www.iFourWinns.com

Hey guys, I picked up an '03 H190 at the end of last summer and stored it for the winter. Well, I'm noticing this spring that the gelcoat is fairly dull. I hit it with some car wax to see if that would help, but it didn't do much. Any suggestions?

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2000 Four Winns H190 5.0L with Samson Tower / Nissan Titan CC / Lexus SC430 / Honda CBR954RR

I was watching shipshape a while back and they were fixing up an older boat, for the gel coat they used this product called poliglow. The boat looked amazing. I listed the website below

Matt


http://www.poliglow-int.com/poliglow.phtml

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2005 Horizon 200 LE - Volvo Penta 5.0GXi 270

Depends on how oxidized it is. Once oxidized, that layer of gel must be polished off (removed). How hard that is to do and what tools and products are needed, will be dictated by how bad the oxidation is.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

How can I tell by myself (without trailering the boat somewhere) how bad the oxidation is? Can anyone maybe describe some traits of oxidation so I might be able to rate it say, 1 to 10 or something?

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2000 Four Winns H190 5.0L with Samson Tower / Nissan Titan CC / Lexus SC430 / Honda CBR954RR

That's tough. If you look at it and say, "She looks pretty good, but I can tell it's time for some maintenance," maybe that's a 2-4. If you look at it and say, "Sheesh, what a mess," it's a 10.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take much to require a rotary buffer and someone who is very good at using it to fix it. The good news is, it can be fixed.

Is that pic in your signature current? Because to me, that boat doesn't look like it needs anything more than a regular buff with wax. Looks pretty good to me!

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Well, it's nowhere near a 10! I put a coat of wax on it and by the next day you couldn't really tell that I had even done it. I would call the look a semi-gloss in paint standards, and running your hand over it feels like running it over smooth paper (but not photo paper).

Yeah, that is the boat in the photo. From a short distance it looks fine... its only when you get right up on it that you can tell that it is starting to go. I haven't owned a brand new boat, but I assume that a new, perfect finish would be like that of a car's paint job, right?

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2000 Four Winns H190 5.0L with Samson Tower / Nissan Titan CC / Lexus SC430 / Honda CBR954RR

Yeah, pretty much.

Do you have a good orbital buffer (not a rotary)? If not, and you want to try your hand (safely) at improving the boat's surface, and don't mind spending some money to get started, I recommend you visit http://www.properboatcare.com. Check out their Porter Cable 7424 buffer and Gel Coat Labs' Micro Polish and Sealant. I use it every 2 years (and use the buffer with just wax the rest of the time), and several others on this and other boating boards do the same, with awesome results.

The abrasive in it is extremely fine - you can't feel it between your fingers - it's just enough to do the most minimal polish job and the orbital action of the machine will not allow you to harm the boat. So, I can't say whether it would take care of your (apparently very slight) oxidation, but if you want to try it yourself, it's obviously best to start with the least aggressive approach and then work up if that isn't enough.

No matter what happens this go around, having this equipment will allow you to do a 1st class job of keeping it like new once you get it that way. It's not cheap, but it's serious equipment that will last for many years and will pay for itself every time you finish polishing/waxing the boat and you stand back and look at it .

Here's a pic of mine after polishing with these products (note, I didn't have any noticeable oxidation when I started though):



Others will tell you they get just as good a result with Collinite brand products, some of the 3M products, and some of the clay bar products. I don't doubt it, but I haven't used them so I won't comment on them.

Usual disclaimer: I have no relationship with ProperBoatCare.com other than as an extremely satisfied customer.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

i just did this last night, if you want a new finish wet sand with 1500 grit, then use 3m rubbing compound with a buffer and wool pad at about 1400 rpm. next use 3m swirl mark remover with the buffer and a foam pad at the same rpm. should turn out like new.

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republicans, working hard so you dont have to.

One other suggestion: you said you hit it with some car wax. Don't do that. Buy some wax that has UV blockers and is formulated for gel coat finishes. Wax is not wax. Car wax is much different than a good gel coat wax. Also, avoid high carnuba content because it will yellow your white gel coat over time. SOME carnuba is OK, but high carnuba or yellow wax is not. I recommend the Meguiar's Flagship Premium wax. I've seen that stuff go on light oxidation without any polishing and it will gloss it up pretty well.

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Paul
2007 Four Winns Horizon 220
Mercruiser 350 Mag MPI w/ Bravo III Drive
2004 Ford Explorer Limited (V8-AWD)
Pomme de Terre Lake (Southwest Missouri)

+1 pet575 carnuba is bad for the gelcoat

I use the flagship wax also and it works great on the black and white gelcoat. Gives it a real deep shine

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2007 Four Winns 220SS (Sold!!)
2006 Toyota Tacoma