Ok, so you dropped some coin on a new boat. Now, how to keep your new ride looking like new? Well the approach is pretty simple and further down we’ll look at the best way to wax a fiberglass boat.

There are a few different ways to go about the waxing ritual and there’s definitely not just one right way for everyone. There are, however, some approaches that do see better results than others. We can filter waxing into the following categories.

Wax Jobs

1) The Quick-N-Dirty – For the boat owners who just want to protect the gelcoat from getting damaged, to prevent stains on the gelcoat, and to make the job of cleaning the boat easier.

2) Professor Perfection – For the captain who’s going to settle for nothing less than the best.  They’re going to put in long hours and maybe an extra day on shore to ensure their ride is looking as good as new

3) The In-Between-Sheen – This is for the owner who wants their boat to look good but knows that the whole point is to be on the water

The condition of the boat plays a big part in how you should think about waxing. If you just found out your great-uncle had a boat that lived in the weeds behind his barn just got willed to you The Quick-N-Dirty aint’ really going to cut it.  Regardless of the condition, though, you’re going to have be ready to sign up for some work.

No matter what condition your vessel is in, waxing a boat will have three basic steps and they’re the best way to wax a fiberglass boat.

The Steps

1) Cleaning – This means getting rid of all the stuff that’s still hanging around like salt, dirt, grease, mold, and stains. This can be broken down into different stages (and should).  This is a critical step and one that shouldn’t be glossed over, take your time and get that thing squeaky clean.

2) Polishing – Polishing creates the smooth glassy surface under the wax that’s going to be protected. If you have an older boat there could be several stages to this process.

3) Waxing – This is what we’re here for.  The application of wax seals and protects your polished gelcoat and creatures that luster that we’re all after.

Cleaning really is the most important thing to remember.  If the hull isn’t properly cleaned beforehand and you begin polishing or waxing, you can drive dirt and other debris into the gelcoat. You’re not going to do a lot of harm to the hull but you definitely won’t get that shine you’re looking for.  And, let’s face it, that’s what we’re after.

Tools

Your biggest investment will be a good polisher. We’ve looked at everything from bargain bin models to hobbyist minded polishers, all the way to detailed power tools designed for the express purpose of using on boats.

One of the polishers that we’ve been really drawn to recently is the Dewalt variable-speed polisher, the DeWalt DW849, with a 3M 3M-05705 Superbuff Polishing Pad and the 3M-05710 Superbuff Adapter.  The adapter is used to attach the polishing pad to any 5/8″ slow speed polisher.

But really, if you’ve got a polisher in the garage then you should be ready to go.  Just grab a new pad and you’ll be on your way to waxing.

Best Way To Wax A Fiberglass Boat

Cleaning

Time to get going.  The best way to wax a fiberglass boat is to start with a clean boat.  You’ll want to find a good boat soap that will help cut through grease and grime and this will form the basis for a great wax job. There are even a few environmentally friendly boat soaps that you can use right in the water while your boat is in the slip.  Really the best way to wax a fiberglass boat is to start with the polish and work up.

Now if you don’t want to pull off the last coat of wax remember that a lot of boat soaps have a mild formula that will not strip wax but if you really want to get a good shine on then you’ll want to take it all off.  Simple Green has been a crowd favorite, it will strip old wax and let you make quick work of it.

If you’ve got mildew then you’ve really got only one option, chlorine bleach.  It will kill it dead, no more mildew, done. Outdoor Clorox works especially well, though it’s not the most Earth friendly option. There are other less toxic remedies as well.  But for me it’s Clorox.

Micro-Finishes/Glaze

A lot people will skip this step in an effort to save time.  But if finding the best shine you can then it’s pretty critical, especially if you’re trying to restore an older boat.  In reality, micro-finishes and glazes are just finer polishes then are used for compounding.

One of the top glazes that we’ve seen is the 3M Finesse It II, it’s a marine specific glaze. Pretty simple to apply by hand, but machine application can save you a bunch of time. Apply light pressure and use slow setting, doing a small area at a time.

3M Finesse It II Highlights

• Specially designed to be used on OEM and refinish paints to remove scratches or to remove swirl marks
  
• Formulated to remove minor scratches and oxidation
• Produces a high-gloss wet look finish
• Contains no wax or silicone

Wax

Now that you got your shine on, it’s time to seal it with some wax. Typically there are two types, liquids and paste waxes. The general rule of thumb is that the pastes offer more durable protection and last longer but the liquid waxes are easier to apply and can last almost as long.

We’ve seen the Collinite 885 paste wax get great reviews and another wax that’s got owners raving is Nu Finish.  Both are great from what we’ve seen and will get you the results you’re looking for.

They’ve got a can on Amazon but the better deal is the wax and cleaner.  Same size can of wax and a cleaner for $6 less than just the wax alone.

The best way to wax a fiberglass boat always ends with a good, high quality wax.

Application

The best way to wax a fiberglass boat is to start by working the wax into small areas.  That way they won’t dry before you’ve got time to work them.  If they do dry too much they might become too difficult to work with.  Another thing to remember is to watch the amount of wax that you’re applying to an area.  If you apply too much wax it, again gets unruly and difficult to work with.

Owners in cooler climes have mentioned that this wax can be tough to work with but if you warm it up first it gets a lot easier to get on the hull.

Here’s a great video from the people at Jamestown Distributing with their product TotalBoat showing how to apply a good boat wax.

Well there you have it!  Now if your boat needs a shine then you’re all set.  Thanks for stopping by and we’ll see you out there!

Save

Save