Any advice on keeping Maxum burgundy side color shiny?

[PCweber]

I have the SC 2100 Maxum. The upper sides are burgundy and I can wash/ polish/ wax it and looks great. The minute it hits the water and gets wet, then dries it is dull/ chalky. The beige lower and upper part of boat does not do this. Any other Maxum boat owners fight this issue with the burgundy color?

[tackleshep]

What year is the boat? Deep colors like burg, black, blue all have this problem. It's usually oxidation. The good news is if they look good right after way you have not done anything permanent yet. I would recommend finding a very good oxidation polishing compound and scrub the hell out of it. When your done then apply a good wax or even cleaner wax. After that I've seen some treat with vasoline.

Heres the deal, this is an ongoing fight with any boat.

[PCweber]

FYI, I read a lot of posts about the Vasoline deal. I am in mid application and going to wax it tonight. I will try to get back and post some pics and then report results after 3-4 weeks of uses a few times a week. I figure I can always wet sand it down a bit and do teh standard polish. I will say it looks very promosing at this point.

[Nimh]

Look forward to seeing pics. I've done the wet sand/polish/wax path and while it's a ton of work, it was well worth it.

[PCweber]

Yea, I did too. But 1 4 day weekend at the lake leaving boat in water all weekend, etc. and the maroon part looked chalky and horrible all over again. 4-5 hours of sanding polishing is not worth that. We have a top notch detail guy where I live. He told me that Maxum maroon color is the worst for fade back. He said he has to wet sand it with 600, then 1000, then 1500, then get on it very hard with a good commercial polisher. THEN, he said to expect it to fade back 1/2 half way through the season. He said then he would do the same thing again and it will hold for a few years. He said the Maxum gel coat from early 90's was whent he EPA was pushign them to move to water based material and is the reason. I will let you know how my $4 vasoline job goes. It can not get any worse and chalky that it does now...

[jhabers]

Here is a guide that I used. This is written by Mike Ryan of Mikes Marine Care

OVERVIEW
Hand applications can achieve satisfactory results.
We prefer the use of a power buffer (non orbital types) for various reasons.
- Applies a thinner coat, making product easier to remove.
- Products coat evenly, resulting in a uniform finish.
- Clean more aggressively, removes more contaminants and
oxidation.
- When used properly it will remove swirl marks
(can cause swirl marks if wrong or dirty wool pads and products are used.)
It is up to the consumer to verify the level of oxidation/current state of vessel.

STEP 1 COMPOUND (Heavy)

Compounds vary in degrees of grit/coarseness. They are used to remove heavy oxidations and deeply imbedded contaminants.
Various compounds can either be in a paste form (brushed on, heavier grit) or in liquid form (milder grits).
When using compounds, it is best to do small areas at a time; 4' x 4' is the recommended size. When using compounds, use 100% WHITE wool pad.
Apply product to hull. If using paste compound, brush evenly in a 4' x 4' area. If liquid form, apply in vertical stripes spaced 9" - 11" apart, top to bottom of area. Check product recommendation for proper RPM of the power buffer, usually between 1500-2000 RPM. While using buffer, it is important to keep it moving. Overlap your strokes by about 50% while using light pressure. When using compound it is best to leave the buffing pad flat on the surface to minimize swirl marks. While working product in, areas you have gone over in the section will be drying. Once the section is worked in, spur the pad. (spurring details below). Go back over section and remove remaining compound. When moving to
the next sections overlap previous section by 10". Continue until hull/topside is complete.

STEP 2 COMPOUND (Mild)

Mild compounding is the same process except you will be dealing with a liquid product of finer grit. This is used to remove mild oxidation. 100% WHITE wool pad is still used in the mild compound stage.

STEP3 POLISHING

Polishes are used to remove slight oxidation and remove fine scratches left by the compounding stages. It is also used to remove swirl marks. Swirl marks are microscopic scratches in the gelcoat caused by many reasons i.e. washing with stiff brushes, compounding, applying or removing products with dirty or improper or otherwise harsh applicator.
Swirl marks are identifiable in direct sunlight and appear, as swirls of course, on the surface. The most noticeable region on a boat for swirl marks in the forward sections in the bow where the flair is and the front of the flying bridge topsides.
Polishes should be applied in 4' x 4' sections also, but on newer boats of certain manufactures can be applied in larger sections. Apply the polish in vertical lines spaced 12" apart.
Using a power buffer with 100% YELLOW wool pad, apply the product, working it completely in. It is best to overlap your sections and work slow. Polish restores beneficial oils to the gel coat which can prolong its shine. As you finish working the product in, spur the pad and remove from surface.

