wax on, wax off, breath in, breath out - Maxum Boat Owners Club

pascavone · 03-10-2012, 08:21 AM

any one self wax?

What are you using on the hull, and do you use a power buffer or just wax by hand like your car?

Also,

Anyone wax the top deck with the bumps on it?

i was told that if you do you'll fall on your butt.

mcoffey · 03-10-2012, 11:29 AM

I plan on it. Have not done it yet but have all that I need to do it (I think).
I am going to use the Collinite products as I have heard good things about them. So I have the 920 Fiberglass Cleaner and I plan on applying it with my buffer. I then have the 885 Fleetwax Paste that I plan on applying by hand once I am happy with the cleaner application.
I know there are a ton of products out there and I am sure alot of them are good. I chose the Collinite as many indicate that it lasts the full season where others fall short here.

Sorry I can't help here more and directly answer your questions, just thought I would share my plan

biggerseagar · 03-10-2012, 12:21 PM

I have used Meguiars waxes and 3M cleaner and wax with great sucess. Either one or the other.

Also went out and bought an electric Harbor Freight polisher years ago and it has been a great help( Best $39.95 I have ever spent).

I would like to try a product called Buff Magic by Shurold this year. I would like to polish the boat first then wax and see if that will make a difference........

I have tried to stay away from the non-skid stuff with wax. I will get a thick brush with a good cleaners ( soft and scrub) and go to town on the non-skid to get all the dirt out of it. You really got to do a thorough rinse on that or it will leave a film.

Roger.

MCM · 03-10-2012, 02:39 PM

To start, I am using Meguiar's Marine One-Step Compound http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details
and a DeWALT DWP849X 7-Inch/9-Inch Variable Speed Polisher with Soft Start http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...00_i00_details

I intend to use Meguiar's Flagship Premium Marine Wax - 32 oz. http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Flags...=pd_sim_auto_2 by hand as a maintainer.

dronthelake · 03-10-2012, 11:48 PM

Roger, I tried Buff Magic and was not pleased. Went back to the 3M compounds. For wax I prefer Meguiar's Flagship Premium. I have tried several different brands over the years but have yet to find anything better.

pascavone · 03-11-2012, 11:24 PM

i used the 3M clean and wax, after washing the boat.

Took 4 hours to do all the vertical sides on the boat, and used an orbital 6" buffer.

Still a lot of work....

ladt year I paid $300 to have it done.

ss3964spd · 03-12-2012, 02:14 PM

It's often been said that boats shrink when they get wet, but darn if they don't get bigger when it's time to wax them.

Definitely get an electric random orbit machine, with an assortment of different foam pads (some pads are more agressive than others). Depending on how big the boat is will play a roll in how big a machine you get. Meaning, if you get a BIG buffer - 10" for instance, it makes it tough to get into smaller areas. If it's too small it takes too long. Ideally you'd get two machines, one large and another 3" or 4" for the tighter spots (or just do those by hand). You also want the machine(s) to be variable speed and have a locking trigger.

Ya can't miss with the 3M cleaners. I used their fast cut to remove the oxidation on my boat, and then a Starbrite product for the wax. Turned out very nice.

Dan

shrew · 03-12-2012, 02:44 PM

I wax my own boat. There is NO WAY that I would put it on by hand. I use a random orbital buffer to apply the wax and a a clean rag by hand to remove the wax. I use 3M products because I like the way they perform over others. You simply need to keep swapping out the buffing bonnets when applying the wax. After a while the bonnets get 'clogged'. After a while you start to recognize when the bonnet is getting clogged. The wax starts going on hard and coming off hard as well. The same with the clean rag to remove the wax. These also get clogged and you begin noticing the wax is more difficult to remove. On a 28 ft. boat, I go through about 10 bonnets applying on the hull alone. About 15-20 1 ft. square rage removing wax. (Maybe a bit more). When I'm done i toss them all in the washing machine. Waxing doesn't work with wet bonnets or rags.

You could remvoe the wax with an random-orbital buffer, but it would spend more time swapping bonnets and it would take a ridiculous amount of them (and time) to get the job done.

don't wax the non-skid. I like Star Bright non-skid cleaner with PTEF. It cleans the non-skid well and includes a UV protectant. If you try to wax the non-skid, you will spend days trying to get every single bit of wax removed. It will gather in corners and start looking dirty quickly. AND it will make the surface slick. 3M also makes a good non-skid cleaner that will do the same.

ss3964spd · 03-12-2012, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrew

I like Star Bright non-skid cleaner with PTEF. It cleans the non-skid well and includes a UV protectant. If you try to wax the non-skid, you will spend days trying to get every single bit of wax removed. It will gather in corners and start looking dirty quickly. AND it will make the surface slick.

