manateemark
03-18-2017, 10:30 PM
We just recently got a pair of used 2008 Sea Doo RXT-X Wave Runners. The beasts have 255 horse power and will take you for a real ride. I decided though that the exterior needed to match the performance. My problem is that I cannot seem to get a good shine off of the gel coat. The boats have definitely never been polished, and probably spent most of their time in the sun.
I picked up some Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy Cut Oxidation Cleaner, as well as their All in One Gel Coat Polish and Wax. I tried doing test spots and could not get anything to look good. The pad kept on getting clogged up, and I couldn't figure as a cause/solution to the problem. It was nasty looking grad junk that was just annihilating my pads. I preformed different test spots, all while using my Rupes 75 on speed 4-5.
I tried to take lots of photos, but it is very difficult to accurately display the gloss while using a flash on a camera, as well as the gray metallic gel coat.
You can see here that at the top, where the front latch closes and is protected from the sun, that it has a nice, clear finish. That is my goal for the rest of the wave runner.
http://i.imgur.com/HYJqstj.jpg
This was a brand new Rupes pad before doing the test spot on this 12in by 5in area.
http://i.imgur.com/Ti84C18.jpg
These results were after using the oxidation cleaner on a blue Rupes pad
http://i.imgur.com/ilrgT77.jpg
These results were after using the polish and wax on a Yellow Rupes pad
http://i.imgur.com/agI3NKh.jpg
These results were after using oxidation cleaner and then the polish (Blue and Yellow Pads)
http://i.imgur.com/aDKRVBm.jpg
These results looked much more promising, but still not quite there. This was wet sanded using 1500grit, then I used the oxidation cleaner, topped with using the polish. I still feel like there is more left to be desired, and my polishing pad was also getting gunked up still. I don't know if I need to go with something more aggressive than 1500.
http://i.imgur.com/U83aaaj.jpg
I am hoping that someone out there can give me some suggestions on what I am doing wrong. I do not have a rotary buffer, and only have Rupes pads. I do have an LHR21, but that is too big for this project. I heard someone talking about using a Blue Rupes for polishing so maybe someone can fill me in about that.
I picked up some Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy Cut Oxidation Cleaner, as well as their All in One Gel Coat Polish and Wax. I tried doing test spots and could not get anything to look good. The pad kept on getting clogged up, and I couldn't figure as a cause/solution to the problem. It was nasty looking grad junk that was just annihilating my pads. I preformed different test spots, all while using my Rupes 75 on speed 4-5.
I tried to take lots of photos, but it is very difficult to accurately display the gloss while using a flash on a camera, as well as the gray metallic gel coat.
You can see here that at the top, where the front latch closes and is protected from the sun, that it has a nice, clear finish. That is my goal for the rest of the wave runner.
http://i.imgur.com/HYJqstj.jpg
This was a brand new Rupes pad before doing the test spot on this 12in by 5in area.
http://i.imgur.com/Ti84C18.jpg
These results were after using the oxidation cleaner on a blue Rupes pad
http://i.imgur.com/ilrgT77.jpg
These results were after using the polish and wax on a Yellow Rupes pad
http://i.imgur.com/agI3NKh.jpg
These results were after using oxidation cleaner and then the polish (Blue and Yellow Pads)
http://i.imgur.com/aDKRVBm.jpg
These results looked much more promising, but still not quite there. This was wet sanded using 1500grit, then I used the oxidation cleaner, topped with using the polish. I still feel like there is more left to be desired, and my polishing pad was also getting gunked up still. I don't know if I need to go with something more aggressive than 1500.
http://i.imgur.com/U83aaaj.jpg
I am hoping that someone out there can give me some suggestions on what I am doing wrong. I do not have a rotary buffer, and only have Rupes pads. I do have an LHR21, but that is too big for this project. I heard someone talking about using a Blue Rupes for polishing so maybe someone can fill me in about that.