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Topside Fiberglass cleaner

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MikeM
1st Mate

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72 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/19/2003 : 16:12:27

Curious as what people are using for the topside fiberglass. I have seen many pictures of C25 with bright and shiny topsides (glossy), while mine seems a little worn, I would like to bring it back to life without making it a skating rink by using wax. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212

Edited by - on

NuNees
Navigator

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USA
125 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2003 : 17:45:45

Mike,
Are you talking about the 'Deck' and 'Cabin Sides and Roof'?
What I have come to understand, in my short career as a boat owner, is the the part of the hull between the water line and the rubrail is referred to as the 'Topside'. If that is what your asking about I have good news. I ahve tried rubbing compounds of various sorts. Some calles color restorers and so,e called cleaner/wax or polish. Some need a buffer some not. Buat all require a lot of work.
On the reqommendation af a couple of guys at the marina and some from here I bought a product called 'POLIGLOW'. I cleaned the topsides with their supplied cleaner and applied the prescribedd number of coats of the PoliGlow. People who say me wrestling with the 17 year old hull could not believe the difference...I got a like new shine...at least pretty close to like new.
PoliGlow suggest not usung it on surfaces where traction is an issue, ie decks...I think it is the best $60 I ever spent...total time for the entire application was 5 hours....
I think their web address is www.poliglowproducts.com or www.poliglow.com. Sorry O can't find the bill just now...Good Luck.

Bill Jaworowski
Moonbeams
'85 C25 SR/SK # 4953 Lake Carlyle IL

Edited by - on

ddlyle
Captain

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302 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2003 : 19:28:21

I have not yet cleaned my decks. I will not wax the non-skid surface, but I intend to clean and wax the surfaces I won't walk on (like the gunwales, the vertical surfaces in the cockpit, and the verticl surfaces by the windows).
I'm interested in using Polyglow because it sounds nice, but I already had a can of Turtle wax brand Rubbing Compound and a container of McGuires cleaner wax. So I used what I had.
My 1986 had some stains on the hull (topsides?) between the bootstripe and the rub-rail, and the rubbing compound took them out pretty well. I had to be careful to wipe off the rubbing compound before it dried (bucket of fresh water for frequent rinsing of terry cloth towel).
The wax didn't provide much shine, but she looks much better than before. next time I'll probably use Polyglow.
I'm going to use the rubbing compound on the other top-side vertical surfaces and the rest of the wax I already have.

Cap'n Dave
Sailing The Blues
1986 C25 sr/sk #5413

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2003 : 14:18:12

As Bill mentioned - The hull goes to the bootstripe. The white above that is topsides and the deck is called the deck.

I use 3m deoxidizer/wax/restorer all in one product with great success for the topsides. One word of warning - do this in small areas at a time.

For the Deck we usually just use boat zoap or starbrites Deck cleaner. For very harsh stains we have used Acetone or interluxes 202 but you need to be extremely careful with these products, as over time they can degrade the gelcoat.

D. Wolff - "The Flying Wasp" #401 sr/sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://www.flags.com/dreamimages/Flags/measurer.jpg" border=0>

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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2003 : 14:28:06

My deck has a lot of small black dots all over in the cockpit area. Looks like dirt getting in the "pores" of the gelcoat. I've been having good luck with a bathtub mildew stain remover (suitable for fiberglass tubs). Just spray it on and wipe it off - makes the deck white again.

John Mason
<img src="http://www.users.qwest.net/~jamason/ali.jpg" border=0>
pronounced "Ali Paroosa"
1982 - FK/SR #3290

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ksaum
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 05/27/2003 : 22:58:40

Mike,
Just as Bill Jaworowski described, my neighbor-- a powerboater who shares the other side of my slip-- used Poli Glow to recondition his io-year old boat's fibreglass from the waterline up. He did this three seasons ago and it still shines. I plan to use next time my boat is hauled. And by the way , the e-mail address is: www.poliglowproducts.com

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RL
1st Mate

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USA
76 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2003 : 09:00:47

Another testimonial for Poli Glow. Free Spirit is a 78 and her hull was starting to look bad. We used Poli Glow this spring and she looks like new. We followed the instructions and put on 5 coats. For the deck we used Soft Scrub and a lot of elbow grease. The final result is an increadable difference. The boat looks no more than a couple of years old, not 25. I think the Poli Glow was $48.00 and worth every penny. Good Luck, it's worth the effort.

