“Which Buffer Pad Do I Use on My Boat?”

Oct 17, 2024

Whether you're on a sportfish or center console boat, when it comes to detailing there are two ways to go. Do it yourself or hire someone. If you do it yourself there is a lot to learn and keep up on as trends of products and techniques as well as technology in products is always changing. Whether you are detailer, owner, or crew we are here to help with the process and hopefully can answer some questions for you and steer you in the right direction to get the job done.

One of the biggest questions we get asked is "Which buffer pad do I use on my sportfish or center console boat?" With a little research online (or a lot) you can get some info and a hell of a lot of opinions. And everyone wants a shortcut but sometimes there just isn't one if you want a perfect finish. Sportfish Outfitters sells a lot of Starke Yacht Care products so we will use their suggestion of which pads work best with their product line based on their advice. It can be applied across many different product lines that we sell but let's stick with Starke to keep this explanation simple. It's an excellent choice!

A simple explanation of what types of buffers there are might help. This is a whole different topic and you can spend a lot or a little bit of money. We won't get into all the details of machine brand options in this article but we will use the two different types of shurhold machines to explain the difference.

Dual action (DA) polisher: A dual action polisher has a spinning head that oscillates in a circular motion, meaning it spins and moves in a circular pattern at the same time. It's safer to use than a rotary polisher, as it is less likely to burn through paint although less effective for compounding surfaces that are in bad shape. There are both short throw and long throw machines. Long throw machines are considered to be faster and more effective generally. If you have other battery tools and like the mobility the Milwaukee 15mm long throw is a good choice. We sell the Shurhold Pro Polisher at the shop which is a corded long throw machine. For a cheaper option and tighter spaces you can choose a short throw machine Like the standard Shurhold polisher

Rotary polishers most people are familiar with and may already have. They are the most effective for removing heavy oxidation with compound. If you are not experienced though, you can do some damage or leave swirl marks and imperfections that must be polished out. We sell the Shurhold Pro Rotary at the shop and is a good choice.

Now, Let's get into the pad and product options. We will keep this as simple as possible in format as to not make the process more complicated than it already is.

Example Process and Products used

*Alt means alternate option or choice

Compounding Surfaces

Level R Heavy Cut > Rotary 1200-2000 > White Wool Pad
Elevate Medium Cut > Rotary 1800-2200 > Yellow Wool Pad
Alt Elevate Medium Cut > Rotary 1800-2200 > Purple Lake Country (good for edge work)
Alt Elevate Medium Cut > Rotary > Rupez White Wool Pad

Polish

Alt Elevate Medium Cut > Random Orbital > Blue Foam Lake Country (More Cut if you still need it) Good on white or light color gelcoat
Alt Elevate Medium Cut > Random Orbital > Orange Foam SDO Lake Country (Less Cut More Polish)

If you are using ceramic coating like Thor move on to Triple P. If instead you are sticking with polymer sealant, skip next step or go straight to Hyper Hold Pro sealant application or use "Ignition" instead of Triple P for final polish if you want to add in an extra step for that super shine.

Refining & Fine Finishing Polish

Triple P > Random Orbital > Rupez thin yellow wool hybrid pad
Triple P > Random Orbital > Lake Country All Black CCS Pad or other black foam pad - Shurhold, Buff N Shine

Ignition (Dark Colors) > Random Orbital > Rupez yellow wool hybrid pad
Ignition (Dark Colors) > Random Orbital > Lake Country All Black CCS Pad or other black foam pad such as Shurhold, Buff N Shine

Applying Sealant

Hyper Hold Pro > Lake Country Red Foam (very soft)

Hyper Hold Pro > Buff n Shine All Black microfiber pad

Basic takeaways, tips and tricks:

1. Wool pads are used with rotary machines typically. Once you move into foam and microfiber with foam backing pad, a random orbital machine works best and leaves less swirl marks. Forced rotation is the best option.

2. Double sided wool pads are good because both sides can be used and the edges tend to work better in tight spaces. If you have a velcro interface pad and don't have a quick change adapter a single sided will work also and is easy to switch from white to yellow wool on a rotary.

3. If you are unsure about which foam pad to use... Generally you can squeeze it a decide. Stiffer foam better for compounding and softer foam better for final polishing and light correction.

4. Anything microfiber is a more modern option. The increased surface area of the fibers allows for the face of the pad to carry out more work on the paint surface, so ultimately they can offer higher levels of cut than a foam but still be more forgiving than wool. You can also microfiber "thin" pad for a final sealant application. It soaks up less material for quicker application and less waste. The second choice is soft red pad.

5. Quick recap start to finish if you want the basics:

Compound: White wool and/or yellow wool
Polish: Purple hybrid, Blue or Orange Foam Pad depending on surface condition
Refining: Black foam or thin yellow microfiber with foam back
Application: Red or thin microfiber hybrid pad

*Shurhold suggestions for dual action polisher speed

6-SPEED SETTINGS:	RECOMMENDED SPEEDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
1 : 2500 OPM	Waxing & Buffing
2 : 3200 OPM	Waxing & Buffing
3 : 3900 OPM	Polishing & Cleaning
4 : 4600 OPM	Polishing & Cleaning
5 : 5500 OPM	Removing paint defects and Swirls
6 : 6500 OPM	Removing paint defects and Swirls

Lake Country makes the most advanced line of buffing pads. Check out their "Pad Aggression Chart" that explains their line of polishing pads for more detailed information about the range of pads to use if you want to learn more.

Here are a few screen shots from the Presta Products and Lake Country Catalog that may also be helpful.