What is the best application of Boat products for a optimum finish

[Bryant]

I have just brought the Meguiars #65 Flagship Premuim Marine Wash, #49 Oxidation Remover, #45 High Gloss polish, #63 Flagship Premuim Marine Wax.


This may sound crazy to you'll. I waxed my vehicles numerus times. This time Im trying to achieve a optimuim finish. I would like to what is the best way using an orbital buffer/polisher. Im trying to figure out which pad is the best to use in apply and removal of the #49 oxidation remover, #45 polish, and the #63 wax. I understand that I will need several different pads and styles. What do you recommend?


Thanks for your help

Bryant Freeman

[Michael Stoops]

Re: What is the best application of Boat products for a optimum finish

Hi Bryant, and welcome to MOL!

Are you using a 10" orbital buffer that takes various types of bonnets, or a dual action buffer that accepts velcro attaching pads like our G110 or the Porter Cable 7424? It makes a difference in which pads you'll choose and, ultimately, in how much work you'll be able to accomplish. Hopefully you're reference to an orbital buffer/polisher is really a G110/Porter Cable machine, so we'll offer up the following:

With the M49 Oxidation Remover you'll want a few polishing pads (W8207 in the Meguiar's line) and run the machine on speed 5. Use moderate pressure, almost (but not quite) enough to stop the pad from rotating. Work roughly 2' square areas at a time, working until the product is just a thin, translucent film on the surface and then wipe it off while still wet. Test an area first and see if a single application does the trick or if you need a second pass. That will tell you how to approach the rest of the boat - nothing worse than doing the whole thing with a single pass only to find out you need to go over it again!

Application of the M45 Polish is done with a finishing pad (W9207) and the machine slowed down to speed 3. Again, work small areas at a time but use only moderate pressure so as to feed that polish into the pores of the gel coat. Wipe off while still wet, just as you did with the M49.

Switch to a fresh finishing pad for application of the M63 Flagship Premium Marine Wax. Keep the machine on speed 3 and continue to use only light to moderate pressure. Now you can cover larger areas of the boat at a time, an entire side if you like, but make sure to go over every square inch a few times while working the wax against the surface. M63 dries pretty quickly, but even leaving it on for an hour or so isn't going to hurt anything or make it hard to remove. In fact, a properly applied coat - meaning even and thin - will wipe off extremely easily once it's fully dry.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Always work in the shade on a cool surface.
• Don't overuse product - in many cases less is more!
• Clean your pad often when working with the M49, and change to a fresh polishing pad halfway through the process - even more often if the boat is really big and/or the oxidation is heavy
• If you do let either the M49 or M45 dry and find it difficult to remove, simply apply a small amount of fresh product on top of it and then wipe off right away.
• We always like to see before and after pix around here