Need help!! May have trashed my boat gel coat :-/
 

Ok so I bought a 2000 Moomba Kamberra. The guy never washed or waxed the boat from what I can tell and it had a ton of hard water stains down the side at the water line. I used Meguiars #67 compound to remove the stains and it left the boat hazy in some areas, I went back with some Mothers Carbanua Wax and it left the boat a hazy white where I waxed it!! Is the gel coat trashed or did I do something wrong. I used a multiple speed orbital buffer to compound and just a towel to wax on and off. Any help would be great!!

I would start by buffing the whole boat with 3M buffing compound or something similiar. Is it just oxidation that's trying to come off appearing hazy? My boat had oxidation horribly when I bought it, and I did the 3M buffing compound with a variable speed buffer, then hit it with 3M finesse it on the buffer, then hit it with 3M boat wax. It shines!!! post pictures if you can

If I understand it correctly - you used an aggressive compound to rid yourself of the water marks. You need to move in progressive steps towards a finer compound with the wheel. You essentially used 80 grit sand paper on your gel coat and then you are trying to polish it up with 5000 grit wax. You need to gradually reduce the scratches in multiple phases. It is likely a 5 step process not 2 steps.

Search the threads on here for one done by Grant West - it will show you what needs to be done. You haven't ruined your gel coat.

Ill post some pics when I can... I don't know if its oxidation.. It looks like someone rubbed chalk all over the boat side so I assumed it was hard water stains. But I understand what your saying about going from 80 grit to 5000 I didn't think about that. After I buffed it with compound I could still see some of the chalky stains left but they were much lighter. I didn't realize the compound was so harsh as to compare it to 80 grit. When I do this 5 step process do I need to be washing the boat between every step?

I buff in a small section at a time, and buff til the compound is almost dry. Then immediately after, I use a microfiber towel and rub it off. It should leave a way slicker and wet looking finish. No need to wash the boat, since your rubbing all the grime and stuff off with a clean towel.

Ok... So I feel kinda dumb after all this but this is my first boat and my first time trying to get water stains off something. All the buffing I did seems to have just smeared the build up around and not take it off. My father-in-law told me to rub vinegar on the boat with a rag and I guess being young and thinking that sounded dumb I just ignored it. Well as I sat on the trailer looking at the boat, that looked just as bad as it did 4 hours ago I decided, what the hell, and got out the vinegar. Should of done it from the start!!!! With a lot of elbow grease it completely takes the water stains off. And the boat (despite my buffing with harsh compound) looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor! I'm guessing the buildup was so heavy that what I was buffing was just the thick water stains/mineral buildup. Bc the gelcoat under all that is in great shape! I thank y'all for giving me some advice when I was freaking out lol. I still can't believe how well the vinegar worked though.:D:D:eek:

Diluted vinegar is the BEST to remove hard water spot. Of course, there are some products which I won't name but vinegar does it work and leaves weird smell for while. I'm glad it worked out for you.

I will name them.... Boat Bling's "Hot Sauce" works great and has an addicting aroma that is sooo much better than straight vinegar/water. Also just tried Hula Boat Care, their "Gnarly spot remover" works great too and has a more subtle smell, and smells better than "Hot Sauce" imo, Did a side by side comparison and was happy with both.