Wax for topside

Thoughts on topsides deck wax that lasts?

Collinite

Ted

Thank you, I will call tomorrow and find out how to purchase, looks promising

Plus 1 for Collinite Fleetwax (paste). It lasts a long time, and if applied properly (see Mainesail's article on it) it is easy to use. Apply and remove by hand not with a "polisher" otherwise you just remove most of the wax that was supposed to provide the protection.
Tom

Fleetwax without a doubt. Worth the extra work.

I've used Collinite paste as well as other Collinite products and they are good.
Note the paste is difficult to remove and NOT USABLE IN SUN.
I've switched to polymers for cars, boat and motorhome and pleased w all I have tried. I don't see a lot of difference between polymer brands.
The key to any good wax/polish job is prep and I use & like Collinite cleaner or a mild compound /swirl remover and DA polisher w foam pads(depending on level of oxidation) to prep followed by wax or polymer.

Bacchus said:

I've used Collinite paste as well as other Collinite products and they are good.
Note the paste is difficult to remove and NOT USABLE IN SUN.
I've switched to polymers for cars, boat and motorhome and pleased w all I have tried. I don't see a lot of difference between polymer brands.
The key to any good wax/polish job is prep and I use & like Collinite cleaner or a mild compound /swirl remover and DA polisher w foam pads(depending on level of oxidation) to prep followed by wax or polymer.

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I have had excellent results with Nu Finish. $8 a bottle? 25 year old gelcoat. Water beaded and Shined beautifully at end of season. As stated above used 3m cleaner wax and then followed up with Nu Finish.

+1 for NuFinish
I've done a head to head comparison... half the car w NF half another higher end polymer.
Results for shine, water bead, durability the same initially and after 6 mos+

Another vote for polymers. My personal direct experience is with Rejex, but their are other brands popular with boaters I know. I'm a big fan of Collinite products for other uses, particularly their Metalwax cleaner/protector and their Fiberglass Boat Cleaner, but for hull sides and decks, polymers all the way. Also useful for protecting cleaned aluminum and stainless.

Bacchus said:

I've used Collinite paste as well as other Collinite products and they are good.
Note the paste is difficult to remove and NOT USABLE IN SUN.
I've switched to polymers for cars, boat and motorhome and pleased w all I have tried. I don't see a lot of difference between polymer brands.
The key to any good wax/polish job is prep and I use & like Collinite cleaner or a mild compound /swirl remover and DA polisher w foam pads(depending on level of oxidation) to prep followed by wax or polymer.

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Bacchus,
Collinite paste wax is not difficult to use if done correctly. First, small areas at a time. Second, use a spray bottle of water to mist the area, then apply the wax using a damp to wet applicator sponge (by hand). Wait until the area is about 50% dry and remove the wax by hand using a microfibre cloth. It comes off like a liquid wax - easy. Don't let it dry though or it will be hard to remove. Depending on the temperature outside, you can do smaller or larger (maybe 5 feet by 5 feet) areas at a time. Try to avoid direct sun if you can.


You are 100% correct. Prewax prep is critical. Cut polish (if needed), and polish (remove swirls) first using a machine with the correct pad, then wax (by hand) to protect the "cleaning" and shining you just did. As far as I know, there are no shortcuts to a long lasting, good looking result.

Firehoser75
Thanks for the spray tip for paste wax. I never would have though of that.
I did work w a buddy one yr. One put on the other removed. 2 machines and no set time between. Apply thin and polish it out immediately seemed to work ok.

My ex boss, who was also a friend, was using shurhold on his sailboat and I must admit it looked staggering. No personal experience though.

https://shurhold.com

L

O C Diver said:

Collinite

Ted

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2nd

What's wrong w washing the decks?
Wax seems a bit out of place on a deck to me.

Nomad Willy said:

What's wrong w washing the decks?
Wax seems a bit out of place on a deck to me.

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Yes, washing works for the bit I walk on but there is a lot of surface, cabin sides for example that doesn’t last when I wash, I don’t want the nonskid to be slippery, just tired of a wash lasting a couple of weeks.

River Cruiser said:

2nd

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3rd

Top side wax

I totally agree with the guys who say Nu Finish or Rejex, they both work great and are WAY better than ANY wax.

I have used Nu Finish for years, quit waxing, jeez, I cant even remember when.

I am definitely NOT a wax-on, wax-off fan. That's too much like work. I have been using Permanon https://www.permanonfinishes.com/ for several years. You can look at the site for application instructions, but it boils down to giving the surface a good cleaning with a high ph cleanser, letting dry, spraying Permanon from a spray bottle after mixing with water, and then simply washing down with water. It can be reapplied over itself without the severe initial cleaning. I do it once or twice a year.

By far the best I’ve used is WICKED® CUSTOM 500 PASTE WAX. Easy to apply by hand. Has good cleaning capability and leaves a great resilient shine

We painted our deck with Kiwigrip. It is quite aggressive non skid and can get dirty and be difficult to claen if not waxed. We use Woody Wax on the decks. Simple and easy to apply and not slippery when wet.

I'm interested in this also.....following

captDJ said:

Yes, washing works for the bit I walk on but there is a lot of surface, cabin sides for example that doesn’t last when I wash, I don’t want the nonskid to be slippery, just tired of a wash lasting a couple of weeks.

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It seems like the question and responses are mixing decks and other topside surfaces.
MOST Waxes & polymers appropriate for non walking surfaces IMO but not for walking.
I have used woody wax on some deck / non skid surfaces and find it useful to keep those cleaner... easier to just wash down. If used properly it doesn't make decks a lot more slippery but it does a little. Be careful until it dries as it is slippery when applied.
I don't find it very durable but it's easy to apply after washing so not a big chore.

Can someone explain the process for Nufinish?
Is it just a wipe on/ wipe off process?

Tunajoe said:

Can someone explain the process for Nufinish?
Is it just a wipe on/ wipe off process?

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Wipe on wipe off just like wax. Use a damp cloth or sponge to apply. No direct sun.

Yes Woody Wax is slippery as snot until it dries but then I have not noticed any slipping on my Kiwigrip. I can wax the bow and side decks in about 15 minutes so it is simple to apply periodically. I just start at the stern on one side deck and work my way around to the bow and then the stern on the other side. You don’t want to walk on it before it dries. It really does make it easier to clean up the very aggressive Kiwigrip.