Petroleum Jelly

BBlalock · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 12:03 pm Post subject: Petroleum Jelly

I Oct. 2020 I posted reading to put that on the jell coat of a boat to make it look like new. It did look great for about 30 days. By mid Nov. it was looking as it did before the applying. So I can not recommend doing this.
Just my $.02 Confused

thataway · Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 1:06 pm Post subject:

Petroleum products, Flood, Vaseline , etc will always look good then they attract dust and will actually be difficult to remove. Some like silicone sprays will be very difficult to remove if you ever want to paint the boat with Awlgrip or other 2 part LP paints.

Either Wax, Ceramic Coat, various silicones, Star Brite Boat Guard with PTEF, 303 for plastics and vinyl Rejex, or some use materials like Poly Glow or ZEP floor polish which is similar...I have been experimenting for the last year with about 5 of those products. Too soon to give a conclusion. For the most part I have been using Colinite Fleet wax after good cleaning. There are a number of cleaners. Colinite makes one which I have been using also.

Some have spray on "hydro coat". Like McKees 37 SiO2 spray on after washing and cleaning, wash off with water.... Not doing as well as the Colonite Wax...

BBlalock · Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:57 pm Post subject:

Bob,
Thanks for this. I might give it a try when it warms up.
Benton

BBlalock · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 4:24 pm Post subject:

I'm now contemplating trying to get the green trim on Finale back to almost new. Is there a way for me to determine if I took too much of the painted trim color off? The pads I used were very green after use. It almost seems to me that if the petroleum jelly made it look very good for 30 days then maybe I didn't kill the green trim.
Benton

localboy · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 5:24 pm Post subject:

Dark colors fade. It's why boats are mostly white. Wink

Our black cabin brow takes the brunt of the sun and it shows.

You could try buffing it out with a power buffer, pad and compound followed by a good wax/polish to protect it again. You are removing material when you buff, as you realized by looking at the pad;it turns the color of the gelcoat. Depending on how bad it is, buffing might work. Or you may have to go more aggressive and cut it with wet paper then buff. Using 1000, 2000 etc grit sandpaper with water on gelcoat is not for the faint of heart, however.
It's very easy to make the issue worse if you're not careful.

There are lots of Youtube videos on boat detailing. I plan on buffing/polishing our entire boat this spring. I'm looking forward to it....not.