Poli-Glow

[angus99]

I’ve read the Practical Sailor reviews and they seem positive. Just looking for current real-world experience and whether those of you using it would recommend. Pluses and minuses appreciated.

 

[helm]

We used it on our S2 7.9 sailboat, with faded oxidized brown gel coat. Worked kind of ok for a while, but then you end up with splotchy areas from the polyglow, which is really just an acrylic floor polish. Its a bear to remove it once you have it on, but you can with an acrylic floor polish remover, or polyglow sells a remover. If you are looking for a short term temporary solution its probably OK, but you would regret it for the long run.
Eric

 

[smitty477]

Looked good on well prepped gelcoat that was not shining.
3 coats at the beginning and then one each year.
Lasted 3 seasons before it started fading, flaking and yellowing in spots.
Huge project to completely strip it so we could polish and wax afterwards.

Never again for us - that was a long time ago.

 

[Northern Spy]

My comments from 11 years ago to SENTOA (Nordic Tugs owners site)

3 Sep 2007
ARGGGHHH!!!

The previous owner put on Newglass, Poliglow or some equivalent on the hull
and failed to maintain it. It looks horrible. I've spent the long weekend
using ammonia, oxalic acid, TSP and rubbing compound looking for the right
stuff. Anyone know of anything that can remove acrylic coating? If anyone
else has done this they know the frustration.

I would highly recommend not using any of these acrylic products, in fact
I'd recommend deducting a few thousand off of a purchase price if it is
present on a boat you are considering purchasing.

6 Sep 2007

Actually I found the solution...I think.

Graffitti Remover by Goof Off. I got it at Canadian Tire as well. A Scotchbrite pad and Goof Off cleans 90 percent of the acrylic off. Then I hit it with some 1000 grit dipped in an ammonia solution. Wet sand with 2000 grit and water. Wipe down with Interlux wax remover. 3M compound with a buffer. 3M Finnesse it with a buffer and WOW. The blue gelcoat looks new and I don't even have the wax on yet. I plan on using 3M Ultra paste wax, unless any one has a reservations about that.

For the record, I tried: Ammonia, EZ Off, Orange cleaner, acetone, MEK, Oxacylic Acid, various paint removers, a few different floor wax removers, and rubbing compounds. And yes, I even found some Poliglow remover stuff that someone had on a shelf. None worked as well as the grafitti remover.

Good thing Nordic Tugs have a thick, good quality gelcoat. But I'll have to wait and see how long the shine lasts. Right now, I would have no reservations recommending wet sanding as a last resort before painting.

Thanks to all who made suggestions.

That's how I still feel...

 

[porman]

I had the same experience as smitty and NS on a previous boat. Looked good for a while, then flaking and yellowing. It did come off with floor wax remover from Home Depot, but it was a lot of work to remove it. Wouldn't recommend it again.

 

[angus99]

Wow! 0 for 4. Not to be rude, but did y’all do the annual re-coat? Trying to figure out how this stuff earned so many positives on Practical Sailor.

Thanks.

 

[porman]

I did the re-coat twice. That's when the build up started to flake. Also, it was hard to apply it to vertical surfaces without it running. I read lots of good reviews on RV sites before trying it. It did look good for two years, but then became too much work to be worthwhile, in my opinion.

 

[Tom.B]

It is only good if you commit to it forever. Let it go just one season too long and it looks like your boat has a skin disease and you’ll start back at square one. We had it on our boat when we bought it and I will never, ever, ever recommend anyone use it on big boats. It took a lot of elbow grease with heavy duty floor stripper to remove. For a center-console trailer boat? Maybe. That makes it easy to get to and a much smaller area. Do yourself a favor and take it off your list and pay someone to buff and wax if you aren’t up for doing it yourself. The results are way better.

 

[helm]

We did the yearly recoat, seemed to work for a while but in the end it was a hot mess, tons of work to remove.

 

[smitty477]

Wow! 0 for 4. Not to be rude, but did y’all do the annual re-coat? Trying to figure out how this stuff earned so many positives on Practical Sailor.

Thanks.

"but did y’all do the annual re-coat?"

Yup - did the recoat for two years as mentioned above and posted below. We really tried to make this stuff work and it did not stand up after the 3rd season.

Looked good on well prepped gelcoat that was not shining.
3 coats at the beginning and then one each year.
Lasted 3 seasons before it started fading, flaking and yellowing in spots.
Huge project to completely strip it so we could polish and wax afterwards.

Never again for us - that was a long time ago.

 

[Besslb]

To add, when it runs or drips on the stainless, it takes even longer to get off. There are areas on our stainless that I still haven’t gotten off.

Don’t do it. You won’t be happy.

 

[angus99]

Well, the nays have it! Poli-Glow is out. Thanks.

Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake, are easier to apply and last longer?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. 99. "Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake..." YES!!! Just wash your boat once and a while and enjoy how she looks. When you're ready to sell, hire a detailing crew to wax it.

 

[angus99]

Greetings,
Mr. 99. "Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake..." YES!!! Just wash your boat once and a while and enjoy how she looks. When you're ready to sell, hire a detailing crew to wax it.

