Boat Cleaning PBO April 2005

[BobE]

Just little tip for anyone faced with an expanse of manky streaked GRP to clean..
All the guys in the boatyard where the boat is slipped use Harpic Lime scale remover!! One and a half squeezies does my 32 footer. Just paint it on and agitate a little if needed the hose off... I swear you'll never change back to the expensive "swindleries" products.
Oh and I have no connection with Harpic!!!
(There's an opening for the comedians)
Cheers Bob E..

 

[jimi]

Bob yer clean round the bend!

 

[Robin]

Bob

I think it is because it is Oxalic Acid just like the 'marine' packaged stuff. I was given that tip 30 yrs ago and the guy's boat is still there in one piece too despite having been cleaned every year with it.

Another one for you. We had a problem getting grime out of the moulded non-slip decks last week after we launched because we had accumalated clouds of antifoul dust on deck after our stay ashore (don't ask!). I bought a power washer and this didn't work even used in conjunction with the cleaning gunge or with Starbrite Deck Cleaner we normally use. We then tried careful test patches using a variety of gunge from Safeway and found that CIF Oxygel worked wonders and was CHEAP! We bought a 500ml spray bottle for about £1.30 that did all the deck, then later found Makro have 5L bottles for £4.99 + VAT to refill the spray bottle from. Beware of using it near canvas or fabrics though as it is a bleach, to be safe I wetted our canvas first just in case of overspray in the wind and we left the Oxygel on for no more than 10 minutes before washing it off. I thought about repackaging it as 'Marine Wonder Goo' at £15.99/bottle but now I've given the game away...

Robin

 

[ashanta]

You replied in a flash Jimi! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[graham]

What about the little plastic things people clip on the edge of there loos?You could clip loads of them to your guard wires.

Everytime you ship a green one over the bow the deck would get cleaned and smell nice too! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[steve_cronin]

If ever.....

you find that because non -tinned wire has been used in your boat and it is impossible to clean the blackened strands sufficiently to solder onto them, dip the bared end into such a substance and within a few seconds - dependant upon temperature the copper is pristine again and because of it's erroded surface, takes silver solder really well. I used Cillit Bang in an egg cup last time, dipping the tip of the iron into the liquid* just to raise the temperature a bit.

Steve Cronin

* Only under adult supervision, Kids!

 

[Robin]

Coooo.........

.........and there I am thinking that Cillit Banging was only for special occasions when enough points were accumalated!

Seriously though, if their TV ad is right about what it does to copper coins seemingly in seconds it must really reach the parts that other Coca Colas don't and be ideal for cleaning up connections - just don't leave it on too long.

 

[tcm]

limescale remover and a better product

i weas overjoyed to use limescale remover, clean the outside as you describe, and the inside too gets all sparkling. I was in the back of the marina in antibes a few years ago, and used about 3 bottles. Anyway, next moring there were loads of dead fish floating ion the surface and as i have never seen that before nor since i kinda blame the limescale remover.

Boat cleaning is much quicker and easier since the announcement of hlb's wonder cleaning product which he joyfully calls "boat remover" but in fact makes short work of any dirt on all grp. You can buy some if you PM him.