STEP 4 WAXING

Waxing is one of the easiest ways to extend the amount of time before you need to utilize steps 1-3. There area many different variations of ways on the market. Some that are even a polish, or vise versa. The highest priced and highest quality is YELLOW Carnuba. Polymer and synthetic polymer coatings are also good, but are limited to the types of gelcoat/paint they can be used on. Teflon waxes are not what they claim to be either. DuPont, the maker of Teflon, issued this statement:
"The application of a Teflon Fluoropolymer resin does nothing to enhance the properties of a car wax. We have no data that indicates the use of Teflon is beneficial in car waxes."
Wax is best applied with the appropriate wax applicator applied in circular motions. It is best to do small sections, even as small as 2' x 2' to avoid "baking in" We do not recommend applications of 2 or more coats at a time. It is better to apply wax at more
frequent intervals to prevent oxidation. Wax the vessel every one and one half month to two months. More so in hotter, tropical regions and also salt water locations. When removing wax, always use a 100% terry cloth towel that is made in the U.S.A.



SPURRING/CARE/USEAGE OF WOOL PADS
1) Spur the pad using the spur usually supplied with pad. (Tongue depressors work great for this.)
Hold as shown in photo below, apply speed.


2) Only use one product per pad to avoid contamination/mixing of products.
3) Use a NEW pad and/or a foam when trying to remove swirl marks.
*** AND REMEMBER, KEEP PAD FLAT ON THE SURFACE ***

[PCweber]

Here is a teaser. This chaky maroon color you see to the front is what it looks like after 1 time in water no matter how much you clean/ polish/ wax it. The shiny section to rear is with vasoline on for an hour, then wiped off. Yes, it leaves a greasy film but if you wait 2-3 days it flashes off and is dry. The big question is if adding wax over the top seals in the film and it holds. My expectations are pretty low as 4-5 hours of polishing and the very first trip it chalks over so I am not asking for much...

[ed & inge]

just an idea............make it bright and shining maroon and spray transparant varnish over the maroon sections..........i have a 2009 2400sc3 with a black hull.....how do you think it lookes with the chalk in the water..... 2 hours of polishing, 1 day in the water......bey bey polish.......but i don't care.....my boat is there for me.....and not the opposite.........when i'm going to sell her she will be shining.......and untill so long sometimes a little wash, once a year a polish and a cleaner....for me that will do....about a 18 years ago i also had a maroon red maxum.....so i now how you feel......

greatz, ed

[PCweber]

I hear you Commander.

[kenpo262]

I tried poli glow this spring after I spent 3-4 days cleaning and waxing the boat, I saw this stuff on shipshape TV so figured for $50 give it a try. It's about the same amount of work as waxing but you have to use the cleaner with a scrub pad and do the whole boat first then let dry, it comes with a special sponge applicator it goes on pretty easy however you must put 3-5 coats on. So far it has lasted all summer and still looks great. One other note make sure you do not miss any spots during the cleaning stage as they will show thru when dry. It also makes washing the boat a lot easier later pretty much just rinse off to clean, I will let you know how it holds up.


Mitch

[ed & inge]

Originally Posted by PCweber

I hear you Commander.

it's not meant that way..........what i try to say is............enjoy the boat, don't work yourself pain in the ase on the boat....we already have to do that at for the boss at work........

greatz, ed

[PCweber]

Update. I did the Vasoline thing. After 3-4 trips including it sitting in the lake all weekend over Labor Day. Say what you want about the vasioline, doing it the hard way, etc. I have done both (own a polisher) The Vasoline, then wax thing works far better than polish/ wax as far as resisting chalky loo after a few trips to lake. Now, that is on a 1990 Maxum with the older gel coat, but for my situation I will do the vasoline thing again in spring. I am sold.