Waxing your boats???

[HTVboats]

I have never had a problem with waxing fiberglass gel coat finishes. The mild abraisives in a cleaner wax will polish your finish a clean grease and imbedded dirt. Yes silicone can be tough for painting and repairs. All repairs should be sanded and cleaned with solvents. I have built and repaired glass and epoxy boats for 30 years and on my radio boxes I wax to clean them after using white gas or alcohol to get adhesive residue off. In my opinion the tape sticks better to a clean waxed surface. Tri it? wax comes off easily if you don't like it.
The old debate "polished or 320 grit finish" will go on forever. Props and running surfaces. If you want a hull thats slick just coat it with RainX. Don't plan on painting it again.
Mic

[Mike Caruso]

Nice Mic!

[T.S.Davis]

I scuff all my bottoms.

Some boats I wax. Depends on how complex the taping is. Indentations and curves make it tough for the tape to cling but if its a flat straight foward easy tape I'll wax.

[electric]

I know about scuffing the bottoms and the theory behind it, but has anyone done any kind of measurments to prove what it in fact produces in terms of tangible speed increases? Just curious.

[silver]

Hi

it’s all about speed, I was for years sailing ONE METER IOM boats and there you always grind the bottom with sand paper 600 or 1000 so you’re wet surface in nice mat.
This gives you a water film on your boat what is better. Water on water is sliding better than wax on water.

[electric]

Hi

it’s all about speed, I was for years sailing ONE METER IOM boats and there you always grind the bottom with sand paper 600 or 1000 so you’re wet surface in nice mat.
This gives you a water film on your boat what is better. Water on water is sliding better than wax on water.

Yes, I agree, just want to see some data that shows the results more than the theory.

[HTVboats]

The water on water theory seems to come up like when your car goes unpolished and sun faded the water seems to stick to it when it rains. Now polish your car and put RainX on the windshield. Even hitting the brakes the beaded water drops slide forward. I like shinny polish, as I know when it gets dirty or contaminated. I would rather repolish than sand it down over and over.
I have a friend who swears a 320 grit cross hatch pattern gave him a world record. The problem I have with a scuffed surface is just how much do you scuff it. 1000grit-600grit-320grit quite a difference. There is some eveidence from nature that a shingle like sharkskin or fishscale surface is the least drag hydronamically. All use the principle of airiating water to some extent like a hydro step. Speed surface area and weight have to factor in too. I think it comes down to whatever lets you sleep at night works for you best.
Mic

[rpedro]

Who would of thought this would be so complicated... yeeeashhh...