Wax bootom of hull or no wax.

[Old Ironmaker]

A recent thread was resurrected after 17 years and closed by rule. I read through it and found it very interesting. It beats staring out the window at a frozen lake. A member asked if waxing his hull would get more speed waxed than not waxed. I read the thread and it was interesting, from a scientific explanation to real world experience. Personally I never wax the bottom. I did once and it wasn't easy on the trailer and when I pulled the boat as I was going to a different body of water here in Ontario as well it is law that we do rince after use due to the transfer of invasive species. The sides of the boat beaded water, the bottom did not. I don't think it takes long for the bottom wax to wash away. As far as a bottom surface scuffed a bit will get more speed than a smooth waxed hull, maybe. But that wax as I said isn't staying on the surface for very long. It's the smooth golf ball vs. dimpled, a dimpled ball goes further by far. Skiers wax their ski's, sailboat racers wax the bottoms. But they wax them after every ski run in competition or boat race because the wax won't stay on for long.

The old thread.

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/gene...lp-performance

 

[JimS123]

The "experts" say to linear sand from bow to stern. Those that don't know any better say wax. Wax wearing off quickly sounds logical.

I have a measured course (26 miles) in my boating area and I often use it to do my annual performance curve just to see how the engine is performing. Thus, I can generate hard data.

One Summer many years ago (on a day I had nothing better to do.....LOL) I did an experiment. That was after reading a magazine article about bottom waxing.

The boat was a few years old and had never been waxed. I did the trial course and measured time and average speed and fuel consumption. Then I pulled the boat out of the water and climbed underneath and waxed the bottom while still in the launch ramp parking lot. I used Simonize as I recall (because Dad said that was the best).

Then I put her back in the water and redid the course. It was a calm warm day, with few boats on the water. The conditions were as identical as could be.

The speed was faster and the fuel usage was less. That's my story!

After that I waxed the bottom yearly. I never repeated the test. My next boat had a tandem trailer and I couldn't fit in between the axles to wax it, so I never waxed a bottom after that.

 

[82rude]

No need to wax old,the lake is slippery enough right now.

 

[DouglasW]

Hard (floor) wax or soft (car) wax? Seems like the hard wax might stay on longer.

 

[roffey]

When I was a kid I had a 12 foot Hydro, I would pull the boat and wax it weekly. This thing was a speed daemon, 23 MPH. I think a smooth bottom is faster (There is a joke in here some where) and I had nothing better to do, lol. My current boat I wash and wax the parts you can see several times a year. I take it to a secluded beach and wash and wax with the radio playing and a rum a coke in hand.. a perfect day. I agree waxing the bottom of the boat is likely good for about half a KM (1/4 mile, lol).

I wash carpets two or three times a year, clean the inside of my boat weekly, use synthetic oil, detail my motor every chance I get.... I say time spent with your boat is time well spent... Bahahaha What ever turns your crank shaft.....

Spring starts next week... :joyous:, just saying...

 

[Old Ironmaker]

No need to wax old,the lake is slippery enough right now.

After the warmer weather, rain and high winds the past few days there is open water just 500 yards from shore here on Erie. A few days ago the lake was frozen to the horizon. Going to +17 this week here in southern Ontario. I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit. After 30 years I am finally thinking in metric. I know 0 is freezing and 30 is hot.

 

[Bob_VT]

(17°C × 9/5) + 32 = 62.6°F

I do know there have been many products developed since that thread (and some have already gone away)....... I guess the bottom line is what are you trying to achieve. In my opinion is all the effort worth it for 1 or 2 mph ...... I know I have a ton of other things to do. Do a google search and there are many "alleged" coatings for speed and like waxing your car....... it is only a temporary solution.

 

[JimS123]

(17°C × 9/5) + 32 = 62.6°F

like waxing your car....... it is only a temporary solution.

Dad was religious about waxing his car. Every time he sold one it still looked like new. I don't know if it went any faster, but he felt that it isn't cool if your car don't shine...

My 1980 gets waxed twice a year. It now has 78 coats on her. There never was a time that it didn't bead up. Sitting next to my 2018, they both have pristine paint jobs.

Enough wax on your car CAN be a permanent solution if you just take the time...

 

[roffey]

IMHO, waxing the bottom of a boat is different than waxing your car. The wax on a car will last a couple of months and protects it from UV rays. In fact most who show their cars will use a wax remover before waxing. If you are racing your boat then I would wax it. If you just use it for family fun then wax it with your wife and kids, lol.

It won't last on the bottom.