Free Spirit

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MikeM
1st Mate

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72 Posts

Response Posted - 05/28/2003 : 09:11:43

I intend to use PoliGlow, should be delivered today.

I heard some folks have wet sanded in the process. How is that compared to soft scrubb? Botha are abrasives, one includes bleach.

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212

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LOREN SOUERS
Navigator

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USA
100 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2003 : 10:11:02

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I intend to use PoliGlow, should be delivered today.

I heard some folks have wet sanded in the process. How is that compared to soft scrubb? Botha are abrasives, one includes bleach.

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I decided to do a better job on my hull finish this spring, and after trying to apply new gelcoat (which, of course, didn't match the old gelcoat) ended up using PolyGlow. I had sanded some of the work areas with about a 150 sand paper. Went over with degrees of finer sandpaper, and finished with 400 or 600 wet sandpaper. I kinda liked the 400 better because it didn't fill with fiberglass so fast, but was still very fine. the PolyGlow went on fine over the sanded areas. The PolyGlow kit comes with a cleaner "Polyprep." Use it. This takes off old wax, crud etc.

You will like the results. By the way, after about 3 coats (it takes 5), my wife says, "Hey, this stuff is just like Mop-n-Glow." and it probably is. Mop-n-Glow, for your kitchen floor, is a lot cheaper. Of course, just mention "boat" and the price doubles.

Anyway, I am very pleased with the results. Still, lots of work to do.

Loren Souers, skipper
Nimue, the Lady of the Lake

P.S. My son lives in Salem MA and loves Marblehead. Beautiful sailing grounds up there. I will be up in July for his wedding.

Edited by - on

MikeM
1st Mate

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72 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2003 : 11:19:43

Loren- thanks for the input.I think a combination of 400 grit after using some soft scrub will help clean the hull prior to starting the poliglow system.

Enjoy the visit this summer and the wedding. If you have the extra time there are some outfits that rent out sailboats that may be of interest to you. Here is one I am aware of:

http://www.marbleheadsailing.com/

Mike M
Marblehead, MA
C25 #1212

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Dave B
Admiral

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Mali
863 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2003 : 00:10:15

Be sure, before using Poli GLow, that you get all marks and stains off--using a rubbing compound, Soft Scrub, or whatever. Poli GLow will shine up the stain beautifully--making it stand out even better.

I put it on before last season and decided not to add a coat this year because it really doesn't need it, and I plan to remove it and do it over next year or so (to address some marks and stains). My and some friends' experiences say it should be removed every 5-6 years or so. I'm going to try some on the cabin sides, bulkhead, coamings, toe rails, and other places I don't stand on. But the teak has to come first. (No, not with Poli Glow!)

Dave Bristle, 1985 C-25 #5032 "Passage" SR/FK/Dinette/Honda in SW CT

Edited by - dave b on 05/31/2003 00:13:25

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2003 : 01:01:47

I don't have much to add, just a quick statement and question. I just painted my wifes car and was told to use 1500 grit paper, 1000 grit for more agressive sanding. anymore than that really scratches things up. Then hit it with a buffing wheel and polishing compound. When you used the 400 grit you said it clogged up quickly, were you running water over it, that really helps. also what kind of scratches were left?

Matt/Brigitte Loeffler
E.C. Rider
Cat 25 86'
FK/SR _/)

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Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2003 : 10:53:22

I used the 3M restorer / wax on my hull and plan to use it on the topside "white". My gelcoat is in pretty good shape; I might use something different if it were badly oxidized.

For the non-skid surfaces, I have a product I bought from Boat US that's designed for non-skid surfaces. I plan to give it a test on the seat tops before applying it liberally to the deck.

Bruce Baker
Falls Church, VA
"Yee Ha" 3573
'83SR/SK

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