New Boat

[Fishgent]

Picked up my new bay boat this past spring, so as fall approaches i am starting to think about polishing, waxing, etc. I have gone through all the kits you have and the Captian's boat care kit seems to be the best options, but i am thinking that since i only have a few months on the boat, and i only trialer, there are a few other products that would be a better option.

Since the boat is washed every time it is removed from the water, i am thinking the all-in-ine wax and polish woud be a great choice.

I am also wondering what would be best for the non-skid - which happens to be a majority of the horizontal deck space.

I know some of you competitors market non-skid products. Also, what is best for cleaning live wells so there is not a residue left that kills the next bait put in the livewell? what product do you recommend for the storage areas and cleaning the windshield.

What i am leading to is a kit called the New Boat Kit with a new boat owners pamphlet on the how, when and wheres of detailing that answers general questions such as:

1. Do i need to use a polish each time i wax, or on a new boat?
2. Can i use a polish or compound on the lettering/artwork I installed on the side of the boat?
3. I got some of spray wax on my transducer, will it affect the fishfinder? If yes, what ishoudl i do to remove the wax?
4. How ofter shoudl i wax my boat (trailered vs. in water majority of time)?

these are just a few questions I quickly brainstormed, but i am sure you have heard them all.

[Mike Phillips]

Welcome to the Marine31Online.com forum and congratulations on the new boat!





Picked up my new bay boat this past spring, so as fall approaches i am starting to think about polishing, waxing, etc. I have gone through all the kits you have and the Capitan's boat care kit seems to be the best options, but i am thinking that since i only have a few months on the boat, and i only trailer, there are a few other products that would be a better option.




You mean this kit?


Marine 31 Captain’s Boat Care Kit (http://www.marine31.com/marine-31-complete-boat-care-kit.html)




Since the boat is washed every time it is removed from the water, i am thinking the all-in-one wax and polish would be a great choice.



The Marine 31 All-In-One Gel Coat Polish & Wax (http://www.marine31.com/marine-31-polish-and-wax.html) is a light cleaner/wax and would do a great job of keeping the surface of the hull clean and free from any staining from the gunk in the water.

Does your boat have a gel-coat finish or a painted finish like Awlgrip?

The reason I ask is you're not supposed to use abrasive products on Awlgrip. It's perfectly okay an normal for gel-coats.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

I am also wondering what would be best for the non-skid - which happens to be a majority of the horizontal deck space.

I know some of you competitors market non-skid products.



At this time we don't offer any type of wax, sealant or protectant for textured, non-skid surfaces but the topic has come up and it could be in the future we'll introduce a product for this surface.







Also, what is best for cleaning live wells so there is not a residue left that kills the next bait put in the livewell?



Does your live wells have drains? If you you can use our Port to Starboard All Purpose Cleaner and just be sure to thoroughly rinse when done washing.



what product do you recommend for the storage areas and cleaning the windshield.



We have two new products we're introducing for these areas but I cannot post about them till we are ready to ship.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

What i am leading to is a kit called the New Boat Kit with a new boat owners pamphlet on the how, when and wheres of detailing that answers general questions such as:

1. Do i need to use a polish each time i wax, or on a new boat?



No. Especially if you're using light cleaner/wax to clean the hull surface after it's been in the water. A good washing might do the job also but running a buffing pad over the surface cleaning and waxing at the same time ensures a clean and protected hull.





2. Can i use a polish or compound on the lettering/artwork I installed on the side of the boat?



Not if it's vinyl graphics. If it's new you shouldn't need to polish or compound the graphics and just buff around them when working on the rest of the hull.




3. I got some of spray wax on my transducer, will it affect the fish finder? If yes, what should i do to remove the wax?



You should be able to carefully wipe any wax residue off. What brand is it? Do you have a picture? What brand spray wax we're you using?




4. How ofter should i wax my boat (trailered vs. in water majority of time)?



How often really depends upon how the boat is used and your expectations for how the boat looks and the condition you want to keep it in.



Great questions!


:)

[tropicsteve]

welcome to the forum fishgent. post some pics of your new boat if you get a chance. :thumb:

[Fishgent]

Well I am finally getting around to my fall waxing. Amazing how work gets in the way of play time. Just to clear up a few questions you asked, most of my questions were hypothetical as suggestions for a new boat owners information Q&A.
I will be ordering your all-in-one gel coat polish and wax this week. I plan to also get your SS brightening soap. Some of the screws attaching different parts are causing some stains on the boat. Hoping the polish will help remove. Now I just need to decide what to do about my non-skid.
I am thinking I should order a new polisher - mine is so old it does not have variable speed. Any recommendations for a polisher?

[Mike Phillips]

Well I am finally getting around to my fall waxing. Amazing how work gets in the way of play time. Just to clear up a few questions you asked, most of my questions were hypothetical as suggestions for a new boat owners information Q&A.



Time is fleeting...


I will be ordering your all-in-one gel coat polish and wax this week. I plan to also get your SS brightening soap. Some of the screws attaching different parts are causing some stains on the boat. Hoping the polish will help remove.



The stains are usually a orange/rust color and they will mostly be topical, that is on the surface. It is possible for the staining to penetrate into the surface so a little extra polishing if this is the case should fix the problem.




Now I just need to decide what to do about my non-skid.



On Ship Shape TV I demonstrated how to clean non-skid with a Cyclo brush on either a Cyclo polisher or a Porter Cable style polisher. It does a better job faster. You use an All Purpose Cleaner and scrub the non-skid and then rinse and wash with a boat wash to remove all the loosened dirt and even loosened oxidized gel-coat.

Right here on my desk is our brand new Non-Skid Clear Sealant, I'll be shooting a brand new segment on Ship Shape TV tomorrow showing this product.

Not sure when it will be in the warehouse ready to ship but soon...



I am thinking I should order a new polisher - mine is so old it does not have variable speed. Any recommendations for a polisher?


Sounds like you have either a rotary buffer or a traditional old school orbital buffer.

If you need to remove heavy oxidation over a large boat the best and fastest way is with a rotary buffer.

For anything else, like removing light oxidation, applying a one-step cleaner/wax or maintaining a boat in good condition with a non-cleaning wax then either Flex 3401 with foam pads is the way to go.

You could also use a Porter Cable style dual action polisher but it's not near as powerful or fast as a Flex 3401.


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Here's a thread that goes over cleaning non-skid...


Ship Shape TV - Episode #1804 - Cleaning Non Skid Surfaces, Sea Tow History & Propane Motors (http://www.marine31online.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72)

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/501/Machine_Scrubbing_Non_Skid_008.jpg




:thumb:

[Mike Phillips]

Here's a thread on using a Flex 3401


How to Remove Oxidation - Ship Shape TV (http://www.marine31online.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114)

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/522/2006_Proline_24_Supersport_Boat_Detailing_Class_018.jpg


:thumb: