Waxing below the waterline
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20456
Printed Date: November-20-2024 at 6:28am
Topic: Waxing below the waterline
Posted By: Kristof
Subject: Waxing below the waterline
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 8:54am
I read and heard somewhere in the past that one shouldn't wax his boat below the waterline... 
Myth or truth...? ------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Replies:
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 9:13am
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I think you've been visisting Amsterdam too much ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: Kristof
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 9:46am
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Eric,
I could have guessed you would give a reply like that  .
Chantal waxes the whole nine yards  , but I was talking about boats!
------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Posted By: Keeganino
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 8:10pm
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I have heard that it can cause blisters if you leave the boat in the water a lot but I am also interested what the consensus is. ------------- "working on these old boats may not be cost effective but as it shows its what it brings into your life that matters" -Roger http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=4897" rel="nofollow - 1973 Skier |
Posted By: storm34
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 8:18pm
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I heard this as well, but since moving to the lake i've started waxing the entire hull. I find that without wax, the hull will turn brown after the boat sits tied up to my ski buddies docks while we ski. If it has a good wax job it will stay white for much longer.
Haven't seen any down side other than all those little water beads when we put it up on the lift. ------------- |
Posted By: OverMyHead
Date Posted: January-25-2011 at 9:24pm
Now I can't even think about boats. ------------- For thousands of years men have felt the irresistible urge to go to sea, and many of them died. Things got better after they invented boats. 1987 Ski Nautique |
Kristof wrote:Posted By: Kristof
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 9:44am
There you go... Eric's comments can have some disturbing effects...
------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Posted By: Kristof
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 9:47am
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The problem is that I would like to know what the experts here have to say about that.
My boat sits in the water at our marina, and only gets out once a week for hull cleaning... Could it have an unwnated effect in these conditions? ------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 10:16am
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does it get build up with algae from sitting? they do offer teflon invisible bottem paints nowadays, anytime a boat sits in the water it is not good. ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: Riley
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 11:04am
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Kristof, we moor one of our boats for all of July and August. We wax as much of the bottom that we can get to. It makes cleaning easier and I think wax protects the gel on the bottom as it does on top. It's easy to tell the areas that don't get waxed as the crud is harder to remove. I've heard waxing the bottom can slow your boat down, but with these boats, I think that's splitting hairs. ------------- |
Posted By: Kristof
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 11:47am
I know two skiboats in our marina that have this kind of bottom paint... Not for me thanks, it is a mess to sand down and recoat every winter. I'll stick to pulling the boat out every weekend and spend an hour of giving the hull some TLC and make it shine again. ------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: January-26-2011 at 12:05pm
Im with Bruce on this one. I generally dont moor my boats (they stay on the lift) but they'll get some scum at the waterline after a while since they sit at the dock during the day on the weekends. When waxed, that scum line is a breeze to remove... otherwise it can be a PITA, requiring chemicals. The last time I put a good coat of wax on the bottom of the hull, the boats ran quicker than they ever had (see the results in the LG '09 thread) so Im not sure I buy the slower-when-waxed argument. ------------- |
Posted By: Kristof
Date Posted: January-27-2011 at 6:30am
I would presume the same thing, since a waxed surface is smoother than an unwaxed one... So waxing the whole boat, top to bottom it is! ------------- - Gun control means: using BOTH hands! - Money doesn't make one happy, but when it rains cats and dogs, it's still better to cry in a Porsche than on a bicycle... |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: January-27-2011 at 10:08am
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teflon, smooth invisible...your thinking of the heavy stuff you put on with a roller vcm17 ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: bbishop1974
Date Posted: January-30-2011 at 1:32pm
| Waxing the bottom definitly slows algae growth and makes for easier cleaning.I think sailboat racers wax there boats before comp. for less resistance. |
Posted By: DrCC
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 12:14am
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The "no bottom wax" argument, is usually only heard within the 100 - 200 mph club.
I sprayed the bottom of mine with 303 Aerospace Protectant and picked up 3 - 4 mph. Seemed to last quite awhile before washing off. Funny little story, my kids buddy was prepping his Jet Ski for an annual drag type race. I kept hearing that this Ski was suppose to run 85mph. So the day that I heard they were coming over to launch, to do some more "dialing-in", I simply had to drop everything, and go watch. Loaded up the Nautique and followed over to a nice smooth cove. The speed testing began. I was really looking forward to seeing an 85mph Jet Ski. Speed test revealed, too much "dialing". He could only squeeze a 54mph. So, I said "Hey, I've got some spray on crap that should get you up around 58" His reply "No thanks, that'll slow it down" So, he did a few more 54mph speed runs, till he ran it out of gas. I got the privledge of towing him back to my ramp. He "wrenched" "tweeked" and finished the "dialing-in" all the rest of the week. Race day came, so, once again I had to go watch. Keep in mind, he never did use the 303. Race day he pulled a whopping 44mph. I never did tell him that I've got some spray-on crap that should get him back up to 48. |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 9:41am
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he was a long way away, just a myth? ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: Bri892001
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 2:54pm
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The only thing bad I ever heard about waxing the bottom had to do with a section that was overlooked when it came to buffing out. A friend's father has two boats, one of them a 196. He leaves his boat in the water most of the summer but it otherwise meticulous. I guess there was one little section he didn't see and left the wax on there unbuffed. He said it really collected pond scum and it was a PITA to get off.
