Do you wax the non-skid suface?

[RookieHunter]

I just washed and waxed my boat this weekend. By the way, I believe most "for-boat" items such as cleaners and waxes are overrated. Are they a necessity versus an auto item such as turtle wax. Anyway, me and my wife debated as to whether the non-skid surface should be waxed. It looks great but may be more slippery when wet.

By the way, there is one specialty item that worked incredibly well. 3M marine non-skid cleaner. Worked like a charm. Turned it whiter than clorox.

Thanks,

[Jeff_H]

A couple quick points here:

NEVER WAX N0N-SKID- It converts ''non-skid'' to ''skid''. On most non-skid patterns it is very hard to get the wax out of the non-skid pattern resulting in an uneven chalky looking deck color and the residue wax keeps working its way to the surface making it slippery even after you have tried to remove the wax. That said there are special non-skid sealers that are intended to prolong the life of the FG without becoming slippery but I have never tried them.

There are supposed to be differences between automotive and marine waxes. Gelcoat is relatively soft, pourous and thick compared to automotive finishes. Marine waxes are supposedly formulated to seal this pourousness without turning yellow. Marine waxes supossedly also have a lot more UV protection, and resistance to prolonged exposure to water. I have used automotive waxes but they seem to yellow and not last nearly as long as the marine products. When you think of how small the price difference really is, and the amount of labor involved in waxing a boat, using the automotive product seems silly.

Jeff

[SailorMitch]

There''s a non-skid wax on the market called Sure-Step (or something like that)that has received good reviews from users. I think it''s available at the usual marine stores. I haven''t used it yet but may give it a try this spring.

As for wax/polish for the rest of the boat, just about anything that says it''s suitable for fiberglass will give good results. I use a polish called Nu-Finish that gives a real good finish and lasts very well. It''s in an orange bottle and costs about $4.49 at Wal-Mart. It''s easy on and off, too, and is labeled for use on fiberglass, clear coat car finish, etc. If there''s light oxidation I use one of the 3-M cleaner/wax combo products on those areas.

[hamiam]

I used Sure-Step on my non-skid last season and am pleased with it. Helps to keep the non-skid clean and is not at all slippery. I would agree that some products made for boats are pure snake oil. In lieu of wax on the smooth parts of my hull I use Poliglow. It takes more time than wax but I believe it results in a longer lasting finish.

[sprega]

I don''t use it for non-skid, but am a huge fan of Johnson Acrylic Floor Wax. Cheap, looks good, last all season and wears like iron.

[jheard]

I wax my nonskid and use a dry deck brush to remove the excess dried wax instead of a rag.

[JWag]

I would not wax non-skid under any cirumstances unless you don''t leave the dock (even then probably still not a good idea). Just use one of the non-skid cleaners when you wash the boat (Star-Brite and West Marine make then in both regular and biodegradable formulas). They have protectants in them that help shed the dirt between washings.