My poor girl needs a buff!

[inair]

This is what she looked like last fall when I brought her home. But THIS is what she looks like now!



So I found the 3M eraser wheel and have gotten most of the old tattered stripping off and been wet sanding and buffing. It takes alot more 600 grit than I thought it could take. So the part that looks nice now has been done twice. Here is the first section that looks ok again.



Holy cow Bate Man this is way more work than I was planning

[sydneyACE]

Check-out Okie boarder's thread "stripe removal, wet sand, etc" You are not alone.
Looking good though. Keep it up!

I'm working on mine too. It's hard work, but the boat looks way better when you get it done. I'm starting-out wet-sanding with 320 grit.

[Jetlink]

With all these wety sanding threads going on, it makes me really want to do mine as well. Problem is, I don't really have time at the moment... Thanks for all the before and after pics though, makes me see that there is great potential in mine to get the color back.

[inair]

My observation so far is that Buff Majic is about like any other buffing compound, Mothers, Turtle etc. except its ALOT more money. So far, as a test I have used all three and can't tell a difference. As far a sanding goes, I started with 800 but that wasn't enough. Went to 600 and that is pretty good. Most places I can finish with 1000 and then buff but in a number of places I had to go to the 2000 to get everything to lay down again.

In case you are thinking of doing this.....I don't know if I would do it again. It has taken me two days to do about 1/4th of the boat! Alot of that is a learning curve but alot of it is just plane hard work. I think I'll pay someone next time

[86 century]

Got myself into the same thing.

Good luck it one heck of a workout.

[inair]

Hey Sydney, you're pretty brave to go with 320. Are you getting all the dull parts to shine up again? Even when I am only using 6oo, sometimes I have to work real hard to get the shine back. What are you using to finish? 2000, 2500?

[haugy]

For the record, you should never go more than 600 grit to start. It may take more than one attempt, but removes chances of error or deep spots. I would strongly advise against going with 320 grit.

Once you wet sand once, proper maintenance and care should prevent you from having to do it again.

[wiatowski]

For the record, you should never go more than 600 grit to start. It may take more than one attempt, but removes chances of error or deep spots. I would strongly advise against going with 320 grit.

Once you wet sand once, proper maintenance and care should prevent you from having to do it again.

agreed but when it's bad, it's bad. I know some would disagree with me going down to 150... but no swirls in mine..... it's just a lot of hard work. I did however hit a spot where the gel coat was super thin, so I'll have to put some on when I'm done. a 1" x 2" spot. This gel coat is tough.

[inair]

"Why wait?..."

That is exactly what my wife said! I kind of scares me though. On the other hand there are surely folks out there who can do it better than me and my paranoia could probably use a break!

We live within an hour of each other. Anyone you recomend?

[haugy]

agreed but when it's bad, it's bad. I know some would disagree with me going down to 150... but no swirls in mine..... it's just a lot of hard work. I did however hit a spot where the gel coat was super thin, so I'll have to put some on when I'm done. a 1" x 2" spot. This gel coat is tough.

I tend to lean towards the doing little bits at a time on these boats versus maybe overdoing it. That's just me.


Inair that is a beautiful boat. I really love the lines of it. I often wonder if I should have left my boat without a tower, but being able to mount a good bimini, and tow from a higher point, and to have an anchor light up high all the time outweighed that thought. But I do love the lines without a tower on it.