Vinyl Wrap or Other Suggestions

elarson5757

Hey Everyone!

Just had my boat professionally buffed and waxed.  It's black/white and frankly the 3" section of black just above the rub rail on my 246 just doesn't clean up well and oxidizes quickly.  

The guy who did it suggested considering having that 3" wide section all the way around the boat wrapped in gloss black.  Clearly the wrap could get damaged but it also can be replaced/repaired. 

Question is do they make wrap in narrow long rolls like that?  Something 3-4" wide (I could easily trim at the rub rail) but long enough to go all the way around...maybe 75ft with some left over?

Suggestions other than having that area painted?

Pic attached isn't my boat but shows the area I'm speaking off.  Really sucks because the rest of the boat shines like glass. 

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

What did they charge you to wax it if you don't mind me asking. I have a 246 and just did mine myself but next time I might just pay.

Well they buffed out the entire exterior and then waxed it.  They removed every snap, vent covers, etc so they literally could get every inch of it including the top of the bow and swim platform where the no-skid is. They also detailed the entire interior and the trailer. 

$400 bucks..

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

In a past thread I read someone was talking about putting a full boat cover on there's when not in use. I'm not sure if you trailer yours but a full cover would keep the sun off of it when parked.

Yea that was me. I'm going to do that but I'd still like this area of the boat to look better.  Guy told me virtually every dark color boat he does that has the dark color over the rub rail has the same issues. It's difficult because this area has a strong curve along the middle of it and as a result you can't buff it much without risking burning the edge. 

I found 4" 3M gloss black vinyl striping in 150yrd roles. I may just give that a shot. I've done a ton of pin striping in my day so I'm pretty confident I could make it work.  Just not sure how it would look. 

elarson5757

Alswagg said:

Sorry but $400 does not get a very good buff and wax plus a detail?     I suggest wet sanding the upper area.  Coarse buff.  Then try some Poly Glow.   

I couldn't get it in to a "boat guy" around here for 6 weeks...so I used a guy that does boats and cars, etc. 

I have zero experience with what your describing unfortunately. Any more insight you can share or videos to point at?  Is this stuff I can do myself?

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

If you don't want to wet sand it with high grit sand paper and water you can use a light rubbing compound like mcguires.

What you will need is rubbing compound, polish, wax, a orbital polisher, a cutting pad for the compound, a polish pad for the Polish, a light pad for the wax, some little hand pads for the tough to reach places and masking tape. You can get all the pads and orbital polisher at harbor freight for a good price. Make sure you get marine products for the compound, polish and wax.

First you would start with a clean boat obviously. Then you would tape off a small area maybe 2 feet wide and start with the cutting pad with compound and go back and fourth about 4 to 5 times. Make sure you keep product on the pad and don't let it dry out. Once the taped off area is done tape off the next area but make sure you tape off a little farther back from where you ended so you can overlap the next area with what you just did. For the compound I would just do the troubled areas and work the polisher at a slow speed and don't stay in one spot to long. You don't want to burn the gel coat. 

Once your done compounding wash the boat to get off anything that may have been stuck in your gel coat. Now your ready for the Polish pad and polish. With the Polish you want to repeat the above steps but do the entire colored area of the boat but in small sections overlapping the last. Once the Polish is done then you are ready to wax the whole thing.

It sounds like a lot of work but if your just doing the colored area you could probably finish this in about 4-6 hours. It is totally worth it and your boat will look new again. It is also really easy to do. A lot of elbow work but easy. The pads all have different colors for cutting, polishing and waxing so you can't mix them up. I forgot what colors are what but it says on the package at harbor freight. If you decide to do this post before and after pictures.

The issue here with my boat is that the only problem area is that 3" of black above the rub rail. That area has a double curve shape if you will that others have said not to use a DA polisher on and frankly even if you did you would have to use just the edge to get in the curves if you will. I tried compounds and such by hand but could not touch the oxidation.  

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

I see... I thought the " inch mark was a mistake and supposed to be ' a foot mark and you meant 3 feet not 3 inches. That is why I thought you were referring to the whole colored area. I just looked at the picture and see what your talking about. You probably will have to wet sand that area like Alswag stated.

You need a squirt bottle filled with water and several pieces of fine grit sand paper. I would start with 2000 grit and slowly move down grit until you get to the point the oxidation starts coming off. You will take the squirt bottle and spray the area your doing keeping it nice and wet at all times and start rubbing the sand paper on it but don't apply too much pressure and don't let it become dry. Just simply rub it back and fourth. Start with a small test area that is kind of hidden if possible. Once you do all this you can polish and wax by hand. 

There are a lot of videos on YouTube on how to wet sand a boat.

I'm going to give the wet sanding and buffing by hand a shot when I get a day to to it.  I've been reading about the Poli Glow and that's pretty interesting stuff. 

elarson5757

This area has a pin stripe over the line between the black and white @Alswagg, at what point in the process do I put the new strip back on?  Just before the Poly-Glow or after?

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7HaRZzKswaY

@shawnmjr I literally just watched that video. Lol

males me wonder if their Poly-Ox and the brushing will address this issue I have on its own  before I apply the Poly Glow. 

elarson5757

shawnmjr said:

It probably would. It looks very easy in the video but I'm sure it takes a little more elbow grease than they show but I hear nothing but good things about it. Worth a shot.

Man start searching the stuff on google and you'll find thousands of testimonials that say DO NOT use Poly Glow...who knows anymore...lol

elarson5757

Alswagg said:

To speed up the process I use a white scotch bright cleaner pad and a 5" hook and loop da sander. This along with the poly prep to dewax the gel coat.  I prepped and sealed a 24' Chapparrel today before lunch.  Turned out great.  

@alswagg the instructions have you doing sections at a time but can you simply just clean and prep the whole boat and then apply the poly to the whole boat?  Or do you need to prep and apply in sections for some reason?