How much time to Wax your boat?

[Presentation]

How much time to de-ox + Wax your boat?

I am talking with another boater who’s boat is about the size of a 260 Sundancer. Just counting the time it takes to wax the boat it takes him about 2 ½ hours.

It takes me about 18-20 hours.

I use a Wax Master electric orbital, I de-ox to the rub rail then wax. I do not wax below the water line. My 18-20 hours does not include washing the boat, cleaning the cockpit, cabin, bilge, vinyl, etc. Just waxing the boat. I do not de-ox or wax the non-slip. I do wash the non-slip but that is not part of the 18-20 hours.

Also, I’m in northern Wisconsin. We don’t get near the sun that you would get in, for example, Florida. My oxidation is very minor and hardly noticeable on a sunny day if you look hard.

One of us is doing something wrong.

How long doe it take you to de-ox + wax your boat?

 

[jg300da]

I'd say you are.
No reason you can't wax a 28 ft boat, non-slip included, in an afternoon. Took me no longer than that to do my 300DA, arch included, with a Porter Cable.

 

[Four Suns]

As my wife would say, you are spending way too much time waxing your toy.

For the topsides on my boat, it takes about 3 days with 2 people to do. That includes inside of the bridge and cockpit areas and includes taking Finesse to some of the areas. I hired it out last year and that's what it took.

 

[VTSeaRay]

De-Ox? what's that? I use Zaino, I haven't had to do that. It takes me about 4 hrs or so to do top and bottom. I do it about 2 times /yr. on my 185 BR. I'm thinking it'll take an hr or so longer on the 210 BR. I also hit all the vinyl/rubber with 303 while I'm doing this, but that's another hr or so.

-Garth

 

[Turtlesboat]

It takes me 2 days to wax and buff mine. But that's a good job and I'm doing everything like seats and the little chrome light covers and all the stainless too. But that's taking it nice and calm with a beer break or two in there.

 

[Woody]

I don't know the exact hours, but in one day I do the whole boat inside and out. Wash/wax from keel to arch. I wax the non-skid even on the swim platform. This doesn't include drives or trailer, that's a couple more hours. I hand wax but this year I might go to a power.

 

[Pirate]

I usually do the buffing and waxing myself and the more I do it, the more it feels like painting the Golden Gate Bridge.... when I finish at one end, it's time to start over at the other. I really never stop. I just do sections all the time.

If I really want to commit and do the whole boat Hard Top to waterline with Finesse It II and Collinite, it takes 3 hard days with a helper or almost $4k.... your choice.

 

[rondds]

i'll usually do one hull side each day. two coats each side. takes about 4 hours per side. i dont use a machine. i've tried em all and they all leave clumps that are hard to rub out. i've used all kinds of waxes too. my formula is 3m cleaner wax first coat, meguiars second coat. this year i'm going to try the highly touted meguiars flagship (for years i've been using the auto wax). so you figure 8 hours to do the hull, another 8 for the superstructure, then another 2 or so to do the cockpit and inside the flybridge. other than the hull, i do all the rest once in the water.

 

[Woody]

How much time to de-ox + Wax your boat?

I am talking with another boater who’s boat is about the size of a 260 Sundancer. Just counting the time it takes to wax the boat it takes him about 2 ½ hours.

It takes me about 18-20 hours.

I use a Wax Master electric orbital, I de-ox to the rub rail then wax. I do not wax below the water line. My 18-20 hours does not include washing the boat, cleaning the cockpit, cabin, bilge, vinyl, etc. Just waxing the boat. I do not de-ox or wax the non-slip. I do wash the non-slip but that is not part of the 18-20 hours.

Also, I’m in northern Wisconsin. We don’t get near the sun that you would get in, for example, Florida. My oxidation is very minor and hardly noticeable on a sunny day if you look hard.

One of us is doing something wrong.

How long doe it take you to de-ox + wax your boat?

Just a guess after reading alot of your posts, you are putting on about 10 coats of wax to the other guys 1, right? That would pretty much make it the same as far as time goes.:thumbsup:

 

[gerryb]

One day for me, including washing hull, nonslip scrub, waxing hull and cabin washdown/treatment. Usually do the stainless rub rails after it's in the water, everything else on the hard before splashing (which this year will be the 3rd week in MAY!!!!).

 

[mrsrobinson]

We compounded ours with Buff Magic and then waxed her, 1 coat with Pro Polish. Used a polisher for the compounding and an orbital to apply the wax. Took us a good day. We do the hull once a year and the topside monthly during the warm months so oxidation is usually light if at all.

BTW, we use to use Collinite products but found them very pasty/gooey to work with weeks later after applying. Pro Shine looks great, will see how she holds up.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

Spring time, several hours, mid summer one or two hours. Almost every trip out, 30-45 mins...

