Glidecoat.com Ceramic Coating for gel coat marine good for gliders?

On Saturday, 13 March 2021 at 20:02:17 UTC, 2G wrote:
Ceramic coatings are not "snake oil" - they work.

I have used this ceramic coating on my ASH31Mi:

They are used on offshore wind turbine blades, and on trains to aid cleaning and make graffiti easier to remove. Whether the one in the original post is similar formulation, I don't know.

Instinctively I feel the time to use this is on virgin surface after refinish, either new paint or a light sand over removing e.g. spar ripple and weave pattern etc, rather than something that's already had other treatment a few seasons.

I may be wrong. Maybe some more research or experimentation ...

On Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 10:49:20 PM UTC+10, andy l wrote:
On Saturday, 13 March 2021 at 20:02:17 UTC, 2G wrote:
Ceramic coatings are not "snake oil" - they work.

I have used this ceramic coating on my ASH31Mi:

They are used on offshore wind turbine blades, and on trains to aid cleaning and make graffiti easier to remove. Whether the one in the original post is similar formulation, I don't know.

Instinctively I feel the time to use this is on virgin surface after refinish, either new paint or a light sand over removing e.g. spar ripple and weave pattern etc, rather than something that's already had other treatment a few seasons.

I may be wrong. Maybe some more research or experimentation ...

I watched a lot of YouTube comparisons of various waxes and coatings, including a few where they apply 30 different coatings to pieces of bonnet and leave it outside for a year to compare the results. The ceramic coats clearly are much better than the waxes we use for beading water and maintaining a sheen, but I'm not sure if that correlates to minimizing contamination (bugs), the longevity of the paint/gel or improvement in performance. Most ceramic coats are described as being less 'slippery' to the touch than their wax competitors, I wonder if this affects the adhesion of bugs or surface drag?

Being an automotive detailing junkie I can tell you that nothing beats the look and feel of a high level wax finish.
The key here is to have a base layer of ceramic coating and you are regularly applying a wax top coat for the look and feel of the ultimate love for your machine.
The benefit to the owner is that the wax top coat can be a spray and wipe system.
I have used the spray and wipe system for almost five years on my planes.
It makes removing the bugs very easy and it takes very little elbow grease.
Doesn't matter what spray and wipe wax you use. I usually buy whatever is on sale.
A very well respected sailplane repair person once told me that it doesn't really matter what wax you use, just use it regularly.
The repair people act as if everyone has used a "forbidden" product on their planes before doing repair work (ie. silicones) so that repairs will be successful.
My planes are 20+ years old and look like new.