A GRAND COUPLE OF DAYS

PIY – Polish It Yourself – could save you thousands, says Phil Sampson, providing you don’t mind hard graft

- Phil Sampson

For me, hull-polishing has come to represent two days of annual agony. It all started when we bought our current boat, a Fairline Targa 34, which had a bloom on the blue of the hull and a flatness about the white. While I could see it was lacking in terms of shine, I had no idea what was needed to bring it all back to life.

Fortunately, I had a font of knowledge on tap. Paul, the broker who sold us our first boat, and sold it again when we bought the Targa 34, was always happy to share his extensive know-how. The boat needed a good cut and polish, he said – but it would cost a small fortune to get someone in to do it due to the time involved. Instead, he suggested we get a professional to polish the blue, while I have a go at the white.

According to Paul, ‘Sticky Mickey’ was the man we needed. An expert local polisher, Mike (as he is also known) took the job and agreed to show my son and I the polishing ropes.