Ceramic Coating on Olivers

[Hoosier]

I know ceramic coating works well for boats once the surface is prepped properly. Has anyone added a coating to their Oliver? I'm thinking about this one. http://www.modesta.co/product-bc-04-nano-titanium-glass-coating.html I have done a few cars through my local installer in this product, and he seems to think it will make a huge difference in keeping it look as delivered. I have had it on one of my cars for 3 years and it literally looks brand new, sitting outside all day, all year long, in Florida sun. Its not cheep, about $3000 for the Oliver II. It's not like money is no object but time is. 

[Frank C]

Check out this recent post on Oliver Facebook page 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/OllieOwners/permalink/1189467908124995/

[topgun2]

You might want to send a PM to Forum member - Steve&Betty - 

I believe that they had a coating applied to their Ollie about a year ago.

Bill

[ScubaRx]

I have an appointment on 22 March to have a ceramic coating applied to Hull #050 by CGI from Murfreesboro, TN. It will take a couple of days to complete and the will come to Tupelo to do it. 

[John and Debbie]

8 minutes ago, ScubaRx said:

I have an appointment on 22 March to have a ceramic coating applied to Hull #050 by CGI from Murfreesboro, TN. It will take a couple of days to complete and the will come to Tupelo to do it. 

I know that OTT recommends to use wax,  but I wonder if a ceramic coating is more durable.   Wax seems kind of 19th century somehow.   I saw an ad for a ceramic coating that is just spray on and wipe off.   It's hard to know the technical advantages of each coating.   🤔

[topgun2]

John - 

I almost "pulled the trigger" on having my Ollie ceramic coated a bit over a year ago.  But, after doing a fair amount of research on the subject I decided not to have it done.  The main reason (for me) was it appears that the only way to "refresh" and/or "redo" this coating when it starts to wear is to sand it off 😵.  That was enough to scare me off.

Bill

[SeaDawg]

When my neighbors had their 22'  boat professionally ceramic coated, they didn't "sand", per se, but it was a four day process, with very extensive prep. Lots of  hand work, and chemicals. And rubbing compound, which is sort of a very mild abrasive/sanding. Much of which was removing/stripping old wax, and renewing some chalked areas. (I think their boat was 6 years old.)

It was beautiful at the end. Almost blinding in the sun.

It was "guaranteed " for two years. Can't tell you the end result,  as they sold the house, and the boat, separately,  8 months or so later. They were already voicing some disappointment in the reduced "gloss" by the time they sold the boat, but it sat out in the Florida heat and sun, over saltwater, unprotected and unshaded, on a lift. Much different environment than our ollies.

I'll look forward to hearing Steve's review, after a few years.  It would be really nice to omit waxing, twice or three times a year, as has been our practice. We're not getting any younger... and though  the results of waxing are rewarding,  it's not easy.

[SeaDawg]

1 hour ago, John Welte said:

I saw an ad for a ceramic coating that is just spray on and wipe off.   It's hard to know the technical advantages of each coating.   

I missed that in your comment.  Sorry. You're looking at diy.

Honestly,  I  think at least 75 per cent of modern waxes and coatings, if specifically designed for marine grade fiberglass,  are fine to great.

We've always used paste wax, with uv inhibitors and a high carnuba content. So, we stay with that. Others have used polymers, and spray waxes.  Paste, spray, wipe on/wipe off. It's somewhat of a personal thing.

This has been a raging debate for decades in the marine world.

Most important, imo, is keeping up, keeping clean, and consistency of product type.

You can read practical sailor reviews til your eyes glaze over.  Or, review marine forums. Or corvette forums. Or fiberglass plane forums. (I'm a self- proclaimed coatings nerd, and I read them all the time.)

My advice is to buy and use a product with good uv resistance, and a shine level, and a personal work level, that you can live with, imo, from a reputable company, like 3m, starbrite, meguires, collinite, etc ., that will remain in business,  and allow you to buy the same product, year after year, and you'll likely be good.

