Boat Care -Spray Wax?

[Horton]

Do you guys use a wax as you dry/ spray wax product? Got a favorite brand?

 

We have semi-hard water in Bako so water spots and deposits are a bummer.

 

Not only have I never had my own place to ski before but I have never had my own boat before (and a baby on the way). We are going to keep that Centurion sparkling!

 

Any one use the Babes Boat Care stuff?

[RichardDoane]

Babe's stuff works well, but we use the less expensive "wax as you dry", 6 at a time in the big bottles from amazon

[jipster43]

I use the Babe's spot remover mixed with water after every ski. The boat looks like new at the end of the season. Most folks around here use a vinegar and water mixture with similar and cheaper results albeit not as nice smelling.

[Horton]

@richarddoane what brand?

[Onside135]

I've never used the Babe's products, but I've had good results with Eagle 1 Wax as U Dry for the exterior. I put some on after hosing down or washing the boat and just towel it off.

 

For interior, I just ordered some 303 Vinyl Protectant. I've heard good things about it, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

 

I think guys with hard water and water spot issues use a vinegar mix for their wipe downs. I'd still put the Eagle one on after that if it were me. Your boat looks awesome..Congrats!

[RichardDoane]

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-One-754567-Wax-As-U-Dry-oz/dp/B0051PK4S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1399349328&sr=1-1&keywords=wax+as+you+dry

 

last time we ordered I found the larger sized bottles and ordered a 6 pack

[socalskier]

Hot sauce! Expensive but works great, smells good too!

[Horton]

@bananaron great - another mouth to feed

[Horton]

@richarddoane thanks Zap! I just ordered 4 bottles.

[Ghibli]

Eagle One Wax As-U-Dry is usually cheaper at Wal-Mart for the 23oz bottle, under $5. Used to get it closer to $4. Amazon is getting sneaky with their pricing. They seem to be pricing products based on the username. I've seen different prices before and after log-in and significant price increases on products that I've bought in the past. When I search prices from other providers, the cost increase is not evident market wide. Ground flax seed is a good recent example. If I would have bought using the amazon past purchase link, I would have paid 40% more than I did a few months ago and 50% higher than a competitor I found after noticing the price increase. Can you imagine the uproar if Wal-Mart decided to charge each costumer different prices in their stores. I guess Amazon is finally feeling the pressure to monetize. Beware. Obviously, the dollar savings is not the issue and I imagine not having to trek through Wal-mart is well worth the extra money to some. The larger pattern is the concern.

[skier2788]

Been using babes boat bright this year. Sad to say it isn't doing a good job with our hard water. Going to try the babes spot remover next. Then eagle one if that doesn't work. Hoping to find a solution.

[LZywicki1]

I've been happy with Performance Boat Candy for a spray wax. RejeX is also good, ( Firefighter use this on there trucks), I put a coat of there sealer on in the beginning the year, a now they have a spray detailer and cleaner out.

[ctsmith]

I've spent a bunch of money on Babes, Hot Sauce, etc. Then based on some advice I tried 25% Eagle One Spray Wax As-U-Dry (cheap), 25% white vinegar, and 50% distilled water. Nothing has worked better than this concoction and you can mix it in bulk at a very low cost.

 

The 2004 SN got one hand wax per year Meguiars Flagship (a breeze to apply) and the Eagle One mix after each use. The gelcoat still looks better than a new boat. Proof is in the pudding.

[Chad_Scott]

Horton. We have very hard water spots at our lake. I used to have to buff the boat every three weeks to remove the spots. I have been using babes for the past three years and have not used a buffer since. Babes is awesome about sending products for goodie bags for our tournaments as well. They have just stepped up as a sponsor for the Malibu Open. Hands down the best product out there for the boats. Order a bucket of babes and give it a shot

[ToddL]

http://products.hulaboatcare.com/

 

http://products.hulaboatcare.com/?page_id=1398

[ToddL]

While distilled water and white vinegar works very well and is very inexpensive, it will also strip any wax/polish/protectant off of your gel coat.

[ctsmith]

Todd, I've heard that said before, but one look at my 2004 SN removes any doubt as to its overall effectiveness.

[Horton]

My plan was to use vinegar only when there is build up. Spray wax after every use.

[Chuck_Dickey]

@Horton‌

Babe's Boat Bright is the best I've found. If I leave the boat in the water several days, I use Babe's Spot Solver then follow up with Boat Bright.

[wtrskior]

I've always been a fan of starbright marine products, but by far the best wax/polish I've used is the Marine PTEF Polish.

 

http://www.starbrite.com/item/premium-marine-polish-with-ptef?category_id=561

[Wish]

Eagle One wash and dry but must dilute 50/50 water spray. And MUCH better to use microfiber cloth to wipe down. Beach towels and the like just soak up what you've sprayed. Its to heavy straight outa the bottle and much is wasted wiping it off and a microfiiber cloth smears it around. But 50/50 is perfect. I make life easy and got a Mr. Clean hardwood floor microfiber mop. 4' handle with microfiber pad (6"x14" ish) on the end, articulating head to follow contours, and never stoop to whipe down my boat below rub rail. Pad is small and bendy enough to fallow all the contours of the boat. I do above rub rail before I pull it into slip. Have a bottle and microfiber cloth in the boat for that. 97 SN professionally $$$$ detailed gel coat 6 yrs ago. Looks like I did it yesturday. I may skip a day of whiping down but it is rare cause the floor mop just makes it to damn easy and fast.

