it took a month and a half in South Florida water to even start to discolor.
I think the websites are www.hitempinc.com , and www.aquabuff.com . If anyone tries it, or already uses it, post here what you think!

[YachtForums]

Hi Bob,

Great post! I've used 3M's "Imperial" line of Liquid Compounds for over 20 years (available in most auto paint supply stores). This is a two step process starting with their Microfinishing compound, followed by a glazing compound. The first being used to breakdown heavily oxidized surfaces and the latter of the two will bring out a brand new, just released from the mold finish.

It's a LOT of work, using a high speed wheel with a lambskin bonnet, but it's worked extremely well for me over the years. I've been looking for something that would require less steps to bring about the same results and the system you've eluded to sounds like the ticket.

It's about that time of year again to buff the deck, so I'm going to give it a try. I might add this... I used a polymer based wax last year to protect the newly buffed finish (Ultra-Wax from Rain-X) and I have to say I'm impressed with how well it has held up. For many years, I've used Rain Dance, thinking this.. the harder I work, the longer it will last. Wrong! These new polymer waxes are EXTREMELY easy to apply and even EASIER to remove. I'll never go back to "carnuba" based waxes again. (I think I spelled that correctly)

Another thing I might add... I tried an "orbital" buffer for the first time last year and was NOT impressed with the finish it left. Granted, there were less swirl marks, but these types of buffers don't have the speed that results in a "mirror" type finish. They are however, good for applying/removing wax.

If you have an oxidized deck and you want to restore a new finish, you simply must use a high-speed wheel. I use a Sears Craftsmen Grinder, with a rubber wheel and bonnet. That machine has served me well for nearly 20 years.

Thanks for your post. Great info!

Carl

Hey Carl, being a polymer does the Rain X stuff actually have wax in it, or do they just call it that? Also, have you noticed any better protection against black streaks? What kind of boat are you using it on (size, gelcoat, paint)? And lastly, buff the deck? What kind of decks do you have? How is that for a barrage of questions?

[YachtForums]

>>Hey Carl, being a polymer does the Rain X stuff actually have >>wax in it, or do they just call it that?

Hi Bob,

Rain-X calls it a "wax", but the ingredients aren't listed on the label. What's noticeable is the UV protection this product offers. It has definately lasted longer than tradtional waxes.

>>Also, have you noticed any better protection against black >>streaks?

I can't say this has improved, with the exception of washing the black streaks off, which is always easier on a waxed surface. Because gelcoat is a porous finish that dirt and stains can permeate, the wax adds a protective "fill-in" layer that helps keep the dirt on the surface and out of your pigment.

>>What kind of boats are you using it on (size, gelcoat, paint)? >>And lastly, buff the deck? What kind of decks do you have?

I've had alot of boats through the years. If I can remember them in cronological order dating back to my pre-teen years, it would start with my runabouts and performance boats...

1971 13’ Boston Whaler
1974 16’ Donzi Sport
1975 18’ Donzi 2+3
1980 21’ Shadow
1986 24’ Skater
1977 27’ Magnum
1996 28’ Skater
1984 21' Shadow
1992 25’ Powerplay (still have this)

As for the yachts (these are family owned too)

1952 81’ Air-Sea-Rescue Conversion Yacht
1947 46’ Chris-Craft
1969 65’ Chris-Craft
1986 36’ Trojan
1992 38’ Ocean Sportfish
1988 45’ Hatteras Sportfish
1967 57’ Chris-Craft Constellation
1974 58’ Chris-Craft Roamer
1974 57’ Hatteras Motoryacht
1982 72’ Broward (our current boat)

I've buffed a few decks over the years! I honestly don't mind the work when I have the time. It's therapeutic.

Now...I don't consider myself an expert on too many things, but typically, I do all of the work myself on our boats, whether it be restoring finishes to removing risers, so I really appreciate your post on the products you've found that make life easier for all of us.

Thanks Carl! I deal with this stuff on a daily basis, so I am always curious about what is working for other people, in what situations, and looking for that better product/technique! Let me know if you try the Aquabuff.

[Tadpole]

I don't have 84' of anything to deal with, but I can tell you it's a lot of work buffing my 32'er. I got tired of buffing a couple of years ago & went with the wipe on finishes. Took me a few tries to find a good one though. Ended up having to strip a few of them off.
I use some stuff called Shine-Again now, I just hand the bottle to my wife & say shine the boat!... I never break out in a sweat during the whole process!

My 2 cents..... Larry

Hey Larry, I have been wondering about these polymer sealers. How is the shine, streaking, etc? Is the gel coat you use it on in good shape underneath? If you don't mind give me the full low down on this stuff! Also, what brands did not work well for you?

I have been thinking about trying this stuff for our skylounge/brow. These areas are very difficult to get to to re-wax, and they get hammered by the sun. they are at the point now that they need to be compounded out. If these sealers really do work that well, I would sure rather use them.

[Tadpole]

The gelcoat was old, faded & chalky on my boats. I got tired of trying to buff it, didn't come back that well anyway. So, I decided to give the wipe on stuff a try. I heard about them on a sailing forum I visit, & saw them at a boat show.
They are all basically a wipe on clear coat. You definitely need to clean where ever you want to apply this stuff real good. It will seal in any dirt, etc...
All the ones I tried looked good at 10+ feet, but when you got closer you could see the flaws.
New glass II looked good at a distance, but when you got closer you could see the streaking. When applying it, it would start to flake off of your gloves & get into your work. I was able to remove it with simple green & a scrub brush though. Took me longer to remove it than to apply it.
Poli-glow worked much the same way, though didn’t flake as much. It came with it’s own stripper.
Shine-Again didn’t have the flaking problems & didn’t seem to matter what direction I was putting it on.
I needed to put on one or two coats more than the others though. I think it has less solids so it goes on smoother (with more coats). I ended up sticking with that because of ease of application & overall appearance. It looked better up close. More thinner coats looked a lot better too.
For mainenance I apply a couple of coats in the spring & the fall.
I was thinking about Vert Glas& Island Girl, but they were twice the price so I cannot say how well they work.
My 2 cents,
Larry