 

[John and Debbie]

55 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

When my neighbors had their 22'  boat professionally ceramic coated, they didn't "sand", per se, but it was a four day process, with very extensive prep. Lots of  hand work, and chemicals. And rubbing compound, which is sort of a very mild abrasive/sanding. Much of which was removing/stripping old wax, and renewing some chalked areas. (I think their boat was 6 years old.)

It was beautiful at the end. Almost blinding in the sun.

It was "guaranteed " for two years. Can't tell you the end result,  as they sold the house, and the boat, separately,  8 months or so later. They were already voicing some disappointment in the reduced "gloss" by the time they sold the boat, but it sat out in the Florida heat and sun, over saltwater, unprotected and unshaded, on a lift. Much different environment than our ollies.

I'll look forward to hearing Steve's review, after a few years.  It would be really nice to omit waxing, twice or three times a year, as has been our practice. We're not getting any younger... and though  the results of waxing are rewarding,  it's not easy.

"We're not getting any younger... and though  the results of waxing are rewarding,  it's not easy."

 I noticed on my last driver's license that I have gotten older compared to the previous license.   Is there any way to apply the wax by some electrical device rather than by hand?   I put screws in with a driver now and not with a screw driver.   Maybe, hopefully,  there's a faster way than by hand. 

[SeaDawg]

39 minutes ago, John Welte said:

noticed on my last driver's license that I have gotten older compared to the previous license

Darn, me, too. How the heck does that happen? I wake up in the morning,  all clear-eyed and happy, then I swing my legs over the side of the bed and my knees tell me I'm not 30 anymore.🙃

This article might help you, if you decide to go with wax, and a mechanical advantage. (For the time being, still our choice, after 40 years. We'll see what the next decades hold.... )

Fwiw, Google practical sailor and best wax. There are choices beyond our labor intensive paste wax.

Discusses some orbital electric devices for waxing/polishing 

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/waxing-and-polishing-your-boat

[John and Debbie]

1 hour ago, SeaDawg said:

Darn, me, too. How the heck does that happen? I wake up in the morning,  all clear-eyed and happy, then I swing my legs over the side of the bed and my knees tell me I'm not 30 anymore.🙃

This article might help you, if you decide to go with wax, and a mechanical advantage. (For the time being, still our choice, after 40 years. We'll see what the next decades hold.... )

Fwiw, Google practical sailor and best wax. There are choices beyond our labor intensive paste wax.

Discusses some orbital electric devices for waxing/polishing 

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/waxing-and-polishing-your-boat

"Discusses some orbital electric devices for waxing/polishing"

Thanks,  your response was spot on. 

[John E Davies]

This is a great random orbital polisher and the instructions are very, well, instructional.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/content/pdf/10901.pdf

It is critical that you use a low rpm variable speed polisher, do not try to use a high rpm random orbital sander. Even though they may look the same.

John Davies

Spokane WA

[Trainman]

After two and a half years of ownership and being a retired Body Shop Mgr. I decided it was time to buff the trailer. My trailer sets outside because my wife said if I wanted a cover it would have to be the $20,000 cedar wood type and not a metal cover type.  So I decided I could buff it every couple of years and that is what I do, just did it 3 months ago and it turned out beautiful, and I do good work if I don't say. I used products for fiberglass buffing and I did post it here on the forum, it's somewhere. I prefer the buffing process as it does takeoff the oxidation of the Gel Coat and cover it up.

trainman

 

[Hoosier]

I just had my new TV ceramic coated (Star White Ford 250 Tremor 7.3) and the installer made a deal I could not refuse to coat the Oliver. I showed him the OTT website and he was immediately interested. I might get my first Ambassador stipend before I even take delivery of mine! I'll keep everyone posted. From what I have observed this is not something you should buy from Amazon and brush it on in your driveway. My installer has environmental controls like hepa filters, UV light curing and he goes though about 30 microfiber applicators. This is after he strips and de-waxes, clay bar out the impurities and then buff out swirl marks for prep. Around 20 hours of work. 

