Bass Boat Cleaning/Waxing & the confusion

[kylelp]

There are alot of products with all sorts of names out there to clean your boat. I've read alot of threads about it and am completely confused now.

There is wax, polishing, cleaning compound, wax and cleaner, etc (not too mention buffing stuff). Could some one make it simple for me?

I bought bass boat saver and bow to stern. Not sure wish product i will use but i know I want to use one of these after each use. I'm confused on what to use on the boat once or twice per year? I read that gel coat has pores and waxing doesn't really fill in these pores compared to other products (not sure what the other products are). Is Pro Tec good? What is your process/order of products?

Is there a product you need to put on 1st before you put wax on the boat? Does BBS or BTS take off wax?

[96MrBass]

I personally use 3 things from a company called Chemical Guy's. I wash the boat using their soap called mudder trucker. I then use their Afterwash product while drying. When the boat dries I use their synthetic detail spray. Whenever I pull the boat from the water I also wipe it down with the detail spray. My boat is a 05 and still has a nice shine and wipes down pretty easy. That's my process anyway.

[JoeDrb]

I just wash mine as needed and dry it off before leavig the ramp. And i have always used turtle wax. I have read some guys say not to use it or it’s not good and this and that. I use it on all my vehicles and when I had my 05 Nitro. When i sold my old Nitro it still sparkled and shined and I am positive that is in part to using turtle wax. I have already applied two coats to my new Z21. Man it is a pain but I take pride in the things I own and want them to last and shine like new. I believe turtle wax is just as good as all these other “fancy” and expensive waxes. Honestly, as long as you get a wax on the boat and keep up with putting it on you will be good to go.

[Aruss1984]

After speaking with a few people about the best way to detail, I keep it simple and am happy with the result. Like stated above, I always wipe it down at the ramp before I trailer home. 2-3 times per year I will apply Pro-tec sealant. It goes on just like wax does and comes off just as easily. I use micro fibre cloths for washing and adding the Pro-tec sealant.

Pro-tec is different from wax. You will still get that "shine and sparkle" once you're done, but it seals the fibreglass pores to help protect against weathering from the sun. I have an 08 Basscat and they always suggest Pro-tec products and even though it sits in my driveway from April- Nov, still looks brand new. I would highly suggest Pro-tec sealant.

[Skeeterbait]

If you use a modern polymer product like BBS, Slick Mist, etc., and absolutely use it after every outing and that means at least once every month, I am not sure an annual wax is necessary. The polymer products do the exact same thing as wax to seal pores and protect from UV, it just does not last as long.

[limit5bass]

After speaking with a few people about the best way to detail, I keep it simple and am happy with the result. Like stated above, I always wipe it down at the ramp before I trailer home. 2-3 times per year I will apply Pro-tec sealant. It goes on just like wax does and comes off just as easily. I use micro fibre cloths for washing and adding the Pro-tec sealant.

Pro-tec is different from wax. You will still get that "shine and sparkle" once you're done, but it seals the fibreglass pores to help protect against weathering from the sun. I have an 08 Basscat and they always suggest Pro-tec products and even though it sits in my driveway from April- Nov, still looks brand new. I would highly suggest Pro-tec sealant.

^^^^^^^^^THIS I have a 2002 TRITON TR-21 that has had nothing but PRO-TEC and it looks like a NEW BOAT.!!!!

[Casslaw]

My boat is aluminum so I don’t get the sparkly metal flake BUT...when I pull her out of the water I take a bath towel and wipe everything down, including the rims/tires.

When I get home and it cools from 96 to mid 80’s I go out and use a synthetic detailer on a microfiber towel and spray and wipe everything but the carpet.

I got the boat in June/18 and she’s an 2006 but the first owner kept her in a climate controlled storage room, I don’t have that luxury yet so I cover her the next morning and she looks at least as good as she did when new! I like to keep it simple.

[kry29]

2 coats of protec atleast once a year and either of the products you mentioned are good for wipe downs after every outing. I use 303 but its personal preference.

[coolwhip]

I had mine detailed and then ceramic coated with 9h. Its permanent. Just wipe it down with a cloth or let the rain hit the boat and its back to its shine. Pretty awesome stuff.

[DougH]

I use Amway liquid wax twice a year and spray and wipe it down once a week with lemmon Pledge.

[Greywalls]

I use Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss followed by Collinite 845 insulator wax on both my boat and vehicles. Very pleased with these.

[riverrat29]

I use:

Hull: Duragloss car wash, Star brite hull cleaner as needed for stubborn stains (typically once a year as it removes all polish and sealer), Mean green. Bass Boat Saver (after every use), and the Protec polishing system

Jackplate: Etching mag wheel cleaner and mean green

Trailer: Car soap and mean green for tires. Lucas metal polish on wheels, and 303

Boat interior: Bass boat saver, 303 protectant, dawn/white vinegar solution (for carpet cleaning once a year)

Try to stay away from products containing silicones and furniture polish. They are harder on your finishes.

[ifishinxs]

Slick mist after every trip. My boat is 9 yrs old and looks new. No need for anything else.

[riverrat29]

That Collinite wax is good stuff too..

[DixieChicken]

If you use a modern polymer product like BBS, Slick Mist, etc., and absolutely use it after every outing and that means at least once every month, I am not sure an annual wax is necessary. The polymer products do the exact same thing as wax to seal pores and protect from UV, it just does not last as long.

You meant to mean that a 'wax' product doesn't last as long as a polymer based, right?