BTW, anyone have any tricks for cleaning/waxing the bottom when it's on a trailer. So far I've been doing my best acrobat imitation to maintain the bottom. |
Posted By: levinmark
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 4:53pm
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You guys highly reccomend that 303 spray? I have the "no wake zone" hull and would try just about anything to pick up a mph or two. Stuff seems expensive, $60 for a gallon, just want to hear some more thoughts before I order some. thanks ------------- levin |
Posted By: TRBenj
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 5:02pm
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I would buy a gallon, but use it on the interior- not the hull. I used it on my hull once as a "quick detail" and it looked aweful- very splotchy. Luckily it washed off pretty quickly once I dunked it in the water. One of the quickest ways to waste money! Its great on vinyl though.
Youre much better off with a quality wax like Collinite... but dont expect to pick up any top end. To pick up 1-2mph on a No Wake Zone hull will require a pretty big change... a prop if your current one isnt optimal- otherwise more like 30hp. ------------- |
Posted By: levinmark
Date Posted: January-31-2011 at 6:41pm
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thanks TRB, gotta new 1442 ready to go when the weather breaks, right now however, i'm resting at home watching a blizzard take place getting ready to go plow! major bummer, sick of the white stuff! ------------- levin |
Posted By: eric lavine
Date Posted: February-01-2011 at 9:57am
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bri, drop the tongue, block the transom corners and raise the tongue....do the opposite for the front ------------- "the things you own will start to own you" |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: February-01-2011 at 10:30pm
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10-4 Eric - Block the boat up & pull the trailer. Better yet find someone to hoist the boat using the liting rings. Then brush on some acid. Cleans the brown stuff off quickly. Just don't get the acid on you. I attached a brush to a 3 foot pole to be safe. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: levinmark
Date Posted: February-01-2011 at 11:20pm
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you guys have any pictures of the correct way to block up under the front of the hull that you could post? I want to try to block mine up to clean/polish/wax. thanks ------------- levin |
Posted By: SNobsessed
Date Posted: February-02-2011 at 8:53pm
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Levin - I used a floor jack in conjunction with the trailer tongue jack.
Here is the procedure: Lower the trailer tongue & put some supports (I used concrete blocks with plywood & carpet) under the 2 stern corners. Raise the tongue. Support under the bow. lower tongue 1/2 way. Now you can pull the trailer out a little bit. Keep inching it out by moving the supports around. I had to use the floor jack, with some blocking & carpet, to work around all of the crossmembers. I dropped the prop guard too. Just go slow & always have redundant support before you climb under the boat. I am thinking of rigging a beam across the front of my garage so I can lift from above - would be much less work. Good luck & be safe PS mask off the brass underwater gear otherwise the acid will streak it. ------------- “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” Ben Franklin |
Posted By: mdvalant
Date Posted: February-03-2011 at 5:24pm
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Before pulling our boats out of the water after a long day of pulling ski practice we grab the sponge we keep in the boat and sponge the whole hull while in the water. Then drive the mile to the ramp, pull it out and wiping off is so much easier after a sponge job in the water.
We also keep them waxed. I believe it helps get that scum off easier... The sponge thing is legit though, works really well for us. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5009 - '90 Ski (sold) http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=5479 - '00 Sport Mississippi River - Bellevue, IA |
Posted By: levinmark
Date Posted: February-04-2011 at 12:16am
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Thanks fellas, I'll give it a try when it warms up a little. ------------- levin |
Posted By: jayc
Date Posted: February-07-2011 at 3:53pm
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Waxing below the waterline defo helps in keeping the hull clean. My boats get moored for around 8 months. I used to pull them out every few weeks to clean but it's major hassle.
One time I pulled it out, clean it up and just waxed a strip below the platform. After a couple of weeks you could clearly see the waxed strip where the rest was brown and stained. I got lazy though and last year bottom painted the hull. Damn it was nice to have a boat with a white hull rather than the others on the lake that had grown a brown beard! I just used a regular automotive wax. ------------- 1982 Nautique 2001 - 351W Dual Fuel 1982 Ski Tique - 351W Dual fuel 1996 Maxum 210ss -350 EFI Dual Fuel |
Posted By: Ultimanta
Date Posted: February-07-2011 at 4:31pm
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Before launching, I wax my boat bottom with Aurora Bottom Wax. http://www.auroramarine.com. The boat is launched and left in the water from Memorial Day until Labor Day. I have never had a problem with blistering. It does take a bit of elbow grease to remove the haze, but with the help of a buffer, it goes pretty quick. Normally I get my kids do this waxing task; that is their cost of admission. My boat, my insurance, my gas... etc.
At seasons end, there is some scum buildup, but nothing serious. Scum comes off quite easily with Aurora's hull cleaner. 1999 Air ------------- Marty |