My first boat detail. It's a doosie!

[El Flaco Taco]

Hello all. My friends dad just bought a boat and has asked me to detail it. Told him I've never detailed a boat before but I'm up for the challenge. Went by to check it out today and boy I think I might regret tackling this one. Here are some pictures of my challenge, should I accept it.

Btw. How do you go about cleaning this?




I think this is over my head but I'm always in over my head. So I'm going for what I know. Which is not much at this point.

I have the 3403 and the Rupes. I'm expecting to do multi steps. I also gather that I need to use wool pads. My questions to you guys are what pads and products should I use that would best compliment my machine(s). I'm thinking compound with 3403 and Marine 31 Heavy-Cut with wool pads and finish with the Rupes and Marine 31Gloss and Color Restorer . Not sure which pads. What do you guys think? What else am i missing?

Also how much would you charge for a job like this?

[Pureshine]

I've never done a boat but that looks like its done

[mark98xlt]

Rotary and wool... Look into meguiars marine #67 one step compound and wax

[glen e]

Rotary and wool... Look into meguiars marine #67 one step compound and wax

been doing boats all my life...the above is all you need to know...if you don't have a rotary and wool, don't bother...gelcoat laughs at anything else.....

the 67 above is good stuff - also duragloss 561.....

[El Flaco Taco]

been doing boats all my life...the above is all you need to know...if you don't have a rotary and wool, don't bother...gelcoat laughs at anything else.....

the 67 above is good stuff - also duragloss 561.....

Thank You Mark and Glen. So either M67 or Duragloss 561. Any lsp necessary? If I blow him away on this boat I'm sure to get his cars as well. So I'm willing to take the extra step(s).
Also what about that motor, is there any hope for making it look like new again?

Also how do you guys feel about LC Foamed wool pads?

[scrubs147]

I agree with the wool and rotary... Buff Magic is a good choice or Presta Super cut Compound - finish it off with an orange pad Meguiar’s Flagship Premium Marine Wax.

[Mike Phillips]

That gel-coat is severely oxidized and stained. You're going to want to chop on it using a very aggressive cutting compound with a very aggressive wool pad and a rotary buffer.

It might even be a good candidate for wetsanding first and then hit with the wool pads and compound.

Assuming this is all gel-coat and it looks like it is, then if you find compounding slow and hard, you might consider wetsanding first...

Here, I've "inserted" one of your pictures...

[Mike Phillips]

We just tackled this boat which hasn't been taken care of for years, maybe over a deade and used a two step approach with Marine 31 products.


Pictures: 2000 Baja 232 Boss High Performance Extreme Makeover




Here's how she looked before... dull, chalky, lifeless... zero shine...










Here's the after results...

[ShawnCT450R]

Completely agree with the above posts. I am absolutely not an expert, and I have only buffed my RV once. This is what I did, and it was a complete success.

Washed with dishsoap and hot water (and RV brush). Compounded with HF Rotary, white wool pads, and 3M compound. Finished with GG6 buffer, red CCS pads, and PTFE gel coat LSP (recommended to me by some boat people in my area).

Took me 3 days (8 hours per day). Still beads well and looks great after several months of rain and heat in South Carolina. Hope this helps.

[El Flaco Taco]

Thanks for the replies but it's not gone happen. He was thinking along the lines of $3-$5/ft. to come rub a little turtle wax on it.