Wet Sanding?..... I need it. :S

[wiatowski]

For the small detail work I used a small flexible sanding block/pad and just my fingers in some cases.

I was thinking of the groove that goes around the boat... did you sand it just in a straight line?

Thanks for the in put... Have about another month before I put it in the water. Have to put new boards on the dock, and wet sand the boat, change the oils, give her a tune up, and put on the tower when it comes.
Think I'll remove the decals... but I have an Idea for putting different ones on. I won't say what it is unless I don't do it, but I post some pics either way.
They just peel off I assume? Suggestions for easier removal welcome.

Keep the suggestions coming.... So everyones has done this by hand? Was thinking of trying an orbital sander on the Transom below the water line.. keeping the hull nice and wet while I sand.... any thoughts?

[a_deleon]

Sanders are great and will speed things up but make sure to keep it on flat surfaces and lightly hand sand any edges or dont worry about the edges. I have sanded throught so much clear and paint when I first started. I just get close to the edge with the sanding block and buff to the edge. As for the grooves, if you go to TCPglobal you will need to look up the sanding blocks. There are some foam ones that have different shapes, I need to get a set myself since it will help you reach those odd contures in the boat and still keep a nice even sanding on it. As for sanding in a straight line you can go that way or in circles. If in a straight line make sure you sand in two different directions, I always just switch hands and it will give you two directions naturally.

If you can get to an auto paint store, ask them for an eraser and the stem to go with it. Use that on your drill and that will help take away the vynal graphics on the boat really quick, just don't push down to hard on it. Let the eraser work on it's own and apply a little pressure. You will get the feel for it and start taking off graphics really quick. I did one of my jet ski's last summer and it knocked out the 13yo vynal really fast compared to when I started by hand.

[wiatowski]

great tips thanks

[DAFF]

When it comes to polishing time is key. You are right about the wax build up, I think in the past someone waxed the boat to death and the sun baked in the wax. When I started last spring the whole boat looked like below the water line. For the best results use foam pads. Ones which have different cutting abilities. Some are for polishing and others for cutting. Any NAPA or Cross Canada will have them in stock. Also use the 3m polishes a sanding block and California water blade to squegee the fallout off the gel coat.

Still miss the ol boat too

[Century63]

I probably sinned real bad by removing the wave decals at the back of the boat. They were shot. At any rate Supra had the name and Nike swoosh, I believe, on their 2008 boats. I saw them on here with the pics that were posted at Lake Havasu Spring Break 2011. Supra wanted my first born for them. Showed Signs A Rama what I needed and they did a great job of duplicating and putting them on. Have signage on back and both sides for $176. They are guaranteed and stood up well last year.

[a_deleon]

Hey I went to academy sports and picked up a 3m marine rubbing compound. With a little wet sanding with 1000 grit and the rubbing compound it brought up a lot of the shine back out on my boat. I had some pretty bad oxidation and maybe a few more times as time goes by I will really have it cleaned up. After one afternoon it had a good turn around on the color, it is a pretty good heavy cutting compound. I am going to try out the wax and polish later on when I get a bottle of each. Just a heads up for you and anyone else looking at some stuff to grab for cleaning up your boat. After sanding and buffing yesterday, I would probaly go with 800 first then another pass with the 1000 to do less buffing and see if the shine would come out a little better. The sides were not oxidized at all so a little cutting with 1000 and the rubbing compound made it shine really nice.

[wiatowski]

Took it off the trailer on Saturday...will start working on it today... Should I start a facelift thread?
IMG_1089.jpgIMG_1091.JPGIMG_1092.JPG

[Salty87]

cool, let's see some during pics. how long did it take?

do you have red bottom paint? i don't think i've ever seen an old school supra with red gel down there.

my tip for shine...'finesse it' polish before wax....who am i kidding, i'm usually too beat to wax by that time.

[wiatowski]

cool, let's see some during pics. how long did it take?

do you have red bottom paint? i don't think i've ever seen an old school supra with red gel down there.

my tip for shine...'finesse it' polish before wax....who am i kidding, i'm usually too beat to wax by that time.

Ya will take some during pics.... to get it off the trailer? about 5 mins.
I am having a really difficult time with whatever wax is on this boat... It's like hardened gelcoat any suggestions as to what I can use to take the wax off?

[Salty87]

there are some products, poliglow and vertglas come to mind, where you have to strip the product to get rid of it. acetone might work but you should so some searching and reading. kinda like buff magic maybe....i've never tried any of these, just read about them.