Add to that - there's no way you could use a machine on the non-skid. I'm not even sure how you could do it by hand.

jamanati · 03-13-2012, 01:29 AM

On the hull - Collinite #885 Fleet Wax Paste Version or 3M Performance Paste Wax. Hand wax unless you have a very, very, very slow buffer, otherwise, the heat from the friction of the buffer does not make the wax stick well or last as long. Two things, get a water spray bottle and micro fiber rags.
Do: Work in a small area at a time. If you're going to use #885, mist the area you're waxing with the spray water bottle first, apply wax, let haze, buff off with micro fiber. The water mist helps the wax bond better and last longer. The misting wont work with other waxes or Carnuba blends, but with #885, it works great.
Do: Use micro fiber rags to wax off, better than any other hand material for waxing. You'll thank yourself afterwards.
Do: Make sure whatever you're waxing is cleaned and shined first. Wax is used to protect, not to shine. If your gelcoat isn't shiny, wax won't really help it shine. The stuff used on cars contains polymers that make it shine, but don't last. If you want to wax your boat often, then use cheap wax that has polymers.
Do: Get the shine first. You may need to just polish, or compound, or even wet sand in various grits to get that shine out first before you wax.
Don't: Wax is direct sunlight or if your hull feels hot.
Don't: Wax any walking area. Remember, the wax is there to repel water by making it feel slick. Step on a slightly wet deck or one with bumps that has been waxed and your chiropractor will thank you.
Waxing takes time. Most people rush it only to find out later they have to do it again. The #885 product should last 6-8 months if done right.

pascavone · 03-13-2012, 01:51 AM

the 3M stuff was $30 for the bottle, and was a cleaner, wax, almost like compound.

It pulled off all those water drip line from the black rubber, and dirty film.

I used a rag to wipe it on, and it was a sunnuy day on one side of the boat, and then used the 6" orbit to buff off on the number 1 speed. After that use a cotton t-shirt to clean up any left over. It took 5 hours to do the hull and above and below the rub rail, and another hour to do both sides of the radar arch, and transom.

I worked the scratchs and they turned out to be dirt from all the pile rubbing on the docks. The Maxum curved ventilator on the side sticks out further then the rub rail on the 2000 model.

Judge for yourself if you see a shine.

MCM · 03-13-2012, 12:24 PM

Did you wax the fence?

pascavone · 03-13-2012, 02:19 PM

you have a good eye....

the marina, let me finish waxing it on shore, then lanched it.

Its amazing that the hull from the water line to the top of the deck requires a tall ladder on land, and impossible to wax from a dock or bulk head...

I tried it onece, last summer, and the boat away tries to float away.

I away picture myself hanging up side down, with one broken leg between the deck and the bow rails.... but, at least you could reach those hard spots....

shrew · 03-14-2012, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamanati

Do: Make sure whatever you're waxing is cleaned and shined first. Wax is used to protect, not to shine. If your gelcoat isn't shiny, wax won't really help it shine. The stuff used on cars contains polymers that make it shine, but don't last. If you want to wax your boat often, then use cheap wax that has polymers.

I agree, surface needs to be completely cleaned first. However, even straight waxes have a bit of a cutting agent in them that will strip marks and do some light cleaning.

pascavone · 07-02-2012, 02:33 AM

i finally got the energy to wax the top non skid deck, with the anti-slip wax.

its goes on like the normal wax, but i still used an osslating buffer, and it pulled all the wax out of the non slip deck which is the bumpy part.

going around the side runner, and then the swim platform.

Warpa1 · 07-04-2012, 07:37 PM

I have recently moved over to 3M for both my cars and boat as well as the boats and cars i do on the side. I use a Flex rotary as its the best on the market, very very light and quiet! There are a few scrap metal places down by the water over here where the dry stacks are, so i use IronX in a foam lance to get rid of any of that contamination, and Surfex HD as a degreasant and to get rid of any remaining wax depending on mix i use. I have found that with 3M fast cut on a lambswool pad the finish needs little to no glazing after, and two coats of 3M paste wax will protect my own boat thats moored up with no antifould for 3 months before starting to go green, then ill trailer it home for a 2 hour once over before dropping her back on its moorings.

I have tried and own just about every detailing product out there, this 3M is my favorite so far. Wax by hand or if using a machine use it on peed 1 as no heat is needed to break it down like a polish, i always to a couple of coats by hand using a damp applicator spounge, and buff off with 6-10 microfiber cloths. Wont take as long as you think if all the prep work is done, and the paste wax comes of very easy! I have always said if you get the prep work done properly which is the most time consuming, then regular maintanence will keep car and boat looking new with very few man hours spent on it. My cars only need a wash every few months as they are so well protected that grime wont stick to the panels.

1997 maxum 1750 XR

dewaxed for new graphics