Hi Ian,
I purchased Kristy when she was 10y/o. Her gel coat was intact and shiny, but not mirror-like by any means. I polished her yearly with several different polishes and waxes. I even bought a big polisher a few years ago and did what I think was a nearly-professional job on 3 occasions.  Each time the shine improved, but lasted only a few months. Two years ago I read a review in Practical Sailor about acrylic finishes and gave PoliGlow a try.  You use their cleaners to completely remove all wax and polish and stains, then just wipe it on with a microfiber cloth.  The first application takes 6-7 coats, all can be applied in a single day after the hull is cleaned. After the first couple of coats I thought I may have made a mistake, but kept going around the boat with one coat after another.. My supply (5 bottles) allowed 8 coats, and the hull is mirror-shiny. She looks better than she ever has.  The sooty mustash on the port side comes right off if you don't wait too long between washes with mild soap.  About once every 2-4 weeks depending on how much you are running the engine and generator.  After 15 months, it looked a little tired, but still looked better than it ever had before I tried this product. I've just applied 3 more coats after cleaning with their recommended product and she looks brand new again! There is NO BUFFING.  They say the product bonds with the gelcoat and soaks into the porous surface.
I have no financial or other interest in PoliGlow, but as you can tell, I'm completely sold so far!

Next I'll apply it to the smooth surfaces above decks.
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Kent & Iris