How to Wet Sand, Compound, & Polish your Boat (1-Hour Class!)

[@mikeyvelez9314]

Great video! A lot of valuable information. Thank you for taking the time to do this

[@topdockpro]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@zeebassick]

Thanks, helped a lot to understand the processes.

[@topdockpro]

Awesome!

[@alexalves3329]

what an awesome educational video,im up in Massachusetts New England are its cold here but i can’t wait for spring time to do my boat like a pro,God bless you and your work and i really appreciate you sharing this knowledge buddy,,great stuff

[@topdockpro]

Thanks means a lot! 🙌

[@kdub7641]

Amazing coaching Simon!! Great video.

[@topdockpro]

Thanks! Be sure to check out part 2 next week!

[@SupeRheyOfficial]

Boss want to ask something, should we apply a clear coat after we do a gelcoat paint so that it will make really gloss and shine? Please really need to know 🙏 thank you. New friend here❤

[@topdockpro]

Not my line of expertise unfortunately. I can answer anything related to detailing

[@johnbrill1183]

Awesome video!

[@topdockpro]

Glad you enjoyed! ✌️

[@7andresyto7]

thank you for this amazing video

[@topdockpro]

Thank you 🙏

[@Barry11997]

What about using the purple foam/wool pad by lake country for polishing

[@topdockpro]

Yes, you could do that!

[@Barry11997]

Awesome thank you. Great video

[@aidanmurray11]

Great video, how different is the process with a painted boat instead of gelcoat?

[@topdockpro]

It’s different for sure

[@aidanmurray11]

@@topdockpro any chance you could do a video on the differences?

[@topdockpro]

@@aidanmurray11 Checkout the chris craft series where I corrected paint. No wet sanding or buffing is involved with paints

[@aidanmurray11]

@@topdockpro thanks👍🏽

[@itdafuzz]

Very well thought out video! Do you ever use yellow wool pads when using Elevate? If I have this correct, the process is Sanding, Level R on white wool, Elevate on Grey/Orange foam so far. Great video! 👍

[@topdockpro]

Yes, there are times I will run the yellow wool with Elevate. However you would still want to follow up with a foam pad to get the best finish. That process works great with colors. So far you’ve got the process in the video nailed down 👍

[@itdafuzz]

@@topdockpro Thank you, I appreciate the reply!

[@romanrykun6967]

I will be working on the boat, over all it is in good condition with light oxidation in one spot, I am thinking to sand the spot with 3000, Elevate on wool yellow pad and Ignition on Rupes yellow wool polishing pad, what do you think about it. Also what sealant you prefer, Jescar Ultra Lock or Starke Hyper hold? By the way thank you for discount at Starke website.

[@topdockpro]

3000 is nothing. It’s better to use 1000-2000 for gelcoat. Yeah I think that’s a good process. You’re picking hairs between Jescar and Starke. Mind as well use Starke and get the discount.

[@derekbardon]

Great video Simon! Can you wet sand and compound over vinyl decals/lettering?

[@topdockpro]

Yes but only with Mirka Abralon. Don’t spend much time on them

[@NaiDiGuy]

what about vinyl stripes and decals in regards to sanding/compounding/polishing

[@topdockpro]

You’re good with abralon sanding, buffing, and polishing. Nothing to worry about

[@doug2202]

On the Dewalt buffer what number on the speed control do you set it at for the different speeds you mentioned? Also what 3m compound do you use since that is the easiest for me to get

[@topdockpro]

Start at 600 RPMs and work up to 1500 RPMs with 3M Heavy.

[@sinisasoric5800]

Isn’t using sanding paper alone( one for water sanding) and just change papers?( need to have some soft pad on which you put just sanding paper). Much cheaper option and in the end you get the same thing?

[@topdockpro]

It’s a similar result but a slower process. I’ve done it in the past. May need an extra round of compound to cut out the deeper hand scratches that a polisher won’t leave

[@jeffeisenzapf4131]

What gloss meter are you using and where did you get it?

[@topdockpro]

LANDTEK GM-6 GLOSSMETER GLOSS METER 60º - Amazon

[@laurazavatkay2782]

Great video! Thanks Simon. For a non-professional boat detailer, but a boat owner, what brand of gloss meter would you recommend? Where to buy? Great advice to document the gloss reading on various areas and compare it later in the season. Thanks!

