How to keep it shininy

[bigbotes]

Hi everyone. Just a quick question...My boat hull still has a good shine and I want to keep it that way. What is a good product to keep it that way? I don't mind putting a little elbow grease into it. Looking for either a spray and wipe type of stuff or a wax on wax off type. Thanks. Oh and I don't trust myself to use a buffer plus I don't think its necessary.

[wingtime]

I have good luck with Four Season's  Tre Wax. Car wax does not hold up for long on gel coat.

Buffing gel coat is no big deal. Don't really have to worry about burning thru it like you do with paint. If you do buff it I have had by far the best luck with Aquabuff 2000.

[bigbotes]

thanks Wingtime, yea I want to keep it simple but keep it protected.

[CLM65]

If the gel coat is shiny, there is no reason to buff it.  A good coat of marine wax is all that is needed.  If the gelcoat is oxidized, and has a dull or chalky appearance, that is when you need to break out the buffer, and polishing compound like Aquabuff.  And the buffer should be a decent dual action or rotary with wool pads.  Those orbital polishers, that just vibrate a little bit, aren't going to do much good.

[Blue Agave]

Good advice already given by others. Wax every 6 months and if you can't store indoors I recommend a cover.  Also, don't neglect the inside of the boat and the motor cowling. Be sure and wax the vertical surfaces in the boat as well as the console. Do not use wax on the floor or it will become a slip and slide, there is a non-skid wax for this application. I use Woody Wax non-skid wax and it works well on the floor.