How to Polish a Fiberglass Boat

  • 2-6 hours
  • Beginner
  • 15-50
What You'll Need
Fiberglass polish
Detergent powder
Towels
Unstained cloth
Bucket
What You'll Need
Fiberglass polish
Detergent powder
Towels
Unstained cloth
Bucket

A fiberglass boat comes with typically shiny and robust characteristics. The essential elements present in a fiberglass boat make it one of the most frequently used commodities on a vacation. Many people who live on the coastal regions buy fiberglass boats for recreational purposes. Although they are very durable products, normal use can dull the shine, even if you maintain a regular habit of cleaning it. Follow the simple steps below to polish your fiberglass boat back to its original shine.

Step 1: Clean the Fiberglass Boat

It is important to clean the boat before you apply any polishing material. Fill a quarter of a bucket with some detergent powder. Fill it up with water to create a later. As you will experience, you may have to add more detergent or keep creating the turbulence in the soapy water if the water is not very clean. Hard water is always difficult to lather.

Use a clean cloth to wash off the existing dirt on the fiberglass body. This process can take time and is the most tedious part. However, you must remove all dirt so that it does not get caught under the polish later. Besides, it is essential to remain patient over the project, as air drying and other procedures can take time, especially in humid weather.

Step 2: Drying the Boat

Before you polish, first see to it that the boat is completely dry. After air drying it for an hour, use clean towels to take off the residual water. Before applying the fiberglass polish, you will need to ensure that the boat remains in the right position and that your hands are dry as well.

Step 3: Applying the Polish

Examine the unstained cloth to see that there is not any dry dust on it. The cloth can be a small size t-shirt or any other alternative with similar handling advantages. A cloth too big threatens the possibility of dangling swipes over wet polish. The new polish will give a glassy look to the boat and can make it look brand new. Keep going in circular motions of 1-foot diameters until you achieve the desired results.

Step 4: Applying Wax Over the Polish

Applying wax on the polished surface of the fiberglass boat helps you retain the polish for a longer time. However, you may also not choose to apply wax as large amounts will be required, and they can make the whole project expensive. Moreover, waxing is a temporary protection.

Remember to take the fiberglass boat out of water while performing the polishing. The vicinity to water vapor can effectively reduce the shine that you intend to bring on with the fiberglass polish. It can be advisable to keep the polishing project restricted to a few parts initially if you do not manage to pull it out of water in its entirety.