New boat care

[ChrisS22]

Hopefully, I'll be picking up my new Classic Friday. I plan on either waxing or sealing the boat immediately... So do I wax first or apply a sealant (pro-tec) first?

[Midnight Rider]

Sealant first!!! The sealant penetrates and bonds on the molecular level with the pours in the gelcoat. Put the two coats on as Pro-Tec recommends, 24 hours apart, then let "set" for an additional 24 hours.

Personally, I do not believe in actual waxes, even if they are carnuba. For a show car they are fine, but for anything exposed to the elements, the wax will NOT hold up...think of how long candle wax would last on a surface. Not exactly the same, but a basis for comparison. If you use a good sealer/polish once a year, and wipe down with a product designed to clean/protect the finish between those times, you'll be good to go. A good sealer will prevent most UV rays from harming the boat's finish. I personally use Griot's Garage Spray Wash and Speed Shine to do touch up cleaning, like when I get the boat out of the water after fishing for the day, or it's been in the rain, etc. The Spray Wash, with the right microfiber cloth, lifts the dirt off without scratching the surface. The Speed Shine is more for a quick detail when the boat is already relatively clean.

[Bass Cat Boats]

We always are going to suggest a solid carnuba wax and we like Meguiars #16. The polysealants we find are more topical.

BCB

[Godspeed409]

BCB, Are you talking about this? Meguiars has quite a few different waxes.

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M561...keywords=m5616

[Bass Cat Boats]

http://www.buffdaddy.com/product/M1611

heres the latest on #16

[ChrisS22]

I purchased some Meguiars flagship marine wax, will that work as well as the #16?

[Godspeed409]

http://www.buffdaddy.com/product/M1611

heres the latest on #16

thanks BCB. I will keep an eye out for it!

[catdude28]

To me, sealing it first is most important. After that, you can use your favourite wax. I strip and seal mine in the spring with Pro Tec sealant, two coats as Midnight Rider suggested. Our season is only about seven months. I would do it a couple of times if I had the luxury of year round open water fishing. I did my own testing of the Pro Tec sealant versus my old polish when I first got intruded to it a few years ago, and the results were quite convincing.

BCB, correct me if I am wrong, but don't the boats come from the factory with a polishing with Aquabuff 2000??

[skennedy]

First thing to do is Keep it in a garage with the door down . Then protect sealant then wax . I have found that clean water and a small amount of vinger in a spray bottle works great after you pull the boat out of the water and do your wipe down . It cleans river and creek scum off like magic .

[catdude28]

First thing to do is Keep it in a garage with the door down . Then protect sealant then wax . I have found that clean water and a small amount of vinger in a spray bottle works great after you pull the boat out of the water and do your wipe down . It cleans river and creek scum off like magic .

The use of vinegar also strips off your wax and sealant, as does washing your boat with Dawn, Palmolive or other dish washing detergents.

[Midnight Rider]

OK, guys...you want the ultimate product? I discovered this product over 10 years ago to use on my HD CVO motorcycle. You can go to the link provided and read about it. It sounds like marketing hype, but from my experience, and that of a couple of hundred biker friends of mine, it is not hype. It actually does what it says it does. If used as directed, the first application is going to take a little while because you basically have to rub the first (light) coat in until it all but disappears, then go back with a second coat. You can think I'm full of it, but I have NO connection to this company, and nobody I know personally does either. Your surfaces will look like they are wet, and an inch deep.

Take a look: http://www.glare.com/products?cid=Mw%3D%3D&pn=Marine

[C130]

Anyone able to find the Meguiars #16? Appears it isn't available in the US now.

[Midnight Rider]

Anyone able to find the Meguiars #16? Appears it isn't available in the US now.

It's not available in the states, unless you run up on some in an old store somewhere, or find some on Ebay. Or some dude that hoarded some and is willing to sell a can.