I waxed my two boats after the last trip before putting them on the storage rack.
I took the boats out today and while snugging the straps I found that the boats both were very loose on the two rear carpeted Thule racks. I did not like that at all and used some alchol to remove the wax from the hull around the area that the rear racks held the hull.
The boats were tight and snug after removing the wax. Never considered that and will take care from now on.
Mark
Lite Coat of Wax
A VERY LITE coat of boat wax at the beginning of the season of the provides both UV protection and makes for getting the “slime” off an easier task. And, all 3 of my 'yaks seem to glide through the water a bit faster — or is that an illusion my GPS picks up because they are nice and shiny once more.
Never had any problem with the boats sliding out of their tiedowns.
SYOW
Never wax a boat.
Never.
Wax is for surfboards, autos and romantic dinners (as in candles).
Use 303, polyglow, Furniture polish for boat shine and UV protection.
why Dave?
as a boat designer it sounds like you may be more in the know than others. i just put a couple coats of that Starbrite gel coat polish (by recommendation from folks here) on my composite yak. i mostly want to keep the dirt off it, as local waters are muddy. i do put 303 on the rubber hatches. is there any negative effect from using the Starbright?
Thank You for all the advice
I figured out how to fix my issue and have my cake to. The front Thule mounts still hold the kayaks very secure, even following the application of wax. The front mounts are lined with rubber. The rear mounts held the boats very secure until I added the wax. Ive deceided to remove the carpet from the rear mounts and replace it with some soft rubber sheeting I found at work. I am almost positve that this will do the trick.
The carpeted rear mounts are intended to allow you to load from the rear kind of like rollers. I dont need to load from the rear as my car is very low and the boats are not heavy.
I have not used 303, but I will take a look the next time I am near a marine center.
thanks again,
Mark
Hi JBV
Wax creates a residue that cannot be removed except through wear. It has a way of staying around in scratches, gouges and seams etc. long after you apply it. On painted/finished boats that means you are putting yourself at risk of not getting the next coat of paint to stick. On manufactured boats made of Royalex, poly-link, ABS etc. it fills in the scratches and gouges and turns white, making all the little scars a boat picks up in it’s lifetime all the more apparent. Should you ever decide a scrape or gouge needs repairing then the wax will be a hindrance. Same is true for boats that are bagged or layed up in polyester or epoxy resins. It’s interesting that Eddyline suggests an auto-store wax for care of their carbonlite boats yet in the same area under repair they caution you about cleaning the area well prior to making a repair. If you do use wax, don’t do it to an area you may change your mind and want to repair…
Wax doesn’t add to speed. These are not skis pushing against molecules of ice. These are human powered small craft in water. Skill and form add to speed.
As always though, just another opinion.