04 Feb HOW TO Polish a Boat
Why do I need to polish my boat?
Well, boats are daily exposed to extreme weather conditions. Although they are designed to last and most of them do, polishing some of the most important areas will help protect and prevent from further deterioration.
So, what are the different surfaces that can be polished on a boat?
- Fibreglass: Most boats are made of fibreglass, is extremely durable and easy to fix, also light weight and floats.
- Stainless steel: Although its name says stainless, we are sorry to tell you that it actually stains and gets rusty. Most fittings on boats are made of Stainless Steel.
- Fabric: Boat seats and sails are the most common areas for textile. While vinyl is more common than leather, some old style boats and high end might have leather seats.
- Acrylic and glass: Windows are made of glass and screens are made of acrylic.
Once you understood the different type of surfaces, you can then decide what sort of polishing you’d like to do:
- For fibreglass polishing, nothing bits our Marine Shine Polish, it’s a great all rounder, than can also be used for stainless steel fittings. If you want to go one step forward, then use also Autosol Boat Wax or Autosol Rubbing Cleaner. We also have a few KITS available that are great to get the job done and have around when necessary, the Marine Starter Pack and Marine Expert Pack. If you want go a step forward, and have the time to get the boat out of the water, then you might wanna use our Professional Detailing Compounds for boats.
- For stainless steel polishing use Marine Shine Polish or Autosol Stainless Steel Cleaner, mind due, one is a cleaner and the other a polisher.
- For fabric, it could be vinyl, leather or some synthetic fabric used on seats and around the boat. We have a Leather and Vinyl Protection & Care Kit that can be used for these surfaces.
- For acrylic screens and glass windows, you’ll need Autosol Marine Glass Polish and Autosol Acrylic Polish.
NOW, it’s time to get this rolling:
1- Clean, wash, get all dirt off the boat. How? use Autosol Boat Shampoo mixed with some water and a sponge.
2- Start with the biggest surface, in most cases this would be fibreglass. Using Autosol Rubbing Cleaner and Marine Shine polish in circular motion in 1 sq mt at the time. A scourer sponge is suitable but try not to rub to hard to avoid any damage.
3- Move onto the next surface, stainless steel. Same basic principles apply, working on small areas, an polishing in circular motions with a soft cloth.
4- Keep going to the next part of the boat, maybe fabrics of glass/acrylic.
5- You can repeat all of the above as many times as necessary.
6- Once you have polished the full boat, regular maintenance will keep the boat is perfect conditions.
If you have any queries, let us know, we are happy to assist you. 02 9905 8400 or info@autosol.com.au