gelcoat compound

[island]

looking to bring back shine on hull looked at a lot of different cleaners and polishes advised by a shop to use 3m high gloss gelcoat compound followed up with the 3m liquid wax has anyone tried this if so what is your thoughts

[Blue Agave]

3M makes a compound called Perfect-It that works real well.  I have also used a product called Aqua Buff that works well. A high speed buffer is a must.  And of course wax is needed to keep it shiny and protect it from the elements. As far as wax, I like Meguiars.

The irony, I just buffed and waxed my boat today. My boat is painted with Awlgrip, It was pretty oxidized especially the port side which gets hammered by the sun. I used 3M Perfect-It compound because that is what I had in my garage and a high speed buffer.  Followed up by hand waxing it with a Meguiars wax. I'll try and get some photos up this evening.

[slvrlng]

Try to find some of this.

http://prestaproducts.com/Gel_Coat_Comp ... tails.aspx

This compound is water based and unlike the 3M perfect-it, excess will wash off with just soap and water.The 3M dries into a hard crust in any crevice and is really hard to get out. You sometimes have to use wax and grease remover to get it removed. Most any auto paint store can get it for you. Capt. Bob has tried it, maybe he will confirm my experience.

[Capt. Bob]

Try to find some of this.

http://prestaproducts.com/Gel_Coat_Comp ... tails.aspx

This compound is water based and unlike the 3M perfect-it, excess will wash off with just soap and water.The 3M dries into a hard crust in any crevice and is really hard to get out. You sometimes have to use wax and grease remover to get it removed. Most any auto paint store can get it for you. Capt. Bob has tried it, maybe he will confirm my experience.

Well my experience is limited to these products but...
If I did it again, it's what I'd use. Worked really really good, :!:  especially for someone who never did this before. As Lew stated, cleans up EZ

The Ultra Cutting Creame is the perfect combo for the Gel and where the oxy is lighter, all you need. That and a good wax after.

Thanks Lewis

[slippery73]

looking to bring back shine on hull looked at a lot of different cleaners and polishes advised by a shop to use 3m high gloss gelcoat compound followed up with the 3m liquid wax has anyone tried this if so what is your thoughts

Depends on condition of the gelcoat and how good you want it to look.  If I do a "piano" finish on a dark color, I'll wetsand to 800-1200 grit, buff with a wool bonnet and aquabuff 2000. After that go to a black foam pad and 3m finesse-it.  The finesse-it is a finishing polish and will remove the fine swirl marks that the wool pad leaves.

If you have a light color thats badly oxidized start with aquabuff 1000, if your satisfied with the shine wax.  If not move to aquabuff 2000 then wax.  

Remember, the finer you finish the boat now, the longer the shine will last before heavy maintenance again.  I'd take the extra step of polishing the boat with the finesse-it simply for the fact of less maintenance down the road.  The finer the polish the smoother the surface, smoother surface = less uv absorption and longer lasting finishes.

[kraw2]

After years of using 3M products followed by Finesse-It someone brought me some of the Presta Cutting Creme.

That's all you need to use. It works great and breaks down to a fine polish when being used. Much better that the 3M Finesse-it.

[slippery73]

After years of using 3M products followed by Finesse-It someone brought me some of the Presta Cutting Creme.

That's all you need to use. It works great and breaks down to a fine polish when being used. Much better that the 3M Finesse-it.

All the "finesse it" is meant to do is take out fine swirl marks and scratches from the compound. It wont do anything other than that. Its only really noticeable on darker colors also.