To us old guys, when we say the word 'wax' it means just that, old school, paste, carnauba wax. Wax is fine for a show car, and it'll have that special 'glow' for a weekend car show, and maybe, just maybe...… it'll last for a washing or two. After a couple washes (or trips down the lake) old school carnauba wax is gone.

Of course there are many products out there these days that have "Wax" on the label, whether they be paste, liquid (cream), or spray out of a bottle. By and large, 99% of them are polymer based products that may or may not have any carnauba in them at all, and are MUCH BETTER for durability than a pure carnauba based wax.

For those that don't have any carnauba in them, the look is different. The feel is different. But the durability is much better.

Using a PTEF (Teflon) 'wax' is another one that's nice on boats. It's pretty durable and not expensive at all. Palm Beach Motoring Group (Autogeek) has a brand Marine 31 that's also good and offers boating products across the board.

What I've not tried on a boat yet is a "coating" which is either ceramic or quartz as a base. On vehicles it is OUTSTANDING! Although it's expensive, with kits running from $60 to $250 depending on what you choose, and how you want to apply it. I've used a ton of different coatings on both my vehicles as well as clients, and really like them, but can't bring myself to putting one on the boat based on price point.

And YES Collinite makes great products! Duragloss also makes products that I'd overlooked for decades, thinking something that cheap just couldn't be that good. But Aquawax as well as Fast Clean and Shine have become two products that I'll not do without (as a spray wax and/or drying aid) for about 8 years now.

[woppercatcher]

All I've ever done is wipe the boat down at the ramp every time I use the boat with a microfiber cloth. About every third time I spray Lucas Slick Mist on the boat and motor before wiping it down. Then every few months I spray BTS on the boat and wipe it off, this is done in the garage. I also spray on Formula 303 on my seats about once a month as well. I've never actually washed the boat unless it rains on it.

[Black Haze]

All I've ever done is wipe the boat down at the ramp every time I use the boat with a microfiber cloth. About every third time I spray Lucas Slick Mist on the boat and motor before wiping it down. Then every few months I spray BTS on the boat and wipe it off, this is done in the garage. I also spray on Formula 303 on my seats about once a month as well. I've never actually washed the boat unless it rains on it.

pretty much how i do it

[DixieChicken]

I had mine detailed and then ceramic coated with 9h. Its permanent. Just wipe it down with a cloth or let the rain hit the boat and its back to its shine. Pretty awesome stuff.

Do you know which "9H" they used? Reason I ask is there are a LOT of coatings out there that use "9H" in their labeling. On top of that, there are dozens that use the same in their description(s). Most any coating worth the bottle it's in will add a "9H" hardness factor to the paint.

What I really like about coatings is how hydrophobic they are. They'll talk about things like slip angle in regards to how tight a bead the water forms on the surface. Most refer to 110° slip angle, which is saying that the sides of the water droplet extends past 90° all the way to 110°, forming a tighter bead, which makes the water roll off the surface easier.

But the best part is that stuff just doesn't stick to it. I'm not one for rubbing the paint on my vehicles, AT ALL. Paint these days is waterborne and thinner than it has ever been. Both coming out of the gun AND ESPECIALLY the film thickness on the metal is stupidly thin! My 2016 Silverado is generally in the 81~86 micron range. Only in a couple spots is if in the low 90's. By contrast, my wife's last SUV, a 05 Envoy Denali had 155 microns on it!

Now the new paint is hard, that's for sure, but BOY is it thin!

With that in mind I'll correct the paint when the vehicle is new, apply a coating, then use a foam gun, 2 bucket method, and merino wool mitt to wash it. Only in straight lines, only after it's been gone over with a electric pressure washer, and rinse with a open hose. Drying is done with a dedicated leaf blower. The cool part is with a coating.... if it's just dusty from driving (not having been driven in the rain etc.) you can knock the dust off with the pressure washer, cover it with the foam, let it dwell, rinse it with a hose, then blow dry it. You literally don't even have to break out the mitt.

Do have to watch which coatings though for different properties. Some don't bead as well but sheet water great. Others bead like crazy. And all will have a different gloss to them. Some are pretty cheap too, and VERY user friendly. Duragloss makes a kit that works awesome, just be careful once it's on to let it cure for at least a week before you spray it with any 'topper'.

The GTechniq products I really like. And they have a number of coatings, each that can be used alone, and some that you can layer. Everything from Crystal Lacquer, EXO, Crystal Serum (and Crystal Serum Light) for paint. Then you have G1 (for glass), C4 (for trim), C5 (for wheels) and a pretty good spray on - wipe off product C2v3 that is REALLY nice.

Crystal Serum (or CSL) for instance is fine alone, but layer it with EXO and you get the best of both worlds. Sorta tricky to get both on without streaking, but once it's done.... MAMA!

[RazorCat]

Apply the Pro Tec system for starters. Reseal yearly. Wipe down with one of the products listed above. Personallly, I use Pro Tec Showroom Conditioner or Nu-Finish Rapid Shine detailed. Don’t care for Slick Mist.

[Casslaw]

I’m gonna throw a little wrench in here and ask about Hot Sauce. I picked up a large spray bottle yesterday and I sprayed my motor down this morning...boy oh boy, I now know why it’s called Hot Sauce...it smells!

Now my question, I have used an Eagle spray wax/detailer on my boat after every outing. I was under the impression that the Hot Sauce would be a similar product but it’s much thinner and while it does leave a nice shine I’m not sure how much of a “protectant” it is.

I got the Hot Sauce because SO many people on here swear by it so...opinions on how to best use it?