Proper Machine Buffing With Compound
It is recommended that you use a variable rotary buffer/polisher. Four ply buffing pads from Buff and Shine or 3M Company are the easiest to use in corner and angled surfaces. You may also use foam pads if you find those preferable and easier to use for yourself. After the boat has been thoroughly washed, properly tape off with a very high quality masking tape, the striping, the rub strip that runs along the hull of the boat, and any areas you feel may get hit by the polisher and make a blemish or mark. It actually saves time and you’ll be happy that you did it. It takes a few extra minutes but it is the proper way to buff a boat.
To begin the buffing on a cool clean surface, lay down a strip of compound and run buffer at a fairly high rate of speed between (1800 to 2500 rpm) to break the abrasives down and get a brilliant shine. As you finish the section that you are buffing, back off on the pressure as you start to see the compound disappear. You’ll get a higher gloss when you perform this properly. Imagine a grid pattern as you buff the hull, side to side, then top to bottom. This helps to ensure you don’t miss a spot. To get the product to work a little longer you can mist, distilled water only, on the product itself as you’re buffing. It will work a little bit longer and you can actually a little more gloss out of it. It will make the abrasives in it work just a touch longer. You can get some really nice results by doing this.
Be very careful when working near exposed antennas, lines, horns, and as mentioned before, especially striping. Slow the speed down when buffing on stripes and use less pressure on the buffer. Remove as much of the product as possible, then wipe residual by hand. It is also recommended that you tape off areas, tops, exposed seats, etc. that may be in the path of flying compound. You can do this using towels, old sheets. There are also different areas you may want to cover up like the dash if it’s an exposed top boat. It just saves time on cleanup later.
Optional Second Step
If you follow the buffing step with Blue Magnum Carnuba from Monsters, you will achieve a brilliant reflective shine and long lasting protection. In the buffing process an optional second step is to add Meguiar’s #45 polish by hand or orbital polisher to the area just buffed. This will help feed the pores of the gel coat and add an additional amount of gloss to the surface. With this you have to use the product as directed and do one section at a time. It does not work well as a wax to just let it sit on there, haze, and then try to remove it. It’s something that you put on and remove almost immediately. As mentioned, it is an optional step to use in this process. This also is a product that you’ll want to keep away from the anti-skid portions of the boat, usually the side railings or the top deck where the anti-skid is mostly found. It just does not work well with anti-skid
