SURE STEP®

The white residue (haze if applied properly, very thin) are the ingredients used as a carrier for the active ingredients. When the Sure Step dries, the active ingredients are deposited into and onto the gelcoat and the carrier remains as the white haze that you see. It needs to be wiped away or buffed off prior to applying the 2nd coat and after the 2nd coat to bring out the beautiful shine that has been hiding on your deck.

From your description, I believe that you will have two problems. First if water gets into the residue before the active ingredients are allowed to bond to the gelcoat, it will prevent this from happening and since this has occurred and left for two weeks, it will be difficult to remove by wiping or buffing. The second problem is that you will probably have dirt and pollution on the deck that needs to be stripped off before reapplying the Sure Step.

A good analogy would be rain on wet paint and then leaving it for two weeks. Painting over will only make the mess worse, resulting in a poor finish and possibly adhesion problems. You need to strip it and start over.

In your case, you shouldn’t need to rewash with Boat Clean Plus unless there is a lot of airborne pollution where you keep your boat (near an airport or in an industrialized area). Just scrub the deck well with Boat Scrub and reapply the Sure Step, being sure to wipe away or buff the haze off after each coat. I suggest working in a small area at a time, 3 or 4 sq. ft. It’s easier to remove the haze if it is not allowed to dry too much and if you put on thin rather than thick coats. I like to use a jeweler’s buffing wheel on the end of an 18 volt drill instead of rubbing with towels and brushes. It’s a fast and easy way to remove the haze and it also brings out the shine better.

It’s a judgment call. The cleaner you get the surface before you reapply the Sure Step, the brighter it will appear, the better it will bond and the longer it will last., however a lot of sailors just wash the deck well with Boat Clean Plus and reapply the Sure Step. They seem to be happy with the results.

If the decks are clean and there are no scuff marks or stains you can get away with this because the previous coats of Sure Step will have sealed the pores in the gelcoat. Sealing the pores is very important as that prevents bacteria, dirt and stains from lodging in these microscopic crevices. Open and contaminated pores in polyester gelcoat has been proven to induce the generation of free radicals which, in combination with UV, accelerates the degradation of the gelcoat polymers. The reason for using Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub is to deep clean the pores as well as to deoxidize, clean and brighten the surface.

On my boat, I always use both products once each year. When the deck is wet with Boat Clean Plus and water, I add some Boat Scrub, scrub it quickly again and rinse it clean. It doesn’t add much time and I always get perfect results. My decks are bright white and I like to keep them that way. If you take shortcuts with cleaning then over time the white takes on a gray or yellow tinge, which I don’t care for. Perhaps I’m just too fussy.

1. Each jar of Sure Step will cover about 200 sq. ft. and you need 2 coats. It can not be used over wax or Poly Glow but can be used on all deck surfaces, including the seating area. It is not greasy or slippery like wax and will not transfer onto your cloths or yellow the gelcoat like carnauba wax.

2. The second coat of Sure Step can be applied more than 24 hours after the first but not before. The reason is that you need a minimum of 24 hours for the first coat to cure so that the second coat will layer on top for added protection instead of simply removing the first coat and replacing it with the second. The danger of leaving it too long between coats is that it may get dirty and require re-cleaning before applying the second coat. Be sure to clean and prep the surface with Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub before applying Sure Step. This is important because these two cleaners will deep clean the pores in the gelcoat, removing dirt, grime, bacteria, suntan oil etc., and the second cleaner will remove any traces of oxidized gelcoat, scuff marks and stains. Remember that Sure Step will seal the gelcoat so if you don’t get it pristine, you will seal the dirt, grime and stains, etc., into the finish.

3. Poly Glow is a water based acrylic polymer and it will be degraded by petrochemical solvents or exhaust and unburned jet fuel that may rain down on your boat from the passing planes. You may also have difficulties with Carnauba wax in your location. In addition to yellowing your gelcoat when the sun gets at it, it remains greasy or oily which holds dirt, dust and pollutants, such as aircraft exhaust, against the gelcoat which can cause streaking and discoloration, usually an overall grey color. It will also transfer to clothing. Many boat manufacturers now recommend against using Carnauba wax on their boats for these reasons. I suggest using a synthetic polish like Premium Boat Shine. It does not contain Carnauba and gives you a diamond hard, anti-static finish that is far more resistant to the pollutants in your area. It also gives you better protection against UV from the sun and will not transfer onto clothing.

The second coat can be applied more than 24 hours after the first but not before. The reason is that you need a minimum of 24 hours for the first coat to cure so that the second coat will layer on top for added protection instead of simply removing the first coat and replacing it with the second. The danger of leaving it too long between coats is that it may get dirty and require re-cleaning before applying the second coat. Be sure to clean and prep the surface with Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub before applying Sure Step. This is important because these two cleaners will deep clean the pores in the gelcoat, removing dirt, grime, bacteria, suntan oil etc., and the second cleaner will remove any traces of oxidized gelcoat, scuff marks and stains. Remember that Sure Step will seal the gelcoat so if you don’t get it pristine, you will seal the dirt, grime and stains, etc., into the finish.

Each jar of Sure Step will cover about 200 sq. ft. and you need 2 coats. It can not be used over wax or Poly Glow but can be used on all deck surfaces, including the seating area. It is not greasy or slippery like wax and will not transfer onto your cloths or yellow the gelcoat like carnauba wax.

I recommend that you deep clean the surface of your boat at least once a year, prior to the application of a protective polish for optimum results, otherwise you wind up sealing in any accumulated dirt, pollutants, oxidized material, etc.

Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub are so effective when used together that they will even remove microscopic bacteria, mould, grime, salt and other pollutants from the pores. Both are free rinsing so that they will not leave any residue to interfere with the bonding of Sure Step to your deck.

Sure Step will seal the pores in your gelcoat, so it’s important to get your deck pristine, because it won’t look any better than that in the future. The two cleaners have different properties and when used together will deep clean the surface and remove any pollutants and chalky, oxidized gelcoat that can inhibit adhesion.

Contaminants left in the pores, even if protected with a coating, can continue to eat away at the gelcoat, encouraging free radical degradation. Did you ever wonder why your gelcoat continues to get dull and chalky, even though you washed it with boat soap and waxed it? Your results will only be as good as the products that you use and the effort that you put into it.

Boat Clean Plus is a free rinsing, water based, cleaner, degreaser that is highly effective at removing oily or greasy pollutants, even traces of suntan oils and airborne fall out. Boat Scrub is also free rinsing and is a deoxidizer that is effective at removing oxidized gelcoat and scuff marks. It also contains Hypexine, a leaching agent, which is effective at penetrating deep into the gelcoat to remove deep set stains and brighten your gelcoat.