Products to clean, polish my dirty Carver Riviera?

[MikeL77]

I bought a dirty '87 Carver Riviera that needs it's fiberglass cleaned and polished. It's on the dry. A friend has suggested Slimy Grimy powder mixed in a 1 gallon spray container to wash it with. I also have a small low powered electric power washer to rinse it off.

It's my understanding I should use something to clean and prep the fiberglass gel coat after washing. What product should be used to do this, and HOW do you do it?

Then I will polish it with my electric orbital polisher. What product should I use for polish?

Thanks! I would appreciate any advise you may have.
Mike L.

[waybomb]

Just use a boat soap and wash as you would a car.

Forget about an orbital. Get your self a Makita power buffer and a few bonnets.

Watch a bunch of YouTube videos on using the machine. It's simple, just keep it moving.

If the gell is still shiny use 3m polishing compound for boats then some polymer wax. If very oxidized, start with the coarse 3m perfectit. Then on to 3m boat polish. Then get some polymer wax on it.

If the gel has bird crap stains, use scrubbing bubbles or orange clean and a brush to get it off. Works well on spider crap to.

Use plexus vinyl polish on the vinyl after you wash it with water.

For the sumbrella, use downy in cold water. Extra rinse. Then get it on the boat before it dries. It shrinks as it dries.

[mjk1040]

MPD cleans everything and its environmentally friendly. They have a facebook page. 3m Restorer Wax works great and Bass Pro has the same thing and is less expensive, then polymer if you think it needs it. Mike

[g36]

Just wash it. Then use a buffer. i 2nd the makita mentioned above. I used meguires mirror glaze 105 cut compound then 2nd step was meguires mirror glaze polish 7 on another bonnet and then last step hand wax with meguires 26 yellow wax. The more coats of wax the better lasting protection. Looks awesome.