boat care

[Dale Mitchell]

This has probably gone on this board several times in the past so i appologize. I was wondering what waxes/finishes offer the best protection for UV and other elements for your boat exterior. Also what is the best product for protecting the interior, seats etc, from the same. Any help would be appreciated

 

[fatrap]

I buy all my cleaning materials at a Commerical Detailing place named HiTemp. I had them teach me the process of detailing so I could teach my students. One thing they (detailers) hate is the armoral products. They rob the long term life out of vinyl. Use a quality leather and vinyl rejuvinator. It actually dries out the vinyl.

On my glass hull I use a fine reducer with a orbital polisher as opposed to a high speed buffer. then a good quality wax. One thing I learned is one coat of wax must come off before another can be applied. If not, your waxing on top of wax. Use the reducer(a fine polishing abrasive) about one a year and a wax and tar remover before waxing. Then wax using hand and a clean cotton rag or a orbital buffer similar to a D.A. sander(dual action). My boat looks great and it's 13 years old. N.A.P.A. makes a diaper soft detailing cloth that is unsurpassed and a polishing rag. I can use them when I'm incontinent too.

Carpet. I vacume my boat almost everytime I use it. The sand and grit that gets into the carpet does two things. It gets ground down into the carpet, imagine wearing sandpaper on your shoe soles? And the vibration of flying down the lake put dirt and sand into the air getting into equipment shorting the life. Getting pea gravel drove into your forehead at 80 mph doesn't feel good unless you dig pain.

I do something that is a little different that I can highly recommend. Go to the auto glass shop and ask to buy a can of the foamy lime smelling glass cleaner. I wipe the boat down after pulling out of the water. It's a white foam and it cost about $4 a can. You won't believe the look after using it. No streaks and you can see your face in the sparklys. Then do your truck windshield. My wife steals the stuff from me and uses it on the house windows(waste of materials when they just get dog snott on them again)

That's my procedure.

fatrap