My Boat Detailing Steps For The Ultimate High Gloss Shine

I'm going to start off by apologizing if this blog gets confusing but that is kinda where it helps to have experience with different techniques, pads, machines, compounds and polishes. Once you do have an understanding of how all of these tools and products work with or against each other, you'll will be off detailing your boat to perfection.

Just to be clear, when it comes to removing oxidation from gel coat and restore a boat beautiful reflective shine, there is no such thing as short cuts. If you do take short cuts your final results won't have that OMG look to it. Don't get me wrong you may still get it to look good. Some will even say what is the difference, but trust me if you skip steps there will be a difference from a boat that got a full detail to a boat that got a half detail.

Honestly it all depends on how good you want it to look, how much time your willing to spend, the amount of effort you have to put into it and how much money your comfortable spending. These four factors are key when its comes to detailing your boat. So, I would answer these questions first, either, if your going to DIY detail your boat.

MY STEP ONE:

Dewalt rotary buffer with a heavy cut white wool pad and Starke Level R heavy cut compound,

MY STEP TWO:

Dewalt rotary buffer with medium cut yellow wool pad and Starke Elevate medium cut compound.

MY STEP THREE:

Maxshine long throe dual action polisher with purple wool/foam hybrid pad or an orange foam pad and Starke Finish R hybrid polish or Starke Ignition polish of swirls and hologram removal after the use of a rotary machine in prior steps

MY STEP FOUR/FINAL STEP:

Maxshine long throw dual action polisher with micro cut microfiber pad and Jescar Ultra Lock Plus SiO2 Polymer Sealant

Boat Detailing Steps For The Ultimate High Gloss Shine

STEP ONE: Heavy Cut

This is almost the same as wet sanding gel coat for oxidation removal. It's just not as aggressive and doesn't require as many steps after to properly rejuvinate the gel coat surface. But it still requires a curtain amount of steps after this procedure to produce to best possible results.

Each step after the one before it is honestly done to correct the damage the gel coat receives from the process that is required for correcting a boats gel coat surface. For example a rotary machine with a wool cutting pad will leave micro scratches, swirls and holograms in the gel coat, even though it may not look like. To really see this you need to shine a light on it to bring out these imperfections. That doesnt mean its ok to stop here though, well, maybe for a DIY owner but definitely not for the professional, because it can be very noticable difference when side by side with a boat that has had the proper detail steps taken. The main goal is to remove deeper scratches, scuff marks, and oxidation due to normal use of the boat and environment damage cause buy salt water and UV rays along with others.

STEP TWO: Medium Cut

Then depending on how the first step finished results look the next step can either be medium cut with a rotary and yellow wool or with a DA polisher and either a purple hybrid pad or a medium cut foam pad.

STEP THREE: Light Cut Polish

Then for the last of the gel coat correcting steps in order to produce that amazing high gloss mirror effect finish, a thorough light cut/polish step should be taken with a DA polisher and a light cut foam pad. This step is what can make those dark colors really pop and look amazing in the end.

STEP FOUR: Apply Sealant or Wax

Now I know this is getting ridiculous but a good degreaser scrub wash is needed to remove all of the compound and polish residue from the surface. This will ensure proper sealant adheression and longevity. Besure the surface is dry a follow the directions on the label of the sealant you choose. I will use a DA polisher with a micro cut microfiber foam pad to spread and apply my sealant. This method helps to ensure the thinnest coat possible with proper coverage. This pad type also minimizes the excess waste that a traditional foam finishing pad produces. Thats because polymer sealant with satriate the material completely before it starts to apply the sealant on the surface your working on. With a microfiber pad they are thinner and less absorbent but soft enough not to scratch the surface you just spent hours upon hours correcting to perfection.

Tools Of The Trade

Rotary Buffer:

For a professional looking detail your going to need to purchase two machines. A rotary buffer and a dual action (DA) polisher. You can pick up decent machines at Harbor Freight, if your just a DIY boat owner but, professional detailers really need to step there machine selection up and purchase a high quality rotary machine like a Rupes, Dewalt, Makita or Flex, to name a few.

Dual Action (DA) Polisher:

Also, a high quality dual action polisher like Rupes, Maxshine, Shurhold or 3M, to name a few. Not only just one DA machine but a couple like a "short throw" and a "long throw". The difference here being lies in the oscillation pattern of the backing plate, with long-throw polishers having a wider orbit (12mm-21mm) and short-throw polishers having a smaller orbit (typically 8mm). Simply, short throw for smaller areas and long throw for larger areas.

Mini Rotary & Mini Dual Action Polishers:

Along with these machines a professional needs a mini rotary and a mini DA for all those tight areas that need buffed on any given boat. These machines can come with an assortment of backing plates to change out. From sizes down to 1" up to 4" to really be able to tackle any tight areas a boat can through at you.

Dual Action-Forced Rotation Polisher:

If you thought that is a lot of different machines there is one more type that most professionals should invest in. This machine can almost take the place of all the machines I just mentioned, except for the mini machines. A dual action forced rotation machine is one of the latest polisher types to hit the market. High quality brands are Flex and Rupes, as of now. This polisher type will cut the through some of the heaviest oxidation. Because of its forced rotation the orbit is gear driven so that means the user can basically stand on it or push as hard as they can and it will keep moving. Unlike a traditional DA machine if you apply a lot of pressure, it will stop from oscillating, to keep from burning through the surface. It's also a great machine to use for your medium cut steps, your light cut polish steps and even applying sealants and waxes. Your only changing out pad types and products depending on what results your trying to achieve. I can't recommend a DIY boat owner to go out and purchase a DA forced rotation machine only because there is a learning curve. They can also be harder to control because of how the gear driven aspect just keeps moving and can drag to user to where it wants to go. With that said, they are safer to use than a rotary machine because they are less likely to burn through the gel coat or clear coat surface your working on. Forced rotation DA machines are on the upper end as far as pricing goes for machine, so if possible I would try one out before purchasing to see if it is something you can handle. If you do end up liking this type of machine, it could be the only one you really need, so it can be worth the effort to try.

Conclusion

I encourage any boat owner give detailing their own boat a try. But there are commitments needed no matter on the amount of effort your willing to put into maintaining your boats gel coat surfaces. Instead of buying machines you can always ask your buddy that has them if you can borrow them for a test drive to see if this something your willing to invest in for the long term. Or you can make this super easy on yourself and call up a local boat detailing company and let the professionals take on this project. If you do then all you need to do is regularly maintain it and you should have an amazing looking vessel for you and your family to enjoy.

I hope this information was of value to you and that you learned a thing or two about the process involved with detailing a boat to that showroom quality shine we all crave. If this was help please give it a LIKE, I would appreciate it very much!

Happy boating!

This Blog Was Written By:  

Owner & Operator Of

Out Of This World Boatworks LLC

Three Rivers Of Pittsburgh, PA 15237

brian@outofthisworldboatworks.com

www.outofthisworldboatworks.com

Specializing In: Mobile Boat Detailing, Marine Audio, Lighting & Electronics Installations Plus Boat Maintenance & Repairs Of Pittsburgh PA & Surrounding Areas

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