[Teaney Hull 292]

On 3/9/2022 at 8:37 PM, SeaDawg said:

Darn, me, too. How the heck does that happen? I wake up in the morning,  all clear-eyed and happy, then I swing my legs over the side of the bed and my knees tell me I'm not 30 anymore.🙃

This article might help you, if you decide to go with wax, and a mechanical advantage. (For the time being, still our choice, after 40 years. We'll see what the next decades hold.... )

Fwiw, Google practical sailor and best wax. There are choices beyond our labor intensive paste wax.

Discusses some orbital electric devices for waxing/polishing 

https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/waxing-and-polishing-your-boat

Thanks SeaDawg. Great article and full of good info on tools. 

[Joe and Janet Childers]

We decided to let CGI do the work on our camper after talking to several Oliver owners who have had their Olivers ceramic coated.  It took 4 guys who knew what they were doing 9 hours to complete the process.  Our camper had very little oxidation.  It has been covered or under a shelter at all times (2020 Hull 588).  

I had to convince Joe that his knees were not 20 years old any longer and NO some DUDE was not going to help him do it if he could find that DUDE.  After he saw the work Gavin and crew did to make her shine like new he agreed.  They also replaced the moldy white trim around the windows.

We arrived back to NC to 6 inches of snow and freezing temperatures for about a week.  When we rinsed and soaped up the camper, she looked brand new.  No hard scrubbing required.

[topgun2]

J & J - 

Looks great!

How refreshing to find four relatively young guys that are not afraid of a bit of hard work.  Yes, I know that they charge a fairly high price for that work, but, I've paid more for less.

I assume that you took some Pepsi with you?

Bill

[Mike and Carol]

CGI does great work…

[rich.dev]

I was looking at CGI and MAC (Master Applied Coating) and decided to go with MAC 

The appeal of MAC’s proprietary ceramic is their claim of it being a permanent application and made in the USA, it would have to be sanded off to remove it. I have an appointment with MAC April 2nd, time will tell I guess!😊

[John and Debbie]

1 hour ago, Mike and Carol said:

CGI does great work…

Mike, we had CGI do our 2022 a year later in November, 2023.  They did a great job and it looked better than new.  All the imperfections and swirl marks from new were gone.  Very easy to clean it now.

John

[Mike and Carol]

1 hour ago, John and Debbie said:

Mike, we had CGI do our 2022 a year later in November, 2023.  They did a great job and it looked better than new.  All the imperfections and swirl marks from new were gone.  Very easy to clean it now.

John

John, despite my efforts washing and waxing on a regular basis our old trailer was looking a little dull.  The CGI guys made it look better than the day we picked it up. Much easier to clean now.

[topgun2]

1 hour ago, rich.dev said:

The appeal of MAC’s proprietary ceramic is their claim of it being a permanent application and made in the USA, it would have to be sanded off to remove it.

This very issue is what made me delay getting a ceramic coating in the first place.  I had been told that once the first application had worn then the only way to get it renewed was to sand off the first application and start over.  I thought that this just might lead to a "problem" down the road.

In a rather casual conversation with the CGI guys a couple of years ago they advised me that the coating they used did not have to be totally removed in order to re-coat/re-fresh the finish.

Bill

[jd1923]

Problem is… Now y’all have to take extra good care of it!

Camping in our Oliver is like driving an old farm truck. Where a little scratch, a door ding, just doesn’t bother you! 🤣

[SeaDawg]

2 hours ago, topgun2 said:

This very issue is what made me delay getting a ceramic coating in the first place.  I had been told that once the first application had worn then the only way to get it renewed was to sand off the first application and start over.  I thought that this just might lead to a "problem" down the road.

In a rather casual conversation with the CGI guys a couple of years ago they advised me that the coating they used did not have to be totally removed in order to re-coat/re-fresh the finish.

Bill

That's interesting.  I'd like to know more about that.

 

[Mike and Carol]

35 minutes ago, jd1923 said:

Problem is… Now y’all have to take extra good care of it!

Camping in our Oliver is like driving an old farm truck. Where a little scratch, a door ding, just doesn’t bother you! 🤣

We go where we go, no gentle treatment here.  You should see the front of my trailer, there’s enough chips and rock gouges to qualify it as a replica of the surface of the moon.  The rest is pretty shiny. 😎

Edited February 15 by Mike and Carol