Black boat - keeping clean?

Hey, I use the whole vinegar/water as soon as she pulls out of the water. Just wondering how to keep from getting the swirl marks on the black hull. I have a brand new 2011 Epic and all black hull. I have used the Wax as you Dry stuff and that is pretty good, but you seem to always see slight marks on it. Never had a black boat, is this just something I am going to have to deal with?

I know black is impossible to keep perfect and I am not one of those that really needs it perfect. I think the boat is for using, not for cleaning. But I do like it when it's clean. Thoughts?

Rules for my black boat:
1)Wipe down with Boat Bling Hot Sauce, using only high quality MICROFIBER towels, not terry cloth towels. (Thick Cobra towels from Autogeek.net)
2) Keep a good coat of high quality wax on there to help keep the spots from forming in the first place- been using Collonite Insulator Wax.

hmm. I don't get the swirls in my gel coat. I would make sure you are using good clean towels. I always wipe down after every use and spray with 50/50 water and babes. I use fresh bath towels each time, that have not been on the ground or allowed to come in contact with dirt/sand/etc. I of course wax it a few times during the season too. Sounds like maybe you are using something abrasive somewhere if you are getting swirls...

I just use regular bath towels as well. Maybe swirls aren't the right word. When I use the Wax as you Dry stuff I can see the direction in which I use the towel. That is what I see. Sorta like a streak. It still looks nice, just not perfect. I am chalking it up to black boat and you can see everything. My white part is awesome looking with the same exact towel. So I think what I am seeing is the wax on the boat sorta drying out. maybe...? it just is one of those things that, if you never owned a black boat b4 I think I have to just get used too. It still looks very nice just a bit streaky. I don't know, maybe I am just seeing things too.

Yeah go microfiber all the way, use boat bling or babes instead of vinegar and water thing, becasue vineger will take off the wax from the next step, keep a high quality wax on. Part of my hull is black and babes does a great job on it.

babes + microfiber towel = no swirl marks

Microfiber and Boat Bling Hot Sauce. If you guys using Babes have not tried Hot Sauce, you really should.

Babes and microfiber towels seem to be popular...thats what I use after every time out on my mostly black boat. the micrfiber towels dont soak up all of whatever solution you use and it doesn't leave lint like cotton towels do sometimes...i may try the hot sauce though..

yeah I guess I am buying microfiber towels.

Lose the vinager. Its harsh and strips everything off. Pick up the babes boat brite for every time you take it out of the water. Use a good wax a few times a year as well. Fine foam pad with a good quality swirll remover and a low speed buffer if they're bad. Good quality towels are essential to get rid of swirlmarks too. Micro fiber towels do a decent job.

Sounds like it is the "Wax as you Dry" stuff that you illuded to. If you use a micorfiber or beach towel and Hot Sauce, Babes, or vin/water you should be fine. I get no streaks...

Having a all black boat myself I know the pain of keeping it clean. The key is to keep wax on it and use Microfiber towels. I use Hot sauce on the Bottom part of the hull where its still cool from the water, but as far as the top of the boat I wait till I get home since its pretty hot from the sun. Once you develope water spots I would buff them out and then apply wax.

Scott, I have a boat that has black on it as well and I can tell you that I have had the same issue. In my case it was just the dried cleaner/wax that I wasn't getting wiped off well enough. The solution for me has been to 1) don't spray as much stuff on there (a little goes a really long way)and 2) When that does happen I go over it again with a clean damp rag or dry rag and a spray bottle and it comes right off. Hope this helps.

Thanks for all the advice guys. I will say I know the Vin/Water takes the wax off, but just used it coming out of the lake and it really does a great job. Looking now I think it was the spray. I think it is now all off after 2 times on the water and the Vin/water both times coming out. So now, I think I am going to try some Babes or something else.

I used Britemax on my black boat and it worked wonders, but you have to work your ass off to get the wax-haze off. Of course every year I started with heavy cutting wax then 2 different stages of britemax, but never really had water spot problems

http://www.britemax.com/perfectprep.html

Cheers,
DC

Are you guys mostly using the Cobra microfiber towels (kinda of pricey but you can see the quality) or are most using Walmart and/or auto parts store microfiber bundle packs. I see several places online to buy 50pk 14x14 or 16x16. Even found a place selling Meguiar's Supreme microfiber towel 16x24 for 36pk for $69.95.

I have both...... about ready to throw away the useless Walmart ones. Cobra is the way to go. The gray
Supreme" towels and the blue "Miracle" towels are both awesome. Make sure you also pick up some microfiber detergent like the Pinnacle stuff. Wash your microfiber separate, and do not use fabric softener.

Anyone use this: http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...?T1=MEG+SEA+16

I too have a black boat and I keep it clean, wiped down after each use with Babes, and Polish and Wax it 4 times a year. But I was thinking about Mirror Glaze Pro Polymer Sealant the next time to see how well it holds up under this Atlanta Georgia sun.

My neighbor has this polisher: http://www.autogeek.net/cyclo-polishers.html and he swears by it! Anyone use this on there boat?

Anyone use this: http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...?T1=MEG+SEA+16

I too have a black boat and I keep it clean, wiped down after each use with Babes, and Polish and Wax it 4 times a year. But I was thinking about Mirror Glaze Pro Polymer Sealant the next time to see how well it holds up under this Atlanta Georgia sun.

My neighbor has this polisher: http://www.autogeek.net/cyclo-polishers.html and he swears by it! Anyone use this on there boat?

Babes Boat Brite and microfiber keeps my balck gel looking great.

A.J. West (you_da_man) Join Date: Sep 2009 Yesterday, 7:16 PM Reply Quick Reply
Are you guys mostly using the Cobra microfiber towels (kinda of pricey but you can see the quality) or are most using Walmart and/or auto parts store microfiber bundle packs. I see several places online to buy 50pk 14x14 or 16x16. Even found a place selling Meguiar's Supreme microfiber towel 16x24 for 36pk for $69.95.

Where can I get the 36 pack?

David........I'm using the Porter Cable 7424 polisher. Pro detailers use it too. It's all you need.

Sam,

http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/x2010.html