Customer wants me to do his boat. Help!!

[05gpgtp]

Still looking for help with this project. It's scheduled for October but I want to get everything I need now.The picture is the color combo and what it looks like, but not the customers boat.

[Mike Phillips]

I'd say you're lucky.

Too often when someone is looking to get their boat detailed it's because it NEEDS to be detailed and by the word "needs" I mean it looks like this...







Holograms in gel-coat
The below picture is a full size section cropped out of the above resized picture. The lines you see running back and forth across where the flash from my camera is lighting up the side of the hull are holograms from a rotary buffer.








Holograms in gel-coat
The below picture is a full size section cropped out of the above resized picture. The lines you see running back and forth across where the flash from my camera is lighting up the side of the hull are holograms from a rotary buffer.




These graphics that spell out Shearwater are a soft form of plastic that feels like rubber. If you run a buffing pad on a rotary buffer over them you will harm them and even disfigure them.

All of the gel-coat in and around these graphics will have to be addressed very carefully.




Water Spot Stains & Oxidation
Not only is the entire hull filled with holograms from the misuse of a rotary buffer, (the normal practice by most boat detailers), the gel-coat is also oxidized and covered with water spot stains.






So having someone bring you a boat that I would consider in good condition is a blessing.

If this were mine to detail I would keep it simple, as in

KISS = Keep it Simple Simon

Simply use a quality cleaner/wax with your Porter Cable and some foam cutting and polishing pads.

Take a look at the before and after difference for this boat detailing project. We used a light cleaner/wax with a variety of tools and pads as the boat had some pretty bad oxidation.

Pictures: 16' Key Largo Center Console Boat Detailing Class with Marine 31









I think you could easily get away using the same product and stick with foam pads on your PC and do a great job.

Marine 31 All-In-One Gel Coat Polish & Wax - 16 ounce

Lake Country Thin Foam Pads


Gel-coat tends to like harder, sharper foam pads than softer foam pads for any polishing work so test both a "polishing foam pad" and if that's working go with it. If not test a foam cutting pad.

An AIO or Cleaner/Wax is a great maintenance wax for boats simply because they will tend to oxidize and also get staining on the hull from whatever is in or floating on the water. A pure wax, that is a non-cleaning wax doesn't have enough umph to provide any cleaning power but a LIGHT cleaner/wax is perfect for maintenance purposes.

[05gpgtp]

Thanks Mike. This guy bought it from a gentleman who really took care of the boat. He always removed it from the water (which was fresh water) and trailered it back home when finished. I mentioned to the new owner I thought all he needed was a AIO product as well. So at least we're on the same page there.

I have a Meg's G110V DA. With this still work with the pads? OR do I need to "borrow" a high speed to do it?

[05gpgtp]

Note I already have Lake Country CCS 5.5" orange, white and black pads. Would those work or should I still go with the ones you recommended above?

One more thing, would adding Marine 31 Gel Coat Carnauba Wax and Sealant add to the gloss on top of the AIO or is it not necessary?

[05gpgtp]

Getting ready to order what I need. Also forgot to add my ccs pads are 6.5 not 5.5. Do should I still order the flat lc pads and should I add the wax and sealant on top of the aio product?