If your Boler is still original then the outside is not paint but a fiberglass gel coat. The Boler body is made of the same material as quality fiberglass boats, so I find the best product for cleaning and polishing are made and designed for fiberglass boat. For stains and mildew an acid based hull cleaner works well, there are oxydation removers, waxes and polishes. A little elbow grease and the correct product can make your 30+ year old Boler look close to new. One thing to remember is that gel coat is porous and any coating like wax will penetrate into the surface, this is good unless you want to paint your Boler, then this wax can give the painter nothing but grief as it caused fisheyes, and problems, so if your plan is to paint your Boler in the near future I would not recommend applying any wax or polish until after the paint is applied.
An excellent article on fiberglass waxes http://www.boatingmag.com/gear/boatinglab-tests-waxes
Sarah
We just got a ’79 Boler, looks to be all original exterior gel coat. Took it on the road a couple times and A LOT of rock damage/chips to paint at the front of the trailer. We don’t have mud flaps – but should the gel coat chip like that? Also, I see you added the metal to the front of yours – I presume to prevent paint damage?
Thanks for the website, it’s like a Boler bible!
Ian
Hello Sarah, congratulation on finding a Boler.
The gelcoat although tough is actually quite soft and damage from rocks and gravel very common. There are a number of ways to protect the front of your Boler, first is to use mud guards, I personally use Rock Tamer flats that attach to the hitch so they are removable and really protect the front of the trailer. Secondly a common cure is to use truck bed liner on the front surface of the trailer, this is a very tough textured coating that can be painted to match the trailer cover. Also some original Bolers came with a rubber rock guard applied across the front but this is difficult to get to conform to the compound curved surface. Finally a tongue box can help protect the front but it does not fully cover the front (that is the aluminum you see on my Boler, this I have recently replaced with a larger wood box which does a much better job of protecting the front, along with the Rock Tamers.
Lisa
Where do I find info on polishing the aluminum on the exterior of the Boler? I’m sure it’s here somewhere in this extremely informative site..I just can’t seem to find it 🙂
Thanks!
Ian
Glad you asked Lisa …. I actually hove not added polishing information to this site yet, but don’t fear as there is information on my other site.
This is on polishing the hinges which need to be ground and sanded before the polishing process, all the aluminium on the windows, belly band, etc you DO NOT sand first, you can go directly to polishing with the white compound on the buffing wheel. If you have any additional questions after looking here please ask.
http://www.proud-canadian.com/polishing-cast-aluminum-boler-door-hinge/
Tenneille
Spray 9 is magic on the ensolite. Just spent an hour. First used 1:1 ammonia then spray 9 and a scrub brush. It’s glistening.
Ian
Great tip
Thank you Tenneille
Sean
Hey, really enjoying reading all the advice you’ve posted on this site. Hoping you can help us out with our 1973 Boler. The exterior has been painted, we think a couple times because we have spotted a green and blue on the lower half that doesn’t match the olive green on the interior. Have you ever heard of anyone trying to use a paint stripper to get down to the original fibreglass? I’m not sure what type of paint the previous owners used.
Ian
Hello Sean. Yes there are paint strippers designed specifically for use on fibreglass, often they are used on fibreglass boats.
Here are just an example (I would research the different brands) I have not used this product. https://www.dumondchemicals.com/pro-peel-away-marinesafety-removers.html
Sean
Thanks Ian, looks like I have a bit of a project for Spring Break;)
Tony
How about Zep Wet Look Floor Finish?
I saw quite a few people use it on fiberglass RV.
Ian
I would never recommend using an acrylic floor finish on your trailer. Yes it will provide a shine but this product is not designed to be used outdoors as noted by many who have had it peel off in sheets or turn yellow, temperature extremes and UV light can effect it. There are as many people who have had troubles with this finish as those who like it. I recommend using a high quality marine wax like Meguiar’s Marine-RV or their Flagship Marine line of products.
Pat
Hi Ian. I just spent considerable time removing ugly old silicone from the seam made by the aluminum strip that goes all around the outside of my Boler. Do I have to reseal with silicone again? In other words is the silicone even necessary? Is there a top and a bottom piece held together by that aluminum strip?
Ian
Hi Pat, no sealant is needed around the belly band. The aluminum belly band is simply trim that covers the flanges from when the body was made. The seam around the belly is sealed on the inside with fibreglass making the entire shell one piece.