| It has been our experience that nothing
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| | Carnauba even swells and closes its pores
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| so much insures the beauty and longevity
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| | tighter when exposed to water. In
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| of a fiberglass boat than the continual
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| | addition, Carnauba dramatically reduces
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| maintenance of a good coat of high
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| | gel coat oxidation by diffusing the UV
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| quality wax. In this article we will
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| | and infrared radiation from the sun which
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| explore the preparation, methods, and
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| | will oxidize and dull your boats finish.
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| best practices for the long term
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| | Interesting Carnauba Facts
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| maintenance of your boats gel coat
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| | - Pure Carnauba in its natural state is
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| through the use of wax.
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| | harder than concrete.
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| The Problem
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| | - Typical retail waxes contain 3% to 5%
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| Gel-coat, the exterior finish on
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| | Carnauba by volume.
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| fiberglass boats, is a porous mix of
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| | - Less then 5% of retail Carnauba waxes
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| polyester resins and pigments that must
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| | contain Brazilian No.1 Carnauba, the
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| be sealed from the damaging effects of
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| | finest of all waxes.
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| salt, dirt, weather, and ultra-violet
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| | - The greater the concentration of
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| (UV) radiation.
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| | Carnauba, the greater the level of
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| The primary purpose of gel-coat is to
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| | protection and the higher the quality of
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| protect the underlying core from water,
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| | shine.
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| air and sunlight, which in combination
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| | How Does It Work?
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| will quickly loosen the chemical bond
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| | - 3 things are needed in order for the
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| and render the structure useless.
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| | chemical reaction which causes oxidation
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| Neglect this gel-coat, and it becomes
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| | to occur.
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| more porous, resins oxidize and what
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| | 1. - Oxygen
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| remains is a faded, dull finish prone to
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| | 2. - Heat
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| absorbing water into the laminate and
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| | 3. - UV Radiation
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| destroying it.
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| | Eliminate one or more of these and you
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| In addition to the above functional
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| | slow the process.
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| definition we also need to say a few
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| | - A protective layer of Carnauba wax
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| words about the beauty factor, the shine
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| | keeps airborne contaminants from reaching
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| of a newly polished and waxed boat. In a
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| | the gel-coat and starting a chemical
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| great example of form following function,
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| | reaction.
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| gel-coat kept clean and shiny, with a
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| | - This wax layer diffuses (refracts) both
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| good coat of wax, will perform it's
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| | UV and infrared radiation from the sun.
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| primary function pretty much in direct
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| | Without it the radiation is absorbed by
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| proportion to the way it looks.
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| | the pigment in the gel coat causing it to
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| The Players
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| | over heat, and trigger the chemical
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| Now that we've named the problem, what
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| | reaction that will dry out, dull and
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| are the choices for solving it? The
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| | oxidize the surface.
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| simplest solution would, of course be to
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| | - A waxed boat will have a lower surface
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| keep the boat away from sun, water, and
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| | temperature than an unwaxed one. The
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| oxygen. I said simple, not practical.
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| | darker the color, the greater the
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| All of the "New", "Easy On-Easy Off",
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| | difference
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| "Modern Chemical Miracle", products may
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| | Using a high quality paste wax applied
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| look great on TV (we've tried them all
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| | over a clean polished surface will give
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| too ;-) but in the real world of salt
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| | you 3 to 4 months of protection here on
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| water, sun, fishing, spills, and air
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| | the Emerald Coast. This doesn't mean the
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| pollution, they simply don't hold up
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| | wax is gone in this time but the
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| compared to the simple, natural, God made
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| | appearance and protection will begin to
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| it, "Tree of Life", Brazilian No.1
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| | fade rapidly. (based on our own
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| Carnauba wax.
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| | experience, independent testing, and the
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| Unlike the modern marvels of chemical
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| | reports of most of our clients)
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| engineering, Carnauba comes from a tree,
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| | For more information on the properties of
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| the Copernica Cerifera palm tree, to be
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| | different waxes, please see Wax
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| specific. The color and quality of the
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| | Comparison Table
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| wax are governed by the age of the
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| | Tying It All Together
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| leaves and care used in processing of
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| | By keeping the wax protective layer up,
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| this hard, brittle, lustrous wax. It
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| | (3-4 waxings per year) your boat will
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| runs from a golden yellow in color to
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| | always look good and you shouldn't need
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| nearly white and has an unmistakable but
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| | any hard yearly compounding to keep it
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| pleasant "tree" smell to it.
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| | that way. This will save you money right
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| Due to the fact that carnauba is a
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| | now and add years to the time before the
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| natural plant by-product, it will not
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| | boat will need to be painted.
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| react with gel coat or painted surfaces.
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| | On the boats that we've maintained for
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| The Carnauba Wax acts as a protective
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| | several years we usually give it a
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| barrier providing a very hard film over
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| | thorough going over with a very fine
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| your boats surface that protect against
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| | compound in the spring just to give it
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| sun and weather damage, airborne
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| | that "bright" look. This removes only a
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| contaminates, such as acid rain, spills,
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| | very thin layer of oxidized pigment to
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| fish remains, salt and bird droppings,
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| | give the wax a solid base to adhere to.
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| etc.
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