boat detailing

[wcherashore]

My family's boat is due for a detail and I would like to begin doing such work myself. Thought I would ask if there is a general consensus for what kind of supplies to use.

I am planning on doing a relatively involved detail and was thinking of picking up the following items:
wax
vinyl cleaner and brush (clean the nooks, and cranies as well as seams)
windshield cleaner (rain-x or does windex with newspaper work best?)

+vaccum carpets

Suggestions for any of those products or anything I missed. For those of you who are particularly experienced with gelcoat maintenance, the boat is a 2000 Air with a primarily white gelcoat and teal Nautique "N" stripe. Upolstry is the same color scheme, white with teal accents and silver piping. The boat is used in salt if that makes a difference, but is always washed and flushed following use.

Thanks

[HVL2010]

I like products from Griots Garage. I haven't used the polishing compounds or wax on the boat yet, but intend to this spring. I use their stuff on my cars and my Harley and get great results. Premium products and awesome customer service.

[AuMDLST]

Zaino Brothers for the wax - two part application
303 after any vinyl cleaning scrubbing - NO MAGIC ERASERS - NO ARMOR ALL

[johnboyy7]

Why is magic eraser bad ans armor all? Can you use 303 after magic eraser and be ok?

[wcherashore]

303 after cleaning/scrubbing?

do you recommend any products for cleaning and scrubbing the vinyl?

[Hlymons]

Here is the one of the best threads when it comes to boat detailing

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/m...21/282492.html

[Nautiquehunter]

Best I have found
Vinyl- Malco Leather/plastic cleaner followed by 303
Fiberglass- Poorboys polish followed by Poorboys EXP then finish with Poorboys Nattys paste wax. These products were recommended to me by Rugdr on another thread.
Wheels and chrome- Poorboys Wheel sealant Seals the chrome so nothing will stick.

[Chexi]

*Magic Eraser* is a microabrasive and will damage your vinyl, especially the top coat protective layer. Armor All will dry it out. 303 will not undo the damage of magic erasers and probably not of Armor All.

[AirTool]

303 is a microabrasive and will damage your vinyl, ....

Did you mean magic erasers?

[jjgag60]

303 protective

Chexi: Did you do mean another product, when you said dont use 303 it will ruin your vinyl. I have heard nothing but good things about 303 and it protective abilities. Please explain more about your thoughts and where you got your information. Thanks

[DanielC]

It is the magic erasers that are abrasive.

[nautiquesonly]

For the waxing portion I highly recommend Collinites products. First buff with Collinites 920 Fiberglass Cleaner using a Meguiars polishing pad followed by buffing with Collinites 925 Boat Wax using the Meguiars finishing pad. Once a year is all you need using these products they are the best I have used them for years and my 98 Sport looks showroom new. For the vinyl I agree dont use magic erasers or armour all. I have used 303 for years and again great products never a problem.

Nautiquesonly

98 Sport Nautique/GT40

[johnboyy7]

so what is the best way to get the vinyl super clean or that will clean like magic eraser?

[Nautiquehunter]

Malco leather and plastic cleaner is the best I have found for cleaning followed be 303 for protection.

[DanielC]

You need to realize that magic erasers do not clean vinyl. They grind away the top dirty layer of vinyl, and then you see the new, clean vinyl that was underneath the dirty vinyl. You also do not see that the finish that was on the vinyl is now gone, and the vinyl will get dirty faster.
Using one also makes it easier for plasticizers in the vinyl to get removed, and then the vinyl gets brittle.