newbie with boat polishing questions?

[Gordaskipper]

I used my new polisher Saturday DW-8500 - DeWalt DWP849X Variable Speed Rotary with these pads LC-85-CUSTOM - Lake Country 8.5 CCS Pads- 6 PACK as suggested.

I did a great job (or got really lucky) since I followed the suggestions in Mikes boat video. I did not seal yet with the Duragloss Marine RV Polish #503 because I wanted your input and ideas first.

Prior to polishing I had wet sanded with 800 paper the lower unpainted sides at the waterline where the barnacles where stuck and it removed them but left circular sanding or swirls.

The Meguiars Marine/RV #91 Power Cut compound removed 80% of the swirls. Then I went back over it again with the Meguiar’s #50 Marine/RV Cleaner Wax.

This process help reduce the visible scratching even more.


1) Should I wait until fishing is over then pass again with the same wax Meguiar’s #50 Marine/RV Cleaner Wax before I use the Duragloss...in hopes of polishing out remaining scratches?

2) Or does the Duragloss application matter either way if it is sealed or not?

3) for the interior and outside hull Duragloss application would purchasing the Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro help since its easier to handle?


I did polish the painted surface above the waterline it looks new but no Duragloss yet and no swirls i kept my pad fairly damp with wax at that worked out really well. Your thoughts on cleaning the inside deck too would be helpful too.

[Gordaskipper]

Just purchased the following items for the new boat that was heavily oxidized and worked on it Sat.

1 DW-8500 - DeWalt DWP849X Variable Speed Rotary
1 M-9132 - 32 oz. Meguiars Marine/RV #91 Power Cut C
1 LC-85-CUSTOM - Lake Country 8.5 CCS Pads- 6 PACK
2 LC-41-125 - 8.5'' Wool Cutting Pad shipped
2 LC-41-725 - 8.5'' Wool Polishing Pad shipped
1 DG-503 - 128 oz. Duragloss Marine RV Polish #503 shipped

My question is the deck inside my boat and what to use to wax it so it will clean up easier? I want your opinion on purchasing this Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro as a compliment to the DeWalt. After watching your boat video with the couple it seems that I have to use this around the helm areas and outside to apply the DuraGloss sure looks easier to handle and less room for a screw up with the smaller pads. The DeWalt polisher worked really good and removed my wet sanding mistakes and swirls in the white gel coat thank God! Also the painted hull above the waterline came out great too I'm sore that machine is awesome took some getting use to for the newbie! HA!! With the Duragloss should I wait until I compound out all my scratches before i seal it some 10% or so still remain where I wet sanded unfortunately... does it matter if its sealed ? Don't want to waste time and product.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Gordaskipper,


Thanks for taking this out of Private Messages and posting to the forum.


You only need to post a thread once, posting twice can just cause confusion. I merged your two posts...

Give me a few seconds and I'll surgically dissect them using the [quote] feature and do my best to answer them.

I'm confident some of our other forum members will chime in also...

[Mike Phillips]

1) Should I wait until fishing is over then pass again with the same wax Meguiar’s #50 Marine/RV Cleaner Wax before I use the Duragloss...in hopes of polishing out remaining scratches?

If it were me and the scratches left by sanding were buffing me I would re-compound till they were gone.

Scratches tend to accelerate deterioration, not prevent it. A smooth hard surface is less prone to degradation as compared to one with voids, i.e. swirls and scratches.

2) Or does the Duragloss application matter either way if it is sealed or not?

You want to seal the surface. Both the Megs Cleaner/Wax and the Duragloss will act to seal the surface.

3) for the interior and outside hull Duragloss application would purchasing the Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro help since its easier to handle?

Yes. That or a DA Polisher.

Any of the DA Polishers will do a great job of applying a wax and be less strenuous as the rotary buffer with an 8" pad.

I did polish the painted surface above the waterline it looks new but no Duragloss yet and no swirls i kept my pad fairly damp with wax at that worked out really well.

White hull? or Light color?

If you don't see swirls that's a good thing. Usually you would need a dark color or you would need to light up the side of the hull to get them to show up.

Your thoughts on cleaning the inside deck too would be helpful too.

If you have the non-skid surfaces, or any non-smooth surfaces, the Amazing Roll-Off works really well as do most other quality APC's. (All Purpose Cleaners).

[Mike Phillips]

Just purchased the following items for the new boat that was heavily oxidized and worked on it Sat.

1 DW-8500 - DeWalt DWP849X Variable Speed Rotary
1 M-9132 - 32 oz. Meguiars Marine/RV #91 Power Cut C
1 LC-85-CUSTOM - Lake Country 8.5 CCS Pads- 6 PACK
2 LC-41-125 - 8.5'' Wool Cutting Pad shipped
2 LC-41-725 - 8.5'' Wool Polishing Pad shipped
1 DG-503 - 128 oz. Duragloss Marine RV Polish #503 shipped

My question is the deck inside my boat and what to use to wax it so it will clean up easier?

Waxes, sealants and coatings will make clean up easier. The problem is if you have any kind of non-skid or textured surface is that if you try to apply wax you cannot get it out of the irregular surfaces.

This might be a place where a coating would be better like something GTechniq.

Gtechniq Exterior Coatings

I want your opinion on purchasing this Cyclo Orbital Polisher Model 5-Pro as a compliment to the DeWalt.

Cyclo polishers are indestructible, well balanced and low vibration. Lots of people really like them especially for large projects like boats.

I normally think people need to use a tool and test it out to know if they really like it that's why at all my classes here at Autogeek I use all the tools and encourage all the students to test them all out so they have first hand experience to base their purchasing decision.

Pictures & Comments from September 18th, 2010 Saturday Detailing 101

Antonio using the Cyclo



Here's Paul aka Paulie12ATT running the Cyclo Polisher...



Here's Bill aka theamcguy putting the Cyclo to the test...

After watching your boat video with the couple it seems that I have to use this around the helm areas and outside to apply the DuraGloss sure looks easier to handle and less room for a screw up with the smaller pads.

Yep, and in this video have them try out multiple polishers and the ask them which one they preferred. In the video, whatever they answered was their honest answer.

The DeWalt polisher worked really good and removed my wet sanding mistakes and swirls in the white gel coat thank God!

Rotary Buffers are powerful friends when used correctly.

Also the painted hull above the waterline came out great too I'm sore that machine is awesome took some getting use to for the newbie! HA!!

Sounds like you got her figured out...

With the Duragloss should I wait until I compound out all my scratches before i seal it some 10% or so still remain where I wet sanded unfortunately... does it matter if its sealed ? Don't want to waste time and product.

Sealing is better than no sealing, especially around salt water.

Removing scratches is better than not removing scratches but as you now any of this is a lot of passion and work...

[Gordaskipper]

Mike, Many thanks for all the input and articulation of each answer. I will get the scratches out and make my decision on which polisher is best. Unfortunately I would have to choose based on your recommendation since I live in Houston hard to sample. Usually it is get what you pay for as in the Dewalt purchase. I really had no idea how it would polish however tech support provided information as everything worked like he said it would. The video I watched my particular tool was not used and it didn't matter. The techniques in the boat video with your suggestions and methods proved to be the difference as I certainly avoided catastrophic failure. Had I not watched your expert video and had phone support help I guarantee you I would had swirled the painted hull instead of a semi-professional result. One happy boat owner with lots of work left however...that's why they made long holiday weekends right?