[@topdockpro]

The gloss meter is linked in the description below the video! Glad you found the video helpful :)

[@kevinjamescerce]

Great video. Would love to know how long overall this project took to complete and how much the customer paid

[@topdockpro]

About 7-day project. 3.5k is about what I charged

[@Letizia4813]

I know you are using a DeWalt but I had a question on the Makita 9237C that I have. I was using a yellow Lake Country pad with Elevate the other day and after about 10 mins I went to pull the trigger on the polisher and it wouldn't start. I waited a few minutes and then it did start but the same thing happened again after a few minutes. Does that sound normal to you? Do these polishers have a thermal overload cutoff switch and do they frequently overheat?

[@topdockpro]

They frequently overheat. In 5 years never have I had a Dewalt stop working due to overheating.

[@drutt85]

How much mileage do you get out one of them p1000 Abralon discs ? They don’t come cheap but look the safest option.

[@topdockpro]

Not very much, a few sections. We just did a 47 hull and ran through almost 40 pads per grit! It’s by far the safest method and most effective

[@IMAGO0N]

nice vid, how many hours total did you put into this boat?

[@topdockpro]

I think I had right around 60 hours into the boat!

[@scubapro2689]

Would you be interested in traveling to Michigan and wetsanding/restoring my '91 Silverton 34c?

[@topdockpro]

It’d be quite the investment to travel that far haha

[@JustinRussell-y7c]

What type of platform are you standing on at 11 minutes in

[@topdockpro]

Just the dock

[@skg420.8]

Ωραίος..😎🇬🇷

[@topdockpro]

🙌🙌🙌

[@tylerdominiak3210]

Would this be same wet sand job on a fiberglass motorhome gel coat ?

[@topdockpro]

Yes it could be if it’s in really bad shape

[@tylerdominiak3210]

@@topdockpro how can you tell when to change pad when the interface will hold water and kind of shoot white gel coat out of it kind of missing leading ?

[@topdockpro]

@@tylerdominiak3210 you can do 2-3 (3x3ft) sections and then you get a new pad

[@tylerdominiak3210]

@@topdockpro where you buy your pads cheapest I see is about 32 for 20 pads you ever use abernate pad to cut fast and longer

[@topdockpro]

Be sure to tune in next week for part 2! Sunday 9am

[@ryanlynch2064]

Is it possible in some cases to only have to use polish then wax? And not use the compound?

[@topdockpro]

It can be, if you take really good care of your boat. As a detailer it’s rare I work on boats like that

[@ryanlynch2064]

@@topdockpro so most of the time it’s going to be a compound, polish, wax? What if the customer doesn’t want to pay for all 3 steps?

[@ryanlynch2064]

@@topdockpro What im asking is it possible to do a 2 step process if either the customer doesn’t wanna pay for all 3 or the boats in decent shape?

[@brock2298]

​@ryan lynch I use Meguires 1 step Marine Compound/Polisher followed by a marine wax once a year and it keeps my boat pretty shiny. Spots with heavy oxidation I sometimes have to do twice, but other than that it works pretty good for me. I guess it depends on how oxidized your gel coat is.

[@beebeebaszz8840]

Fake video!! Wet sanding is your last resort when jell coat is so oxidated that it powderise on the surface. All you need is a good wash, muriatic acid wipe, 2 - 3 passes with 7'' pad (finishing cut only on a boat with already a shine to it like this boat). After that use water and foam pad to create a perfect finish. If you're lazy just use soap to clean the polish residue whipe it dry and start waxing.

[@topdockpro]

Thank you 🙌

[@wazup3333]

What is powderise? Use a foam pad with water? No product? To remove haze and swirls? Never heard of just using water

[@Local_Boydidgood]

You do a ton of sanding of boats on the water so clearly, you care about the environment you work in... Get a boat yard and be responsible. The black you get from hitting bright work with a compound has absolutely nothing to do with "dirt on the bright work." You're the expert so I'll let you figure out how wrong you are about that. Go to an actual class before teaching one?

[@thomaswyatt731]

I'll put my 33 years up against your five years all day long and I'm 63 years old will we'll see who last the longest

[@chadwilson6550]

I guess I don’t understand your comment. You saying he’s doing it wrong?

[@MattA42]

Maybe you should challenge him to a fight after school near the playground.

[@wazup3333]

​@@MattA42lol