Presta products

Blueone - I just spoke to a detailer yesterday who said he will use Smoove on my boat in the next two weeks. I have never heard of Smoove which frankly means nothing. He's the expert so I'm hoping for good results. How is yours?
I am happy with the result now that its outside. I put two coats of wax on the blue...the two coats made a difference. Good luck!

Smooze.jpg

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How does everyone attack the final step wax/sealant/polymer/whatever?

Hand apply and rotary foam remove?
Orbital foam apply and hand remove?
Miyagi Wax on wax off?

Just curious as I’ve tried multiple ways.
 
Rotary Foam Apply, hand remove, microfiber polish with the Rotary...
 
How does everyone attack the final step wax/sealant/polymer/whatever?

Hand apply and rotary foam remove?
Orbital foam apply and hand remove?
Miyagi Wax on wax off?

...

Orbital foam apply and hand remove.
 
I apply my last step product by hand with a foam applicator and remove it by hand with microfiber cloths.
This is after the first coat. I applied two more after this for coverage, then painted the bottom. Just waiting for the boatyard to splash her.
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I just finished the boat using the Ultra Cutting Crème light and it looks like a mirror, Just need to apply the wax this week.
 
Is there any need for the Gel Coat Compound? It seems most on this thread use the Ultra Cutting Cream Light then Collinite wax? I'm going to be detailing my boat for the first time in the coming weeks as I am done with inferior detailers. I used to detail my 260 DA myself but have never done this boat.
 
Is there any need for the Gel Coat Compound? It seems most on this thread use the Ultra Cutting Cream Light then Collinite wax? I'm going to be detailing my boat for the first time in the coming weeks as I am done with inferior detailers. I used to detail my 260 DA myself but have never done this boat.
It depends what shape your gel coat is in. I thought my white was good enough just to polish then wax ...so I tried and no I still had to compound. It doesn't have to be aggressive compound and the wool pad does a lot of work as well... Or just try your ultra on a wool pad.
 
Is there any need for the Gel Coat Compound? It seems most on this thread use the Ultra Cutting Cream Light then Collinite wax? I'm going to be detailing my boat for the first time in the coming weeks as I am done with inferior detailers. I used to detail my 260 DA myself but have never done this boat.

Gel Coat Compound seems to fit between Super Cut and UCC. I used GCC when I first got my boat and it worked great, but now I use UCC to maintain the shine. UCC really isn’t that aggressive. It’s not going to take out any significant scratch’s, but it will make them shine.

Here’s my results with UCC followed up with Starbite Cleaner wax.

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Thanks guys. I think I'll try the GCC then hit it with the collinite wax everyone is using & see how that comes out.
 
Thanks guys. I think I'll try the GCC then hit it with the collinite wax everyone is using & see how that comes out.
Todd, your gel has a good shine. Hit it with a cleaner wax (like starbrite ptfe), and follow up with a collinite paste wax. If you want to practice on my boat first to see the results, let me know. Haha
 
Todd, your gel has a good shine. Hit it with a cleaner wax (like starbrite ptfe), and follow up with a collinite paste wax. If you want to practice on my boat first to see the results, let me know. Haha
Haha! I appreciate the offer Paul but wouldnt want to risk doing a poor job & disappointing you! Lol
 
Spent some time today getting a jump on the polishing below the rubrails. Got one side done. Tried out the Presta Ultra Polish with a black 3M pad.
Presta is a good product, but no better or no worse than the Gel Coat Labs product I’ve been using the last several years. Again, I polish my boat before the shrinkwrap goes on in November to get the surface nice and then apply a single coat of wax for the winter.
I always do another light polish below the rubrails in the Spring because of the smudge and dirt marks from the shrinkwrap, and then follow up with 3 coats of Collinite Insulator Wax before Launch for protection throughout the season. I like to layer my last step product to make sure I have 100% coverage.
My hull below the rubrails is never in really bad shape.
My feelings on Presta: If you don’t have any polish left and need to order some anyway (like I needed to do), or if you are unhappy with what you’re currently using, then give it a shot.
Regarding the foam pad: I’ve tried them before on boats and never really been happy with them, but I’m always willing to give something another shot with a different product. I use foam pads exclusively when I do a car, but for boats I’ll stick with good wool pads.
I used the foam pad with the Presta for about 10 minutes before I pulled it off and replaced it with a wool pad.
For you guys that are using a foam pad with your rotary polisher on your boat, give a wool pad a try and see if you like it better.
Sorry for the sideways pics.
Yes, that’s me bundled up in the reflection in the blue band around the boat. It’s still a bit chilly here.
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This is exactly my situation on my 330 Sea Ray. I just removed my shrink wrap and am looking for something to clean my hull below the rubrail. Like you my hull is never in bad shape. I'm looking for a go to annual process. What have you found that works for you? I too have read about the presta products. I also have tried the foam pads and not all that impressed. What is your go-to process- what wool pad combo do you use, Presta,3M, other? What liquids have given you the best results? I know every situation is different but this is the first thread I've run across that has very similar conditions as mine and I hope you'll share with me as much detailed info as possible. Thanks
 