 

Tutle Wax-Dry and Wax is also very good. It is much thinner so do not need to dilute. Great thing about it is it sprays a very fine wide mist. Water starts beading up the second it hits the boat. I've kept the empty bottles to use with the gallon refill jug of Eagle One I was given as a gift.

[Joeprunc]

Everyone has their own opinion on this junk, so I'll pitch in mine.

 

I usually hand wax twice a year, boat sits on a hoist exposed to the sun year round. After each time out I use a spray and wipe down. Babes worked pretty good. Hot Sauce worked better, but because it has vinegar it stripped my wax way earlier than normal last year, I have a half a gallon if you want it. I switched to Performance Boat Candy spray this year and am very happy with it. I don't see myself switching to anything else ever again. In my book the spray is expensive, but it keeps me from having to wax constantly to keep my boat looking nice.

There is also Hula Boat Care which has had great reviews as well.

 

The problem I found with most "spray waxes" is the boat needs to be dry, or near dry to get all the wax off, the towel also needs to be dry. So you have to dry, then spray, then rub off. A good spray wipe you just need to spray then wipe. A good spray should help protect your wax so you don't have to constantly apply wax.

[disland]

you all could just move to florida those guys dont have to do anything but ski it seems

[Wish]

@Joeprunc‌ your last sentence describes both wax and dry Eagle One (diluted) and Turtle Wax perfectly. Lift the boat, spray the wet boat, wipe..DONE. You may be thinking of just a spray wax...not the same. I've used most if not all of what's been mentioned in the higher dollar, specific to boats, products. Total waste of money in my opinion. Identical results with Eagle and Turtle but you have to get the right bottle for both. You don't want a spray wax. The one you need is a spray you hit the car/boat with while it's totally wet and then dry with towel (prefer microfiber) and your done. I had a black boat for 12yrs. I've tried everything.

[BlueSki]

Historically I used Meguiars religiously with great results but switched to babes last year, it is easier to work with. One more vote for babes for wipe down. I still use Mequiars for the full once-per-year wax job.

[Porkfight]

+1 for the homemade elixirs...

 

Last season I used an eyeballed 1/3 Eagle One spray wax, 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 distilled water immediately after pulling my boat out of the water. It works wonders after 3-4 days of 100+ degree abuse on 35 year old gel coat in the Colo. River system. Microfibers are the way to go.

 

It might be coincidence, but we get waived right through quagga inspections when the boat is glossy and free of water spots.

[TustinTom]

+1 for Hot Sauce, but you guys have me changing my mind. It is expensive.

 

@Porkfight‌ I thought the inspection thing was a joke, until I got waived by too (clean boat) and my buddy behind me got pulled over. They checked to make sure his back boat straps on the trailer were secure and wanted to see his Anchor. Crazy ???

[Porkfight]

@TustinTom, crazy indeed. A guy I work with had a muscle on his boat, allegedly, so they pressure washed the whole thing and wanted to impound it. Apparently they can only do one or the other, though, and they'd already p-washed it.

 

Sorry, OT. A thorough cleaning is worth the effort!

[Jody_Seal]

Meguiar's® Marine Quik Clean

[ForrestGump]

Boat Bright Hot Sauce.

[501Brandon]

I use the Eagle One Wax as You Dry... There are days when I pull home (30miles) without toweling it off and still have no issues getting it clean with soap and water before putting it to sleep. (I know shame on me for not toweling it off)

[ski4xtc]

I second @richarddoane with the Eagle One spray wax. I first heard about the spray wax technique from Scott Larson. It was the absolute best tip ever. We dilute it 50/50 with soft water and it works great. We have extremely hard water so we use a wax sponge that is netted on one side to do the first wiping off of the wax. The second person goes by with a towel. We have it down where we can completely wipe down the boat in maybe five minutes. I know a lot of people are anti Walmart but you can buy Eagle 1 at Walmart.... at least in Utah. The last time I bought it which was a few months ago, it was in the $4 to $5 range per bottle.

[eleeski]

You guys are a bunch of boat wipers.

[Chuck_Dickey]

Eagle one makes a marine version for gelcoat, better than the automotive version. Still prefer Babe's though. Marine Wax As-U-Dry https://www.eagleone.com/boat-wax-as-u-dry

[thager]

@eleeski You rub me the wrong way. I hate being the boat of a joke. I could wax on forever but I use NuFinish once a year car polish. Just wipe the boat down with a towel.

[The_MS]

Plus 1 on Nufinish.

[GroovyGrant]

+1 on diluted Eagle 1 sprayed on the wet boat. Did it all of last year after reading about it here. May never need a full scrub/wax again. I do put some vinegar in my mixture to get off the hard water that seems to dry on the transom and around the letters while I'm out. The mix leaves just enough wax for a fresh wax look and feel but not enough to get streaky or need buffing. I keep mixture in a garden sprayer at the dock--takes about 10 seconds to completely rinse the boat and then a few minutes to wipe down.

[34mph]

Just tried this mixture and seems great I have very hard water. I used the Turtle wax spray stuff . so far so good looks great when i use it . Thanks for pointer

[bojans]

Klasse AIO followed by Klasse Sealant Glaze. Maintain with Sonus Acrilic Glanz. The water will not sit on the boat with this combo.