Trojan Boat Forum

As we all get ready for Spring and Summer, exterior clean up is pending. What is everyone's preferred "wax" product? This boat is new to my wife and I and is in need for some exterior lovin'. Seems the hull gets "chalky" throughout the year. Is there a product to stop or limit that?

Thanks in advance for all the input!

The MS Gelcoat Restorer is pretty good stuff and relatively easy to apply. I'm not sure how long it lasts but it's a pure chemical process of cleaning, polishing and coating.

I like to put effort into the gelcoat, brightwork and teak on a boat so I tend to go a little nuts with it. I'll wash, rinse, and wash again before polishing. Last step is waxing and sealing. I'm a big fan of Chemical Guys stuff and have been using it on cars for a while. You'll likely want a random orbital with a variety of foam pads to apply this stuff. It can be a very lengthy process but if done right gets high quality results. I used to spend hours in my garage detailing my cars with similar products to the ones listed below and have used these with great results on several boats.

Marine Heavy Compound will take care of really worn spots and tough scratches. I use this in between seasons once a year.

Marine Polish and Sealant is middle of the road aggressiveness wise general polish/sealant and will work for jobs that don't involve crazy scratching or very dull gel-coat.

Marine Wet Wax is a carnauba wax you can apply regularly. Depending on use I'll apply this stuff every few weeks. Just do small chunks at a time and buff like heck with a soft cloth.

If you're just shopping at west-marine or something like that I'd suggest a good wash, polish that isn't super aggressive and a carnauba based wax. Beware all-in-one bottles that promise magical results. They generally look good but don't last very long.

The best way to prevent or limit the tendency of your gelcoat to go chalky is to do regular wash-downs and cleaning. You can get some quick detailer from Chemical Guys (and other folks) that helps for those periodic spots you want to get rid of. Just use a soft cloth or bit and rinse it often to avoid grit.

Are you in salt or fresh water?

I like 3M Marine Cleaner and Wax and 3M Marine Restore and Wax

Grumpy Duck - thanks for being so detailed!

We are in Fresh Water - Lake Ontario to be more specific.

Best Wax I have ever used (Four Seasons Boat Wax)

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/u ... o?pid=4107

dolcesol2 wrote:Grumpy Duck - thanks for being so detailed!

We are in Fresh Water - Lake Ontario to be more specific.

Sure thing. I'm kind of a polish nerd. 3M makes fine products as well, I used a few of them when I was discovering the joys of bringing car finishes back to life. The company is like a crazy brain trust of people than can make a formula for anything.

Carnauba = winning. There's no replacement for it.

+1 on 3M buffing and polishing compounds. I use a 9" circular buffer with wool pads for this.

I have had good luck with Meguiars Flagship wax. It goes on quick and buffs easily, and seems to last pretty well. I have been wanting to try Collinite but still have some Flagship to burn through. I use a random orbital for the wax application and buff by hand.