What is the best way to remove Oxydization?

Bought a boat that look more than just a little neglected, the red now looks more like foggy pink, So what have you found to work the best?

Any of the buffing agents made for boats. Local marine stores will have the abrasives, cleaner and polish.

I'm sure there's a lot of opinions, and good ones, but that's the basic fact.

My first boat was an older Brendella that had heavy oxidation on the gelcoat. The accent colors had faded to a light pink and baby blue. I bought a product called fast cut from a marine shop and used it with a high speed orbital buffer. It worked great. The colors came out royal blue and a deep rasberry color and it left a high gloss polish with no scratches.

Try 303 Protectant - Spray it on and leave it for a couple days. After a day or two spray more on (to wet the stuff currently on there) and wipe it off. It will work wonders. I had a boat where the red was pink. The 303 turned it back to red without any buffing.

(Message edited by tre on April 30, 2003)

Elbow Grease, Plus Polishing Compound, Plus Sweat, Plus Friends, Plus Wax, Plus "Cold Refreshing Beverages".

"Go-Jo" hand cleaner works wonders on the vinyl.

Bill

Use macquires oxidation remover. Your boat store should have it and it is made for gelcoat. Works wonders and is really easy to use. Not much elbow grease is needed and if you have a power buffer it is even easier.

I have an 88 ProStar in red with the same problem. Like the post said above me, try Mcguires oxidation remover. Keep applying and removing the stuff until the surface is smooth (you can hear when the rag is going over the oxidation). It may take as many as 5-6 applications. Then follow-up with Maguires Polish and then Maguires Pure Carnuba Wax (these three actually come in a kit - they carry it at West Marine). That is probably your best bet - but you will have to re-do it after a few months.

If the oxidation or water staining is bad. I would use the 3M oxidation remover first, followed by the McGuires deep cleaner, then Mcguires regular cleaner, polish, and wax.

It is a step by step process that takes alot of time but the results are worth it.

i like 3m heavy duty rubbing compound but it takes a few times also. a few points that will help:

-don't bother with the orbital buffers from walmart, they won't last when you put some good pressure on it. spend the extra $$ for a good high speed polisher that you can set the speed on.
-change the bonnets often, whatever junk you're removing (grime, haze, old paint) will clog up the bonnet and then you're just spreading that junk over the next area
-when you're rubbing the compound in, you'll see a point where you can actually see the old layers reveal nice shiny paint underneath....that's when you want to switch pads, after finishing that area change to a new pad(work in small sections, not huge areas- just like waxing).
-don't work one area too much, take your time and if you have to do the whole boat again, make sure your beer inventory is good.

afterwards, you need to polish and wax like mentioned above

I did a formerly black boat last year, I had a couple of weeks without ridding cause I broke my wrist, I am highly sceptical of any thing that says it will take oxydization off with out elbow grease, (but I still hope that it might be true) Mine was so bad I had to wet sand it with 1000 grit sand paper, and that was after trying a # of cleaners. I used the 3m rubbing after that, then the 3m micro glaze. All with a buffer. I just really wanted to avoid all the elbow grease, but I guess that there really is no way to get around it.

Out of curiosity, what is the 303 protectant? Is it a 3m product or something else? Thanks.

i've tried 303 on my hull, not to compound but for wax. the bottle says it will give UV protection and work as a wax. but, it streaks like crazy if you put too much on. i'm skeptical about it removing oxidation....let us know how it works ;)....no offense tre, i just don't see how a UV protectant could remove old paint and grime. i guess there's only one way to find out, for someone else to try it!

it wasn't much of a wax, but i really needed a good wax job and think the 303 might work better if you have a good layer of wax on already

oh, i don't think 3m makes it. it's a UV protectant that's awesome on vinyl seats but a little pricey

For OXI dation try OXI Clean. the OXI Moron on the TV adds says it works for everything, (yuk, yuk)

Wet sand and high-speed buffer for best results.

don't know how severe your problem is but I have a red boat that also had "pinked" on me -- on just one side oddly enough. As a rule before I go buy a bunch of stuff I will try what I already have in my garage and this time it worked better than I ever imagined it would......It was \bEagle 1 WET car polish}. As mentioned above it did take some elbow grease (I rubbed hard enough to deflect the fiberglass as a rule) and a couple areas I went over twice but the results were 10x what I expected from a regular automotive polish.

Meguiers has a three step system out that includes Oxidation remover, polish & wax. Very easy to apply using orbital buffer. Overton's has it, their part # 25145.