A bit like putting sunscreen on before you go out in the sun. Here’s a couple of good tips for cleaning or polishing your boat whether its you or a detailer:

• Always wash your boat before polishing. You need to remove all the mould from the pores of the gelcoat, otherwise they’ll be locked in. Stopping your boat from looking it’s brightest.
•  When using a polishing machine (or buff) keep it spinning SLOW. Speed generates heat which in turn, burns the compound or polish onto the job. Making it more difficult to buff it off when it goes hard.
• Put some 2″ masking tape on your stainless where your machine is going up against it. Do it and remove it as you go. Peel and re-use the same piece around windscreens. It will stop the polish and the pad from turning grey on the job.
• If you already have wax/polish on your boat, only use detergents with wax in them. Otherwise they will remove the protective coating you just put on.
• Re-apply! Just like sunscreen you need to maintain polish on your boat. Otherwise your gelcoat (or paint) will suffer, costing you more in the long run. Even if it’s just a quick wax-on/wax-off by hand, once a month in Summer and every 3 months in winter is ideal.
• Use a stick to get excess polish off your buff pad when it gets clogged up. Turn the machine on and hold it face up on the ground. Run a stick from the centre to the outside and back again a couple of times.(Note- this doesn’t work for foam pads, only wool)
• Never gurney (waterblast) teak decks or foredeck hatches. Only use a soft broom.

We are skilled on all these facets, give us a call to quote your boat and get on a regular program.