When a boat starts to lose its shine, many people think of one solution: a wax! However, if you wax a boat without cleaning the hull, all you’ll be doing is trapping in dirt and grime under a layer of was. To revive the sparkle you’re aiming for, we recommend doing a two-step correction that includes the proper cleaning steps before waxing.

Benefits of a Wash and Wax

Giving the boat a proper wash before waxing will get all the dirt and grime up before placing a layer of wax on top. Without the wash, everything that makes your boat lose its shine in the first place will still be there, essentially getting sealed onto your boat. Not only will this lead to a less than satisfying outcome, but trapping salt, sand, and whatever else under a layer of sealant -- in this case, wax – can damage and scratch your boat over a long period of time.

Products Needed for a Two-Step Correction

To properly show your boat the love it needs when doing a two-step correction, you’ll need the following products: 

• Rupes Big Foot Random Orbital Polisher
• Lake Country HDO Pad
• Lake Country CCS Pad
• Starke Yacht Care Venom Water Spot Remover
• Starke Yacht Care Elevate Medium Cut Compound 
• Starke Yacht Care Hyper Hold Polymer Boat Sealant
• Standard 18'' x 18'' microfiber
• Starke Yacht Care Hyper Hold Polymer Boat Sealant

Below we’ll dive into when to use each product.

How to Decontaminate a Hull

Using Venom and a microfiber cloth or mitt, you can get all the sand, salt, and water spots off your boat before moving further in the process. This step is incredibly simple; apply the Venom Spot Remover to your microfiber cloth and start wiping down the entire boat. The Venom will go pretty far, so you should be able to do nearly an entire side of the hull without needing more product. Once applied, let it sit for 3-5 minutes before rinsing it off completely. Let it dry before applying a finishing compound; you may need to use a cloth to dry some areas.

An important note when using Venom: it does have acid in it so it’s not meant for boats with any sort of mirrored glass because it will strip the tint off. This is listed on the product’s label as well.

How to Apply a Finishing Compound

Once the hull is decontaminated and dry, you’ll need the orbital polisher, a Lake Country HDO pad, and Elevate medium cut compound to complete the next step. Elevate is a finishing compound so it does a great job at getting out any small scratches while also providing some extra life to the surface of the hull. 

Put a healthy amount of Elevate on the pad and let the machine do its job. You want to let it rotate naturally without an angled pressure applied, or you won’t get the intended results. Keep the polisher at around a 3 while you’re applying the finishing compound, finish the step in sections, and wipe each completed section down once you’re done.

How to Apply a Sealant

Next, pair the CCS pad with Hyper Hold sealant by filling the dots on the pad with the sealant. Run the machine at a steady pace across the entire hull. The sealant will be distributed evenly due to the holes on the pad.

How to Remove Sealant

When the sealant has been applied, you’ll need to remove the excess afterward. You can do this part by hand using a microfiber cloth, but you can also attach a cloth to the polisher and the job will get done a bit faster.

Conclusion

If you’re a boat owner a shop agrees to wax your boat without washing it, they’re doing you a disservice. If the boat isn’t clean before the wax is applied, dirt and grime will get trapped under the sealant, making it very difficult to get the shine you’re looking for. With the easy two-step correction, you’ll get your boat looking good as new!

Watch the step-by-step process in the video below!