Boat Cleaners

[Guest]

Has anyone any suggestions as to what is the best way to clean a boat's exterior (hull and decks etc)after being laid up for the winter.

My boat has some yellow type stains around the windscreen and on the trasom which won't just wash off. The gel coat is also looking a bit dull at present, so some sort of gel coat restorer is probably needed to bring a shine back to it.

I'd be very grateful for any suggestions.

 

[Guest]

Polished up my 1973 sailboat's 24 foot red hull last year with T-Cut, then T-Cut Colourmatch red wax. Came up a treat and so far still looks good. All available from that well known Chandlery - Halfords! Buy a selection and have a go.

I bought a rotary polisher, but the generator blew it up after five minutes. Did the rest by hand.

Current (new) boat is washed with car shampoo placed directly on a sponge, hosed off, then polished with Turtle Wax car wax. Others swear by expensive polishes for boats, cutting compounds and whatnot but a twelve quid pot of German fibreglass restorer didn't do as well on my old boat as T-cut,car wax and elbow grease.

Yellow stains (what caused them?) - If it's waterborne you may need hull cleaner from the chandlers, if it's rust there's a number of acid based cleaners around for those unsightly stains.

Cruisermart Mailorder (01489 77 44 44) sell ' Y-10 Stain removing Gel' part no 24049 for 8.99 a pot. 'Removes yellow-brown waterline stains - non-abrasive' . Or try 'BoaT-Pride' hull cleaner ( 24052-01). Or ask for a catalogue as there is a full range of everything in there from 'inflatable cleaner' (?) to Black Streak Remover.(24309) 5.49.

Or browse your local chandlery. Suggest a coat or two of wax after you've applied whatever it is works best for you. Purists will opt for 'biodegradable' boat polishes. Tar stains seem to respond to WD40, as do stainless steel rails. And you can start a marine diesel on it for priming purposes.

(Don't ask)

Best Sue

 

[Guest]

Try looking at the www.westmarine.com site at their advisory sections for wide ranging info.

T-cut i am led to understand actually takes off a thin layer of oxidization (or something like that) from the surface. just be careful not to permanently damage surface.

Good luck

 

[Guest]

Hi David!

A product called "Shiny Sinks" from any hardware shop, Tescos etc is as good as any! it will get rust stains off fibre glass and polish your hull beautifully I use nothing else for cleaning and a periodic topping of propriety brand car polish, great results ( when I do it that is) "Shiny Sinks" also contains some sort of "de-oxident"I think, Have a go it cost very little, An alternative to the expensive marine fender cleaners is "Astonish" bath cleaner (in a small tub and available from almost anywhere) works well for cleaning Fenders.

Rob

 

[Guest]

I would be careful of buying stuff from Halfords etc (designed for cars). I use Starbrite Teflon polish and seems to remove most stains and leaves very smooth surface - used it for years and no problems. For really bad stains where starbrite can not remove (rare) I use a powder base product (can't remember the name) with a little water and brings the boat back perfect.

RM.