Consider the water pressure on plane and the amount of water on the hull....

 

[gm280]

I realize this subject comes up on these forums all the time. And for the most part, the "experts" tell everybody that waxing your boat bottom will NOT make it go any faster. But I know differently from experience and therefore allow them to explain their theory while I know what my bass boat would do. Granted it doesn't last long. But it does make a difference. And since I waxed my boat sometimes once a week, it did make a difference for me.

The dimpled golf-ball scenario is a good one, but it flies through the air and therefore different mediums. And I've heard the hydro race boats don't wax theirs either, because they didn't see any reason. But I can certainly tell you, my mid sixty miles per hour bass boat did see a difference. Not 5 MPH difference, but 1 or 2 or something 3 MPH differences on a good day. But since I only did a few runs like that, I can't say how long that extra speed lasted. JMHO

 

[BRICH1260]

I would think that any bottom wax would wear off very quick.

 

[JimS123]

Wax isn't always wax. The new state-of-the-art varieties are silicone based and supposedly penetrate into the substrate.

I have heard auto body guys say they hate these waxes because repairs require a lot more sanding to get the new paint to adhere properly. I remember seeing an ad for one of them saying that it will last thru 100 car washes.

Normally I wax my cars twice a year. Last year I used a proprietary auto wax on 2 cars and so far it looks like i did them just yesterday. You can "feel" the smooth surface, just like they were just waxed.

Maybe there's hope after all...

 

[Old Ironmaker]

On newer model vehicles we are no longer waxing the paint we are waxing the clear coat. I used to wax my vehicles at least twice a year. My 2011 Silverado I bought new has never seen wax and shines like the day I drove I off the lot. I have put coats of Mothers on the chrome.

 

[JimS123]

Of course. Clear coat has been in use for many, many years. But I still wax them, if nothing else than make the surface more "slippery". Clear coat by itself may keep the car "shinier", but it still drags to the touch.

This newfangled stuff I tried last year is awesome. When I wash the car al I do is hose it off. The hose just makes all the dirt fly right off. With the gruesome winter we have had, a little squirt of water and my car looks like it was just washed by hand.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Of course. Clear coat has been in use for many, many years. But I still wax them, if nothing else than make the surface more "slippery". Clear coat by itself may keep the car "shinier", but it still drags to the touch.

This newfangled stuff I tried last year is awesome. When I wash the car al I do is hose it off. The hose just makes all the dirt fly right off. With the gruesome winter we have had, a little squirt of water and my car looks like it was just washed by hand.

Can you name the "newfangled stuff" here?

 

[gm280]

So many of these type post end with, if you like to wax your boat, go for it. If not don't.

Kind of like what is the best 2 cycle oil, or the best wood to use rebuilding your boat, or even regular oil verses synthetic oil, or even polyester verses epoxy. Everybody does things for their own beliefs and therefore there is no one answer fits all... JMHO

 

[JimS123]

Can you name the "newfangled stuff" here?

No, I can't. Because I don't know. When I got my new car last Spring right off the bat I took it to have it pinstriped. Naturally, the guy had to strip the wax where he was painting to ensure a good bond. He recommended waxing the area again after a month, and he even gave me a huge bottle to do it with. I ended up doing the entire car. Based on what's left I can probably do it 4 more times. The bottle was not marked. I should get back with him to get more info, but he has been on vacation for months now.

 

[JimS123]

So many of these type post end with, if you like to wax your boat, go for it. If not don't.

Kind of like what is the best 2 cycle oil, or the best wood to use rebuilding your boat, or even regular oil verses synthetic oil, or even polyester verses epoxy. Everybody does things for their own beliefs and therefore there is no one answer fits all... JMHO

Well, we all have opinions. Personally, mine is that in every thing you mentioned does have a "better" way. The problem is some people look for the cheap way, some look for the easy way and some just don't care.

 

[QBhoy]

I’ve always wondered about this. I wonder if the big boys at the lake of ozarks shoot outs wax the hull.

I keep thinking aboit the whole shark shark skin theory though. Lots of tiny rough and almost abrasive tooth like in its make up. Always remember that since this was known, the designers of Olympic swimming costumes copied the idea. All the swimmers wore them and started smashing records. They have since been banned.
I wonder. Suppose the gel coat will be as smooth as the wax when clean ??

 

[QBhoy]

I do know that my boat is considerably slower at the end of the season with all the growth on it. Despite having to clean it 3/4 times a year. I refuse to anti foul it.
The difference between the start of the season and a few months of fresh water growth can be as much as 6/7 mph.