How to Wax Your Boat

Co-authored by Travis Lund

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References Approved

Your boat’s fiberglass gelcoat will maintain its high gloss for a long time if you keep it clean, waxed and stored out of the sun. If the surface has started to discolor or dull, or if the gelcoat has been subjected to a lot of wear and tear, you’ll need to learn how to buff a boat. Although the process is basically simple, and not much different from buffing a car, every boat owner has a unique take on it. This article explains the basic steps in buffing a boat.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Washing the Boat

1
Position the boat on the trailer securely. Boats should be waxed out of the water, secured on the trailer, preferably parked on a flat, even surface. Because you'll be spraying products and moving all around the boat, you'll probably not want to have the trailer attached to your car, either.^{[1]
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- Depending on the style of your boat, you'll probably want to put the cover on before you get started waxing and cleaning the boat. To keep the interior safe, keep the cover on.
2
Hose down the exterior of the boat first. It’s important to only wax a recently-cleaned boat, so remove all loose dirt and grime, as well as algae buildup and other gunk, especially if the boat’s been sitting in the water.^{[2]
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- Start with plain water, spraying evenly across the surface of the exterior that needs to be cleaned. Use a clean, wet sponge to start scrubbing gently and get the grime running off.
- If there are really serious spots of build-up, you can use some fine-grain 220 sandpaper to clean it off. Don't use a power washer on your boat, which can damage the finish and affect the efficacy of the gelcoat. Use a gentle spray, as opposed to a powerful spray.
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3
Clean the old wax from the surface. Use rags soaked with toluene or another dewaxing solvent to remove traces of old wax, which can keep polish and rubbing compounds from working evenly across the surface of the boat.
- Sweep the rag in one direction, applying light pressure. It's not something you should usually have to scrub very hard to remove. Allow the solvent to evaporate before buffing.
4
Wash with a proper detergent. Finish washing the surface with a sponge and special boat soap or a mild solution of dishwashing detergent and warm water.^{[3]
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- If the surface of your boat is stained, it's sometimes common to use a small amount of bleach to disinfect and clean thoroughly. It's also sometimes common to use lacquer thinner, Varsol or a special degreaser to remove sticky adhesive spots or greasy buildup. Don't use bleach on untreated or unstained wooden boats.
- Rinse the boat thoroughly with clean water and allow to dry. You can use a squeegee to speed up the drying process, if necessary.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Buffing the Surface of the Boat

1
Consider using a polish or buffing compound. Both polish and buffing compound are abrasives, which restore the shine to your boat’s fiberglass gelcoat by removing imperfections, discolorations and scrapes in the surface, increasing the reflective shine.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Travis Lund
Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center
Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}
- Choose polish if your boat only needs light refinishing. Go with a stronger rubbing compound if the surface is excessively pitted or chalky, signs that the surface needs a much more substantial cleaning.
- Be very careful when using a rubbing compound. Gelcoat is extremely thin and an aggressive compound can burn through it quickly, necessitating an expensive and time-consuming repair job.
2
Begin at the transom and work toward the bow. Work in sections about 2 feet (0.610 meters) square to apply the rubbing compound or polish. Use a soft cloth if you’re working by hand, or fit the buffer with a foam polishing pad. Apply a circle of polish or buffing compound to the cloth or pad and rub it into the surface using a steady, even, circular motion. Buff until the surface becomes glassy looking. If you can see through the gelcoat, you’ve gone too far.
- Some purists swear by hand buffing, while others argue that using a tool saves your muscles and helps eliminate streaks and swirls. Choose a low-speed buffer, not a high-speed sander, for better control. Tools with an orbital motion are less likely to leave swirling streaks.
- If you’re using a buffer, start at the slowest speed. Touch the pad lightly to the surface before starting the buffer so the polish or compound doesn’t spray in all directions.
3
Follow up use of a buffing compound by applying polish. If necessary, apply polish using the same method. Use circular motions and move in the same direction you moved when applying the rubbing compound. Hose off the boat and the work area to remove the dust raised by the polishing and compounding.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Waxing the Boat

1
Choose an appropriate variety of boating wax. The variety of boating wax you use will vary, depending on the style and the surface of your boat's gelcoat. Keeping gelcoat coated with wax can help the gelcoat maintain its shine for a long time, offering a protective buffer between the coat and the water.
- Collinite 885 is a commonly used and recommended boating wax, used also in surfing and for other purposes.
2
Use the same motion as with applying the buffing compound. As with polishing and compounding, you can apply wax by hand or with an electric buffer.^{[6]
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Expert Source

Travis Lund
Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center
Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.} Use the same circular motion to avoid streaking.
- Different varieties of wax may come with specific directions, so defer to the product that you buy.
3
Exercise care around fittings and in tight spaces. Regardless of whether you use an electric buffer or a hand buffer, work by hand around non-removable fittings to keep the buffer from catching on or damaging them. Do the same in tight crevices.
- Remove fittings ahead of time if possible, keeping the screws with the fixtures closely, so you won't get confused later.
4
Allow the wax to dry. After a small amount of time, the wax should start to look somewhat hazy, which means you're ready for a second buffing. It's important to allow the wax enough time to set, so it'll be able to protect the gelcoat. This should only take 5-10 minutes in the sun.^{[7]
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5
Buff the wax to a shine. Use a soft towel or terrycloth bonnet if you decide to use an electric polisher, or a clean hand buffer and work in circles. The shine should really start to pop as you buff away the cloudiness of the wax.
- Try to buff out the wax in small sections.^{[8]
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  Expert Source
  
  Travis Lund
  Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center
  Expert Interview. 24 April 2020.}

Expert Q&A

Question

How can you restore boat gel coat?

Travis Lund
Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center
Travis Lund is the General Manager at the Vallejo Marina, a large marina located between the San Francisco Bay and the Delta in California. Sailing since he was six-years-old, Travis has over 15 years working in sailing operations and instruction and has pioneered a coaching platform that combined traditional coaching with multi-camera video support. He studied English at Michigan State University, where he was on the sailing team.

Travis Lund

Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center

Expert Answer

Gel coats can be restored with a simple, 3-step process: heavy compound, finishing compound, and wax.
Question

Why do you polish a boat?

Travis Lund
Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center
Travis Lund is the General Manager at the Vallejo Marina, a large marina located between the San Francisco Bay and the Delta in California. Sailing since he was six-years-old, Travis has over 15 years working in sailing operations and instruction and has pioneered a coaching platform that combined traditional coaching with multi-camera video support. He studied English at Michigan State University, where he was on the sailing team.

Travis Lund

Sailing Instructor & Executive Director, Treasure Island Sailing Center

Expert Answer

Gel coat is pretty porous, and it tends to oxidize. Applying polish prevents the gel coat from flaking into a powdery substance that comes off on your clothes and hands. Plus, polish helps reflect light and prevents damage from the sun.
Question

How do I go about waxing a boat that is badly faded and hasn't been waxed in about 6 or 8 years?

Aloha27

Community Answer

You're in for a tough slog here. Great care must be taken, as using an aggressive compound can easily blast through the thin layer of gelcoat resulting in an expensive repair. I would use a combination cleaner/wax (such as 3M).

Warnings

Always work in a well ventilated area and use protective gear, such as gloves, eye coverings and a mask or ventilator.

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