This is exactly my situation on my 330 Sea Ray. I just removed my shrink wrap and am looking for something to clean my hull below the rubrail. Like you my hull is never in bad shape. I'm looking for a go to annual process. What have you found that works for you? I too have read about the presta products. I also have tried the foam pads and not all that impressed. What is your go-to process- what wool pad combo do you use, Presta,3M, other? What liquids have given you the best results? I know every situation is different but this is the first thread I've run across that has very similar conditions as mine and I hope you'll share with me as much detailed info as possible. Thanks
Pads are easy with presta as the bottle are color coded to the type pad to use. Wool will be best for cutting oxidation.
Also use a rotary not a DA polisher. You’ll get way better results.
1st step choice is based on oxidation of surface. Gcc and Ucc are good choices. Grab a quart of each. However your surface looks after this first step will be how it’s going to finish. It won’t get better with step 2. With that said, if you start with ucc and don’t like it, you may need to step down to gcc to really clean the surface.

Their polish is great as well.
 
Pads are easy with presta as the bottle are color coded to the type pad to use. Wool will be best for cutting oxidation.
Also use a rotary not a DA polisher. You’ll get way better results.
1st step choice is based on oxidation of surface. Gcc and Ucc are good choices. Grab a quart of each. However your surface looks after this first step will be how it’s going to finish. It won’t get better with step 2. With that said, if you start with ucc and don’t like it, you may need to step down to gcc to really clean the surface.

Their polish is great as well.
Just as a point of reference, whats your process?
 
Just as a point of reference, whats your process?
Let me start that I am anal and I do things many might not.
  1. Start with a good hand wash. Get every piece of dirt off. Using more of a dish soap here as I am trying to get every bit of wax, grease, contaminants off surface.
  2. First round will be with presta gel coat or super cut compound. Use white wool pad on a rotary NOT DA. I put 4-5 spots of compound on pad and work in a 3x3 area. SLOWLY make passes up and down like a snake pattern then side to side over the area. You are spinning at 1800 rpm. I run he pattern 3x each way then stop. Ask your self, does it shine like glass? No, do it again.

  3. I have a 50 ft boat. I keep two pads to make work quicker. You can clean pads with brush but after 1/4 of boat I change pads. After the next quarter, I wash pads in cool water to get dead gel and used up compound off. Spin dry and take a break before going at it again.
  4. When compounding is over, I like to wash the boat again. Look for spots which still look cloudy and hit them again. This first compound step is important. If it doesn’t look great, the next steps won’t help.
  5. Now let’s move on the polish. I use the presta ultra polish with green wool pad. Use the same amount on pad. Use the same area and pattern. 3x over on the pattern. I use a microfiber to wipe off area and take a look to see if I like the finish. The polish should take out the swirl marks or holograms from compounding. I again, have two of the pads and same process of area polished then switch pads then wash them.
  6. So now I have a nice shine. I w
  7. Like to wash again to remove any material before waxing. Remember wax is jut a top coat. It will embed anything you spread over it.
  8. Now I’m tired so I go home and take Motrin 800’s chased with single malt. Wake up and soak my arms ina hot tub and cry a bit. These are tears of joy because I am almost done.
  9. When I come back to boat I take a 70water/30white vinegar mixture in a spray bottle and mist/ wipe down the boat. Again cleaning off water spots and any contaminants.
  10. Now it’s wax time. Lots of choices here and everyone has an opinion. I like to punish myself with the Collinite 885 fleet wax paste. Gives a nice luster of carnuba and it lasts me all season here in Great Lakes.
  11. I use a foam applicator here to spread wax. IMPORTANT NOTE- you do not want to work in big areas here with this stuff, especially if in a hot direct sunny day. If this stuff dries you will need a chisel to wipe it off. It just needs to start to haze up then wipe. If you are in a heated building, this will take a bit at 50-60degrees. If you are outside in direct sun, it will take less than a minute. Good micro fibers here help to remove. Have several on hand.
  12. Now you are done. Another thing to remember is weekly washes. Use a quality car/boat wash. I like the ones with wax mixed in. I use this one- https://www.chemicalguys.com/extreme-body-wash-plus-wax/extreme-body-wash-wax.html You can buy a gallon on Amazon for less than $20. I use it on boat, cars, motorcycles all season. Ultimately you need to make sure that the wash is ph balanced so it won’t remove wax.
  13. Last thing. If you do this well the first season, you can get away with presta ultra light cutting creme as it’s less aggressive compound in the subsequent years. Still polish after that step.

I’ve yet to try the ceramic coating in last step. I think I might try that on the top side this year as that’s the harshest sun beat area. My neighbor in storage paid someone to ceramic coat his boat. I didn’t seem what it looked like in summer but it looked horrible at end of year. This might not be the products fault but more the people applying it. Most detainers work quick and don’t take the extra steps that you the owner would.

ok last last word. If you are cheap like me, you really can do this on the cheap with just investment of your time.
For the quart of each presta compound and polish, 4 wool pads, tin of the collinite wax, gallon of wash/wax and add in the harbor freight rotary polisher, you are at $260. Throw in some micro fiber towels and that you might not find sales and you creep up to 300. No one is detailing your boat for that. Not even your kids lol
It’s not hard skills wise. It’s hard labor wise. Take your time and lie the results. I have done one step on half the boat then went home until next weekend when it’s in storage.
 

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