Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Anybody ever wax their boat after launch? I know I can get to the deck and cockpit then but what about topsides?.
I've got an early launch date and have had the expectation that we'll have a couple of days warm enough to wash and wax between now and then. Unfortunately, mother nature has me a little discouraged -- 3"-6" of snow predicted for tonight. Changing my launch date could cause me to have to wait a looooooonnnngggg time.
John Russell 1999 C250 SR/WK #410 Bay Village, Ohio Sailing Lake Erie Don't Postpone Joy!
I did it once with less than satisfactory results. I was working from inside an inflateable dingy and it's like working in a zero-G environment, when you move one way the dingy and the boat move the otherway. If you teather the boat and dingy tightly together then you are too close to the hull to work effectively. It ends up being more work taking twice as long and not a real good wax job. Also I didn't have the guts (Or I wasn't drunk enough) to use an electric buffer working in the water so I did the whole job by hand. I empathize with you about the snow. It just started snowing in Michigan as I was writing this. If the weather doesn't clear just have the marina power wash the hull and put her in on schedule. Then you can smile at all the other sailors on shore with shiny hulls while you hoist sail and tack for open water.
Instead of slaving with wax and a buffer - try either PoliGlow or VertiGlas. Very simple to apply, wipe down the hull with their cleaner, wash off, let dry and then apply 4 - 5 coats,no buffing needed. It lasts for a year or two. The whole job (in good weather) shouldn't take more than 3 hours - apply to one side, do the other and the first side is dry! You do need to get every blemish off the hull first!
Actually, Dave, she's in pretty good shape. Just want to keep her that way. She's just dirty from the winter in the lee of a coal transfer station. The boot stripe could use polishing, it's a little (very little) faded. I may just take Renzo's advice and get her powerwashed and take my 4" cordless buffer to the bootstripe.
I decided to make sue and do the waxing in the fall, then I only have to clean a bit before putting it in or after it is in. It always seems like there is less time in the spring. I did two caots last fall.
I may try that in the fall. Last year I left the boat in the water till mid October but never got to sail her for the last 2 weeks. I should have pulled her sooner. Live and learn.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.