Marine gel coat tips

Hey guys just wanted to share a little bit about what my detail shop uses product wise to complete our dealership details and fiberglass repairs in less time with fantastic results.


Products used:

3m super duty- can not be replaced for heavy oxidation and sand scratch removal. Finshes terrible but levels the fastest of any product on market.

Megs m105- great for medium oxidation or 2nd step after 3m super duty. Use with rotary and yellow lake country 8.5 ccs pad. Finishes great.

Megs m205- great polish used after compounding during gel coat repairs.

Megs d151- Very versatile product! We love it! Used only for detailing bc it is not body shop safe. Medium oxidation is quickly removed with yellow pad and rotary. Light oxidation is cut with pink polishing pad and leaves a fantastic waxed finish. Might be best product we have EVER used. We have tried a lot. Most versatile, finishes great, high gloss.

Optimum spray wax: top of megs d151 with optimum for additional protection. Nice gloss and extremely easy to use and fast.

Pads:
Wool 8.5" we honestly don't use them as much but still have their place for heavy oxidation during repairs and some details.

Lake country 8.5 yellow ccs rotary
Lake country 8.5 pink ccs

Cant say enough, foam is our new best friend. Ease of use, durability and cost combinrd with the products above have given use fantastic results.

We only dry sand and use only 3m pads on either air or 6 inch da. 600, 800, 1000 grit only. 3m super duty and woold or yellow pad easily takes out 1000 grit sand marks.

Please ask any questions and I'll do my best to share our processes and or tips.

I am the service manager and avid detailer. We are a Top 100 rated dealer in the country and sell/service the top sterndrive, jetboat and pontoon brands.

Thanks,

Marc

Hi Marc, have you ever tried Meguiars Marine/RV #91 Power Cut Compound? I find it easier to use than 105 on gel coat. From what ive read, its basically the same as 105 but formulated just for gel coats. I did a 26' sea-ray with it, and had some great results.

Thank you for the response. We have used it in the past. My fiberglass guy did not like working with it. We have not tried it since switching to foam pads but in my experience m105 cuts and finishes better. M105 is very good on gel coat but can dry up a little.

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Originally Posted by Lakeside Detail

Hi Marc, have you ever tried Meguiars Marine/RV #91 Power Cut Compound?

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Have you also tried Meguiars M67 One Step Marine Compound? Or 3M Marine Compound & Finishing Material - 06044 ?

What about this new line of products Marine 31 boat care products, boat detail products, best boat wax ? In that line these two are the heavy hitters Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy-Cut Oxidation Cleaner, gel coat compound, marine oxidation remover and captains compound, one step boat compound polish, compound for black boat with the latter being comparable to the products in the first two links above.

I recently inquired of Mike Phillips about captains compound, one step boat compound polish, compound for black boat and asked him how it stacked up against the Meguiar's and 3M comparable products and my understanding of his comments were that the new Marine31 One-Step was far and away better...with regard to cut and finish and application and removal. His comments were positive enough for me to want to try my own comparison.




Here's a forum link for future reference where Marine31 products can be purchased as well as on this site (Autogeek.net) Marine31 Boat Detailing Supplies and the forum link here Marine31 Boat Forum.

Here's a link where Marine31 One-Step was used *NEW* Marine 31 Captain's One-Step Compound & Polish - Marine 31 Forum .


Have you personally used any of the products you mentioned, or just the staff?


Not saying 3M Super Duty doesn't have a place anymore...

I can't recall...at least on this forum...ever seeing Mike Phillips use it (3MSD) or even mention it, although I'm confident that he has used it at some point.

I have seen him talk about another 'rocks-in-a-bottle' product and that is XMT Heavy Duty Swirl Remover #4 is a true polishing compound with a high concentration of heavy grade abrasives. Concentrated abrasives increase the and he may have posted a project or two showcasing this product, but I'm not sure about that.


Forum member Bates Detailing also uses/d 3M SD and I'm sure he's used M105 along with many other products on his many boat details. Anthony has posted some pics of some great turn-arounds on this forum.

By the way, thanks for the tips and welcome to the forum.

Bill, super duty is good for two things. In repairs you can stop sanding at 800. Super duty buzzes through. Second, severe oxidation. If you don't get it all off it's going to come back even if it "looks good". Only other option is sanding. We have tried a few marine 31 samples. We spent a lot of timing testing a few products and this is the line we are confident based on a few metrics. Cost, ease of use, and time effectiveness.

I do use and have tested all the products myself. The great thing about m105 and m205 are the abrasive technologies. Finish amazing and good cut. Saves time.

Hoytman, don't waste your money on 3m new imperial. M105 blows it out of water. Cuts better finishes better. Far cheaper.

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Originally Posted by Hoytman

Forum member Bates Detailing also uses/d 3M SD and I'm sure he's used M105 along with many other products on his many boat details. Anthony has posted some pics of some great turn-arounds on this forum.

By the way, thanks for the tips and welcome to the forum.

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Yes sir - 3M SD is a key step in tough oxidized gel coat turnarounds. It is very aggressive and when used properly equivalent to light wetsanding IMO. Thanks for the props Hotyman........ I appreciate your acknowledging our work man.

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Originally Posted by Bates Detailing

Yes sir - 3M SD is a key step in tough oxidized gel coat turnarounds. It is very aggressive and when used properly equivalent to light wetsanding IMO. Thanks for the props Hotyman........ I appreciate your acknowledging our work man.

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Been wonderin' where you've been hidin', Anthony. Good to see you back.

No problemo on the props there my friend. As Mike Phillips so often says, due credit where credit is due...

...as your work always impresses me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hoytman

Been wonderin' where you've been hidin', Anthony. Good to see you back.

No problemo on the props there my friend. As Mike Phillips so often says, due credit where credit is due...

...as your work always impresses me.

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Thanks man - just been super busy! Today we started detailing at 5 A.M. on a bus and ended the day on a Citation Sovereign (Private Jet). Tomorrow we have a bus, some Semis, and an auto........ after that an Airstream to keep working on, a couple boats, some more buses - so on, so on, and so on lol. Just been busy my friend ;)