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Sorry in advance as I am sure this has been discussed. I searched the forums, but now I'm even more confused.

My son and his girlfriend are currently working from home but have decided to go to the Lake Havasu house to work from there next week.

I gave them the OK as long as they wax the boat. The boat has some very light oxidation on a couple of blue areas of the gelcoat and the white gelcoat isn't too shiny behind the sunpad where I assume the sun hit it when it was stored on a lift. The warning stickers are also in bad condition back there and need to be removed.

A few weeks ago we tried using 3M Perfect-It Gelcoat Light Cutting Polish + Wax. It did make the surface smoother on a couple of test areas, however, it's not leaving the 'mirror finish' like the rest of the boat. What should he use next?

Thanks

R u doing by hand or a machine? This productA helped me. But you might need something stronger mnlakebum is the expert. Search his post

Sounds like you need a polisher. Use the perfect-it polish but with a machine and wool pads or heavy cutting microfiber pads. I like to hit it with a top layer of Megs Flagship Marine Wax by hand as well.

Yeah, was using a polisher. Already have some different pads to try. If the 3M products have wax in them, why add more?

kas232ca wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2020 6:03 pm Yeah, was using a polisher. Already have some different pads to try. If the 3M products have wax in them, why add more?

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Did you try using wool pads?
That works wonders with the 3M product above. Foam and microfiber pads did not work on the heavier oxidation for us.

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3M's Perfect-It Light should leave a shiny finish. If it's clearly oxidized and not just less shiny, I might start with medium and then move to light. Aslan is right about wool pads working better with these than foam, as you're trying to be more aggressive and carry more compound than you would be polishing the clearcoat on your car, for example. Something like this would be ideal:

https://www.johnsonautobodysupply.com/3 ... 33289.html

John

Wool is king on gelcoat. I don't have any heavy oxidation, or barely any minor oxidation at all. So I like the heavy cut microfiber pads. They work, but not as well as wool. Foam pads don't do much. I have only ever used the Rupes blue foam pads on gelcoat. They worked, but took a lot of passes.

AsLan7 wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:59 am

kas232ca wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2020 6:03 pm Yeah, was using a polisher. Already have some different pads to try. If the 3M products have wax in them, why add more?

.
Did you try using wool pads?
That works wonders with the 3M product above. Foam and microfiber pads did not work on the heavier oxidation for us.

.

Only tried foam. Will try wool and report back.

Thanks

jhnmdahl wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 10:42 am 3M's Perfect-It Light should leave a shiny finish. If it's clearly oxidized and not just less shiny, I might start with medium and then move to light. Aslan is right about wool pads working better with these than foam, as you're trying to be more aggressive and carry more compound than you would be polishing the clearcoat on your car, for example. Something like this would be ideal:

https://www.johnsonautobodysupply.com/3 ... 33289.html

John

Thanks for the link!

JTinMO wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 2:04 pm Wool is king on gelcoat. I don't have any heavy oxidation, or barely any minor oxidation at all. So I like the heavy cut microfiber pads. They work, but not as well as wool. Foam pads don't do much. I have only ever used the Rupes blue foam pads on gelcoat. They worked, but took a lot of passes.

Wool sounds like the plan then.

Thanks