Quick question....can I use a Porter Cable on a boat?

[mrgto]

I have an older Porter Cable that works fine on a car but my father just purchased a nicer boat and wants me to detail it. Will a Porter Cable cut the mustard....or the grime...on a gel coated boat? If so, what pads and compounds am I going to require?

Thanks all. Sorry for it being short but gotta get the two little ones to bed. Thanks again.

[Rsurfer]

I have an older Porter Cable that works fine on a car but my father just purchased a nicer boat and wants me to detail it. Will a Porter Cable cut the mustard....or the grime...on a gel coated boat? If so, what pads and compounds am I going to require?

Thanks all. Sorry for it being short but gotta get the two little ones to bed. Thanks again.
Use a purple foam wool pad on your PC. Check out Marine 31 on AG store.

[rlmccarty2000]

Or try the Meg's microfiber cutting pads.

[ellens2]

Get the Lake Country Thin Foamed Wool Pads
5 1/2 Inch Thin Foamed Wool Pad (2-Pack) (http://www.autogeek.net/lc-58-1255b.html)

[Thenissanguy]

Can you post the before and after shots? I have a toy hauler and im looking to do the same process

[wing commander]

Do not use around water without a G.F.I. outlet.

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

You can use the PC on Gel Coat but chances are the Gel Coat will just shrug it off with not much gain on your end.

You will be better suited with a FLEX 3401 or a rotary polisher. That is unless the boat is brand new and you are going to maintain it from day one.

[mrgto]

Do not use around water without a G.F.I. outlet.

Yea, because I detail boats in the water......lol.....

[Rsurfer]

Yea, because I detail boats in the water......lol.....

He probably meant if your wet sanding with the PC.

[Eldorado2k]

He probably meant if your wet sanding with the PC.

I'm pretty sure he meant in case you and the polisher accidentally fall in the ocean/lake while polishing. Funny, but seriously, but still funny. Lol.

[Craddock]

Get a rotary. Hf parking lot sale this weekend. I wouldn't think of trying to cut oxidation off Gel without one. Even a harbor freight although I hate the speed control but I have a couple for back ups. Makita fan myself.

On the water note. I have done several boats sitting on the rails of boat lifts with extention cord(not the plugs) running through the lake. I get Hazzard pay for this of course. Never had an issue. I bring GFI with. Never had it trip. Your mileage may vary.

[Mike Phillips]

Here's an article on the topic of GFI


Safety First - Always plug-in to a GFI or Ground Fault Interrupter (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/tricks-tips-techniques/76825-safety-first-always-plug-gfi-ground-fault-interrupter.html)


:)

[Mike Phillips]

my father just purchased a nicer boat and wants me to detail it.





Nicer boat?

Does it have light oxidation and staining? Or worse?


I cover the Porter Cable and all condition of gel-coat boats, painted boats and even aluminum pontoon boats in this how-to book




Paperback book - How To Detail Boats With Marine 31 by Mike Phillips (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/marine-31-boat-detailing-classes/97252-paperback-book-how-detail-boats-marine-31-mike-phillips.html)


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Cover.jpg



It's no coincidence that car guys also tend to be boat guys!

The two hobbies go together well when it comes to having fun and also when it comes to detailing and maintaining both cars and boats.

This how to book contains more in-depth information on boat detailing than any other book ever written on this topic. This is without a doubt the most complete and information rich how-to book I've ever written. (I have 5 paperback how-to books in print and 3 ebooks available).

This paperback book on how to detail boats goes over every surface of a boat both inside and out. It also covers every conceivable condition a boat is in with specific steps for correction.

It covers all these tools,

Flex 3401
Flex PE14
RUPES BigFoot 21
RUPES BigFoot Duetto
RUPES TA50
Cyclo polisher
Porter Cable 7424XP
DeWALT 849X
Makita 9237CX2
Griot's Garage 6" DA Polisher
3M Air DA Sander

Working by hand
I know most people start out working by hand so I included hand techniques for every topic.


Plus all the pads, brushes and sanding discs to use with the above tool.

Instead of typing out all the topics covered in this book I've simply taken pictures of the index which shows you just how in-depth this how to book truly is...


http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_001.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_002.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_003.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_004.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_006.jpg

http://www.marine31online.com/gallery/data/532/Boat_Book_Index_007.jpg



Many of the topics covered also apply to car detailing so it's a valuable resource even if you don't yet own a boat.

If you're familiar with my writing style in the forum world you'll find the same style of writing in all my how-to books. That is I explain in simple terms how to perform a process plus why you're performing it and it's a combination of including both types of information that helps you to do the best work possible.


:)



:)

[Mike Phillips]

Get the Lake Country Thin Foamed Wool Pads

5 1/2 Inch Thin Foamed Wool Pad (2-Pack) (http://www.autogeek.net/lc-58-1255b.html)




I show these pads in the book.

Also, for gel-coat boats in category #1 and #2, (see the book for all 4 categories), a person could use the extremely sharp and fast cutting ThinPro pads like the grey and orange shown in this article,


Lake Country ThinPro Foam Buffing Pads exclusively at Autogeek (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/new-car-care-products/96756-lake-country-thinpro-foam-buffing-pads-exclusively-autogeek.html)


Gel-coat finishes tend to dull down when using soft foam for correction but they love hard sharp foam.

Of course, soft foam waxing pads work perfectly fine for machine applying a wax or sealant to perfect gel-coat finishes.


:)

[mrgto]

Thanks all. Boat isn't in awful condition, it just needs a detail. It's been out of the water for 2 years while for sale, my father bought it and put it in the water for a bit this late summer in Cape Cod and now it's going to his primary residence and into the garage next to the Corvette's for a detail.