 

[VTSeaRay]

Actually, my parents have a Stingray 18' Bowrider, and they have major oxidation issues, but they use the StarBrite wax on it. I should work with them on de-ox'ng it I guess with my Porter Cable (I put Zaino on my boat by hand), and see what Zaino does for it.

What do you recommend for a de-ox'ng method/products on a heavily oxidized gelcoat?

-Garth

 

[Dave S]

I spend quite a bit time doing my boat too Doug.

I do the top side of the boat down to the rub rail at my dock a couple of times a year. I am pretty methodical when I do it so I also remove all the canvas from the arch and wax the arch inside and out and do some of the cockpit interior gelcoat as well. I use my PC orbital on all the flat surfaces and do the rest by hand. I first compound anything that is not shiny enough for me and then I apply my polish which is either Meguairs Flagship Wax (this stuff isn't wax..it's a polymer:smt101) or Gel Coat Labs Polish. I buff it all off by hand. Then I have them pull the boat out of the water and put it on a wash rack where I do the hull. The very first thing I do is put masking tape and craft paper on the bottom paint because if you hit that with a buffer accidentally or splash polish on it, it won't come off. Once that's done then I go over the rub rail and all the thru hull fittings with metal polish. Then it's time to compound any spots on the hull that don't pass my shine-o-meter standards.:grin: Then I go over the whole hull with either the Meguairs or Gel Coat Labs stuff I used on the topside. The first coat goes on with the PC Orbital. Since each of these products contains a mild abrasive, that is usually enough to remove water spots. Then I wipe the polish off by hand and apply another coat of my polish to the entire hull by hand and wipe that off.

So when I am done I estimate I have spent 10-14 hours overall just in polishing time. .

 

[Fishnut]

You guys must drink a lot of beer when waxing your boats. Full wax of hull and top side 4 hours long with waxing the chrome. Maybe it is because we do our boat every 90 days so we do a full wax 4x per year that we don't fool around with getting the job done. You could lose a whole boating day otherwise.

If you are keeping up with your waxing why are you doing all of the deoxying? I still havent figured out whether you should wax your non-skid or not. :huh:

All this boating talk has got me thinking that I should take the boat for a spin this afternoon. I am loading up on fuel too, it looks like we will all be paying $4 bucks a gallon this summer. Does SR sell a sailboat? :smt021

 

[MC1600]

That sounds about right, Doug. Fortunately, the PO did a GREAT job maintaining the topside finish, so I just have to wax. But between the foredeck, sides, and cockpit, it takes me about 2 days at 6-8 hours a time.

 

[Nehalennia]

:smt013

How much time to de-ox + Wax your boat?
......It takes me about 18-20 hours.

I use a Wax Master electric orbital,

..... i dont use a machine. i've tried em all and they all leave clumps that are hard to rub out. ......

You guys should try plugging in the Machines you're using or tried too use.....:smt013...it'll go faster....:huh:

Seriously, I will be compounding, polishing and then waxing since I have considerable oxidation on this new to us boat.
I'm guessing it will take me a weekend,, but on my test spots it's showing promise so now I just need a decent Circular (the Harbor Freight POS one gave up the ghost after 3 hours) for the compounding. I always keep wax aboard to I can tinker when I have free time at the dock

 

[MC1600]

i'll usually do one hull side each day. two coats each side. takes about 4 hours per side. i dont use a machine. i've tried em all and they all leave clumps that are hard to rub out. i've used all kinds of waxes too. my formula is 3m cleaner wax first coat, meguiars second coat. this year i'm going to try the highly touted meguiars flagship (for years i've been using the auto wax). so you figure 8 hours to do the hull, another 8 for the superstructure, then another 2 or so to do the cockpit and inside the flybridge. other than the hull, i do all the rest once in the water.

That Meguiars Flagship is worth EVERY PENNY!!! Goes on and off VERY easily!! You will NOT be disappointed!! :thumbsup:

 

[sbw1]

I work nonstop with a helper to rub out with Finesse for about 6 hours to do everything below the rub rail on a 32' Tiara. Change the wool pad to a new one and it takes 2 hours to apply and buff the wax. Total below the rail is 8 hours. It takes 6 hours to do everything above the rail including the cockpit. The hull is a long 8 hours. Above the rail is a lot easier.

 

[sbw1]

i dont use a machine. i've tried em all and they all leave clumps that are hard to rub out. i've used all kinds of waxes too.

Have you tried a clean wool pad on a rotary buffer turning 1500 rpms? Apply Finesse it compound over a 3' by 3' area with a clean white towell and then buff and spread the compound over a 6' or 7' by 5' area overlapping as you go. The haze wipes off with a clean towell. Flagship, same thing only easier. Change the wool pad for a clean one when you switch to wax. No clumps, just a smooth, deep shine that reflects enough to shave by. Haze is easy to wipe off with a fresh clean white towell. Best conditions are sunny and dry as opposed to grey and foggy. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how simple and effective this process is on a reasonably good gel coat.