Thanks anyway, RT, but we’ve seen how she looks with bright, shiny gelcoat and we’re hooked.

So, let me rephrase: Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake, are easier to apply and last longer . . . while providing that new-boat glow?

 

[Maerin]

Another recovering NewGlass applier. Some time ago, but I cringe every time someone brings it up. I saw a guy applying it, he wouldn't believe anything I had to say, he was so impressed with the shine he was getting. EZPZ to apply, shines great, looks like crap after a year and a half with no alternative but removal. If you've applied it over gelcoat that was dull, it's nearly impossible to remove.



Awful stuff.

 

[BruceK]

Thanks anyway, RT, but we’ve seen how she looks with bright, shiny gelcoat and we’re hooked.

So, let me rephrase: Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake, are easier to apply and last longer . . . while providing that new-boat glow?

Other than a new boat? I think this is a "snake oil doesn`t work"story. Here we tend to antifoul every year or 18 months,with the boat hauled you can power buff the hull using the polish/cleaner/wax product of choice. Some brave souls, owners and detailers, do it with the boat in the water. Not for me, there`d be a series of electric buffers going for a swim,and or electrocution.

 

[Comodave]

Thanks anyway, RT, but we’ve seen how she looks with bright, shiny gelcoat and we’re hooked.

So, let me rephrase: Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake, are easier to apply and last longer . . . while providing that new-boat glow?

Paint. We painted our whole boat last year, looks great.

 

[Cigatoo]

I have used New Finish for years. Goes on easy and lasts the season up here in New England. Still beads up in the spring. It’s a Teflon type “wax” but pretty easy. Great compromise.

 

[smitty477]

Thanks anyway, RT, but we’ve seen how she looks with bright, shiny gelcoat and we’re hooked.

So, let me rephrase: Are there any alternatives to wax that don’t yellow or flake, are easier to apply and last longer . . . while providing that new-boat glow?

We found that sealants lasted longer than waxes and did not black streak so for many years we used a good sealant like "Gel Coat labs" on the gel coat. Sealants are like wax but contain synthetics that are easier to apply, resist UV better and last longer but not more than a year. We always waxes before that but one year we tried the sealant on one large corner of the stern and noted how different it was.
About 12 years back we had the hull painted (Awlgrip) on our last oat from the rub rail down - it was in great shape when we sold after about 10 seasons. Never needed compounds, waxes, machines or much of anything over those years. Washed when we felt like it with awlsoap during use, washed once a year to remove any salt deposits , and a quick 'seal' every 3-4 seasons with another awgrip product awlseal - very easy to apply and remove. Very resistant to stains, never discolored, always was shiny.

 

[smitty477]

I have used New Finish for years. Goes on easy and lasts the season up here in New England. Still beads up in the spring. It’s a Teflon type “wax” but pretty easy. Great compromise.

we tried that one year on Long Island and it was pretty good. If you like the New Finish perhaps try one of the new sealants out there like "Gel Coat labs" on one section of your boat this year as a comparison - pretty sure you'll end up preferring it.

 

[angus99]

we tried that one year on Long Island and it was pretty good. If you like the New Finish perhaps try one of the new sealants out there like "Gel Coat labs" on one section of your boat this year as a comparison - pretty sure you'll end up preferring it.

Thanks, Smith, I’ll Look into this.

I’m also seeing mostly positive things about Rejex (but we all know how positive review turned out with Poli-Glow ). What’s the consensus on these other non-wax, non-paint alternatives?

 

[Bacchus]

My feeling / experience is that any/most of the polymer finishes are superior to wax... they go on and off easier.
The shine is a function of the surface prep so compound, or swirl removers with appropriate pads to get the surface shine and then protect w a polymer.
I have used NuFinsh for years and it does very well for protection, durability and it can be applied in the sun which is a problem for most waxes.
Gel coat labs polymer is a little more expensive but on/off even easier than NuFinish. Collinite cleaner does a great job following yrs once the surface is in good shape. It is a very mild compound and cleaner that leaves a great surface to apply polymers (or wax if that's your pleasure)
Above all for gel coat... if paint best to follow paint mfg recommendations and they do vary based on which mfg & chemistry for the paint. Awlgrip / Awlcraft recommends their own polymer and it works similar to others mentioned above and not terribly expensive so why not if you have their paint.

 

[angus99]

My feeling / experience is that any/most of the polymer finishes are superior to wax... they go on and off easier.
The shine is a function of the surface prep so compound, or swirl removers with appropriate pads to get the surface shine and then protect w a polymer.
I have used NuFinsh for years and it does very well for protection, durability and it can be applied in the sun which is a problem for most waxes.
Gel coat labs polymer is a little more expensive but on/off even easier than NuFinish. Collinite cleaner does a great job following yrs once the surface is in good shape. It is a very mild compound and cleaner that leaves a great surface to apply polymers (or wax if that's your pleasure)
Above all for gel coat... if paint best to follow paint mfg recommendations and they do vary based on which mfg & chemistry for the paint. Awlgrip / Awlcraft recommends their own polymer and it works similar to others mentioned above and not terribly expensive so why not if you have their paint.

Appreciate it, Don. There’s so many ways to do this, it’s nice to know what works well for others.