Arranged in a clockwise spiral, in the same order as on the chart, here are the 25 waxes and one hull-restorer—in cans, bottles, spray bottles and one pressure spray.

Gelcoat is not all it's cracked up to be. (And crack—or craze—is what it does when it's too thick or is wrapped around too-tight corners. But that's another story.)

Gelcoat covers up the rough fiberglass structure underneath. It does, of course, a bit more than just present a pretty face. Initially, it's a shiny, smooth surface that sheds dirt and is easy to maintain in pristine condition for a decade or more.

It chalks eventually, but even then the shiny look can be resurrected—meaning kept shiny—for additional years. …