2023 Springtime Shine thread

Stee6043 said:
@Blueone turned me on to Smoove products last year and then he bails, pays someone else to do it this year :)

I finished my sides in December. After a compounding and polishing last year (w/ Smoove) I only used Hotsauce and then a polymer wax this year. Really pleased with what the Smoove left me with after one full season (2022).

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I’ll be smooveing above the rub rail….. not full blown but the easy areas….it’s still in good shape from last year
 
Almightys said:
Sorry and not picking on you but the logic is off. Vinegar and water is a basic cleaning solution. It doesn’t need to be rinsed off. If you used it on your countertops, you would not go back and rinse it. You just spray and wipe clean with dry cloth
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Yeah...vinegar can be rather acidic. I was running 45% concentrate (45% acetic acid) 50/50 with water to get everything off the sides. It was strong enough to really mess up your hands if you didn't wear rubber gloves.

Sooo....I always thought a following water rinse/wipe was prudent to ensure I didn't impact the polishing that would come next. I didn't want any residue left behind. I'd add that I'd never use something this strong inside the house. The smell alone would be cause for divorce. :)


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Almightys said:
Here is where I’m starting g off this year. I spent today just doing a vinegar/water mist and wipe to clean the surface and prep.
I’ve never started with this level of shine already. I’m contemplating either going right with the Presta Polish followed up with Collinite paste Fleetwax OR I have a bottle of Meguiars no 50 cleaner wax and then maybe throw Collinite on top of that.
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Almightys said:
Here is where I’m starting g off this year. I spent today just doing a vinegar/water mist and wipe to clean the surface and prep.
I’ve never started with this level of shine already. I’m contemplating either going right with the Presta Polish followed up with Collinite paste Fleetwax OR I have a bottle of Meguiars no 50 cleaner wax and then maybe throw Collinite on top of that.
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Last season I used Presta products for the first time. (Even though many threads had me leaning towards the Starke line.) After speaking with the Presta rep he suggested I use the Presta Gel coat followed by Presta's Maxfinishing Polish vs the Ultra Polish. Since you're also using Presta I'm curious to know which ones your using and I'd like to know more about your vinegar prep process. Do you use this instead of a wash with a cleaner like Dawn to remove all wax etc or in addition to the washing? Do you then rinse with water? Thanks
 
Geowh said:
Last season I used Presta products for the first time. (Even though many threads had me leaning towards the Starke line.) After speaking with the Presta rep he suggested I use the Presta Gel coat followed by Presta's Maxfinishing Polish vs the Ultra Polish. Since you're also using Presta I'm curious to know which ones your using and I'd like to know more about your vinegar prep process. Do you use this instead of a wash with a cleaner like Dawn to remove all wax etc or in addition to the washing? Do you then rinse with water? Thanks
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I am using the ultra polish and following that up with the Collinite fleet wax. last year I had to really get more aggressive and had to use Presta super cut followed by the ultra polish and finished with Collinite. You see how clean the hull looks after all season. This year I only needed to polish and wax. I think the max stuff is one of the newer products just haven’t tried it yet.
The thing to look for is something which is not using silicone/polymer based type fillers which create a false sense of finish. They more seem to fill in that porous gel coat versus clean it up. and wear away quickly during the summer months.

the gel coat or ultra compound would be a good choice if the oxidation is light or medium light.
So my boat is in a heated storage building over winter. You can’t really wash it in there. At haulout I was it really good that morning and in the shed she goes. Building is dusty if you will. Just misti g that 3/1 water/vinegar ration on boat and wiping it off starts you with a clean slate. It’s certainly removing wax and it’s cheap non toxic to yourself.
just remember, you will take all day and several days on your boat project. In the end, you’ll have an appreciation and you will spend more time if it doesn’t look right. The boat yard needs to finish projects daily to be paid. Cutting corners and good enough are mostly their motto. Very few exceptions. I’m sure of you grossly over pay them, they will do you a favor lol.
Just my $0.02
 
Anybody tried the Presta Hydroprotek yet. Long term results? Don't know much about the ceramic coatings products . If it seems too good to be true it probably is?
 
I’ve had blue, white and now blue again. Blue is such a PITA to deal with but it looks so classy all cleaned up. On the the port side…
 

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The storage barns are certainly getting busier now!

I'm really getting my monies worth out of my plastic sheet boat cover this year. While I was out this past weekend a dude was wet sanding his hull sides three boats down. No tent, no vac attachment, nothing. Probably not as bad as sanding bottom paint but still.
 
Stee6043 said:
The storage barns are certainly getting busier now!

I'm really getting my monies worth out of my plastic sheet boat cover this year. While I was out this past weekend a dude was wet sanding his hull sides three boats down. No tent, no vac attachment, nothing. Probably not as bad as sanding bottom paint but still.
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None of that allowed in our buildings. I will get my boat pulled outside next month to get the bottom painted. Only mechanical work and waxing allowed inside.
 
Stopped by the boat this morning. I had the storage place do just the blue below the rub rail….. it looks good….. not perfect like I would do it but pretty good

someone posted a paint cleaner?…. They got a lot of polish on the bottom paint and it was a shitty power wash …… I don’t want another coat of paint on the smile

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My 27 year old former California 450DA is in the punishing Florida sun daily.

She's too big, and I'm too old to be handling detail duties.

I provide my detailler with SMOOVE and now that we're doing the WHITE CLOUD 4x year, there's no need to buff.

Detailler is highly impressed with the SMOOVE polymer product, and is now offering them as an upgrade option to other clients.

I am totally AMAZED by the quality of the gelcoat on this boat.

At marinas or the fuel dock people can't believe the truth about the age of this boat.

While 4x/year may seem excessive, it simply insures this boat will remain in BRISTOL condition for me.

BEST !

RWS
 
Might have a little more work on my hands now with a black boat, a little scared of it, but I do like the look. Good news is it stored indoors, so cleaner wax usually does the trick. My routine is cleanerwax in the fall, then Meguiars Flagship in the spring and spray wax for touch ups throughout the season. The pic is after the fall cleaner wax, waiting for a warm day for the spring flagship. I have not ventured into any of the ceramics, but watching others to see how they do on boats - I have tried about everything over the years and have gone back to the Meguiars products - both cars and boats. I do like the Starbrite waxes as a close second and BuffMagic when more than a cleaner wax is needed. Best money I have spent on boat cleaning is a good orbital buffer and quality pads from Lake Country.

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BillK2632 said:
Might have a little more work on my hands now with a black boat, a little scared of it, but I do like the look. Good news is it stored indoors, so cleaner wax usually does the trick. My routine is cleanerwax in the fall, then Meguiars Flagship in the spring and spray wax for touch ups throughout the season. The pic is after the fall cleaner wax, waiting for a warm day for the spring flagship. I have not ventured into any of the ceramics, but watching others to see how they do on boats - I have tried about everything over the years and have gone back to the Meguiars products - both cars and boats. I do like the Starbrite waxes as a close second and BuffMagic when more than a cleaner wax is needed. Best money I have spent on boat cleaning is a good orbital buffer and quality pads from Lake Country.

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Try smoove….. seriously the stuff works and it’s easy
 
+1 on Smoove. Black hull...looks like a mirror.
 
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