Just starting the process of ceramic coating my boat. Thought it might be interesting to show the process on a new boat start to finish.

Starting off with a new boat helps, but even a new boat needs quite a bit of polishing to get the gelcoat looking it’s best.

I am surprised how many scuffs, scratches, mars and defects come on a new boat.

Step 1: wash and decontaminate boat of existing wax and polish residue.

I simply use dawn dish soap to strip any existing wax or polish. This is the only time I recommend using dawn as a wash on gelcoat.

They do polish boats at the factory, because there is a white polish residue in the rub rails and other fitting around the boat.

My dealer also used some form of spray wax or detailer to make it look it’s best in the showroom.

Need to get that off.

Step 2: correcting and polishing gelcoat.

Paint and gelcoat are really nothing alike. Paints are typically softer and easier to correct and gelcoat is very hard and it’s porous and more difficult to correct. You typically can’t get a gelcoat to be as perfect as paint, so set your expectations accordingly.

Compounds exist specifically for correcting gelcoats. I am not selling or promoting any of these products so do your research.

I am using an adams swirl killer random orbital (Rupes knockoff), it’s a good consumer grade polisher, if I was a pro, no question get a rupes.


I am using blue heavy cut blue rupes foam pads, followed by yellow rupes foam and microfiber fine cut pads.

My theory on the blue heavy cut pads is on hard gelcoat, they will finish better than a fine cut pad......we shall see.

The compound I am using is Gyeon marine polish step 2. Gelcoat specific diminishing abrasive starts strong and finishes soft as you use it. With the boat being new, I don’t feel the more aggressive step 1 polish will be necessary.

After you polish, you will need a product that removes all the polish residue for ceramic coatings to bond properly. Carpro eraser or Feynlab panel prep, you can also use a water/iso propyl alcohol mix, but I am not a fan of it personally.

I have polished half the boat so far, 2 hours in and I am very pleased with how this is working. The boat is still in the showroom so I can only polish a couple hours at a time.

Stay tuned......


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