blue hulls

[special k]

am currently seeking an albin for my next boat. one is a low hour 2003 28te. the flag blue hull is substantially faded according to a recent survey.

my question is, can i expect to restore the luster with buffing and waxing? how much maintenance required to maintain the dark hulls.

if needed what would a new awlgrip finish cost?

i love caring for my boats but i prefer time at sea over wax-on wax-off.

suggestions and personal experiences appreciated.

cheers!.....cap'n mick

[jcollins]

The infamous dark hulls. Mine is black. I know what you are going through. There are several threads around about that. Awlgrip in our area is about 200 per foot. That is the best choice.
Short of that, a 6 or 7 year old boat shouldn't need painting. Compounding will bring it back to life. But, the more you do it, the more often you have to reapply.
We are wet sanding my 95 this year. It will look brand new. But, I've been told I'll have to wax every 3 or 4 months. Being the generally lazy person I am, I contracted a local outfit that will wax the boat, in the water, in July. I'll wax it myself in October.

[Jack28]

My hull is green I bought the boat May last year and it was all chalked out they buffed and waxed it and it looked great. Fast foward to fall and it looked just like it did in May. Buff and wax or paint? I am going with paint. I will let you know how much it cost me. I have striped the bottom with a chisel next is barrier coat after I fix a shoddy repair job on the skeg. Epoxy, fiberglass, resin sand paper bottom paint ect....$700.00 so far. I have taken the rub rail off so that I can paint up to the hull to deck shoebox joint. Next is to wetsand with 400 to give the primer something to stick to. After a number of hours of wetsanding and squeeging it will be up to the painter to do his magic. Should be no wax, no buff for a number of years, with luck.
Too each there own,
JACK

[Veebyes2]

Here's a pic of my workboat just after an Awlgrip paintjob in spring of 04.



5 years later it looks like it was done last week. I know awlgrip is expensive but spend the $$. In the long term you won't regret it.

[Russell]

I agree. After several years of buffing and waxing only to see my blue hull fade withing 2 months I had it awlgripped and it looked like new until I sold it several years later. No waxing - just wash and it shined like new.

[RicM]

I did a deep compound on my 03 blue hull last season and did 3 coats of Rejex (easy on & off) and it lasted well into September. I plan to apply Rejex during the season this year and that should keep it spiffy. It looked a little chalky at the end of the season but a close look revealed just scum from runoff at the spring cleat. Unless you have money to burn, hire a kid into car detailing, buy him the right pads and heavy cut then Finesse-it compound and wipe the Rejex on yourself. A LOT cheaper than Awlgrip. When the color is gone (after about 10 of the procedures above) then go to plan Awlgrip.

[JackK]

Compounding will help bring back the luster to a badly oxidized blue hull. I've found that if it is just slightly oxidized - Mequiar's Medium or fine cut cleaner will bring it back without being as aggresive as compounding.

After that, all you need is a good coat of wax. I tried to cheat last year and use a polymer wax - "Zaino". It went on beautiful and in only a couple of hours for 3 coats. However, it did not last the season so I'm back to Collinite Fleet Wax again this year.

Jack

[Cape Codder]

After having lots of fading in the 2007 season( 2003 hull), I used 3M compound and 3M Finesse-it II, and then 2 coats of the new 3M ScotchGuard Boat Wax with UV inhibitors.
The compounding was no joy, but the wax went on and off beautifully. It looked great, and lasted the 2008 season.
I have been a Collinite Fleetwax user of a dozen years, and love it. But I think 3M might be a better choice for the blue hull. White parts of the topside, I used Collinite fiberglass cleaner and 885 Fleetwax with very good results.
This year will need minimal deep buffing, and I'm intending on 3 coats of the 3M wax with the UV inhibitors on the hull again. Collinite on everything else.
Collinite 885 is fabulous on cars too.
Can't wait to get started....lots to do.......

[Pitou]

After 5 years of Heavy Duty Compound, Finnesse IT II and Collinate Fleetwax on the stern and port side and only 1 year of heavy duty on the starboard the end of year result is the same even though she sure looks like new at launch.. Starboard looks good, stern is seriously faded and the port rear quarter is pretty chaulky. I'll leave it to you to guess where the sun shines. This year I'm going to follow Ric's procedure and try the Rejex. Thanks for posting Ric. I was curious how your '08 labors had survived. The plan is to pull the wrap after the 1st and pick my days as the sun begins to warm. All supplies are at the ready!

[RobS]

This was a great topic from this time last year...

http://albinowners.net/aog/viewtopic.ph ... and+finish

[NJRobert]

I have a 2007 28 Newport with a blue hull. Last season a bad barnacle season forced me to pull it out mid-season. Gave it a cleaning and Collinite paste and it continues to look great. Never again a colored hull!

[RicM]

Rob,

There is a certain cycle to these boards that tends to follow the seasons. On the fishing board I belong to the topic will soon turn to the evil pogie (menhaden) boats that suck up all our bait to make cat food. The cries of outrage and disgust will be mighty, protests will be planned, nothing will happen. Again. It's rather comforting.

[RobS]

The infamous dark hulls. Mine is black.

John,
I never realized your hull was black. Is that gelcoat black from the factory? Wow, a black softop, are you sure it's not a Mercedes.....That's a real one-of-a-kind.

[RobS]

boats that suck up all our bait to make cat food.

or to supply the local Chinese Take-Outs

[JackK]

Shhhhh - You give vay secwet wecipe