Crazy! My decks that is...

[MagicalArmchair]

On the new boat, I have spent so much time trying to sort out her critical systems and get her in a fit state for our summer cruise (now that its a possibility again) and the return passage, I have done very little in the way of deck cleaning and the 'fun' stuff. I ear marked a couple of hours in last weeks day of work on her to gently clean her decks. What I supposed were just grubby bloom marks of dirt on the deck appears to actually be many patches of micro fractures in the gel coat. I tried scrubbing with a micro fibre cloth and some Mcguire's polish, however, this had little effect.

I asked on the Bavaria forums and they were very helpful, however, they indicate this is not a widespread Bavaria issue.

Has anyone experienced micro fractures like the below? Should I be able to polish them out with rubbing compound and machining (which will be hard in the non slip of course)? Or do we think it goes right the way through the gel coat and will need Dremelling out and gel coat colour matched and reapplied?

 

[northwind]

On the new boat, I have spent so much time trying to sort out her critical systems and get her in a fit state for our summer cruise (now that its a possibility again) and the return passage, I have done very little in the way of deck cleaning and the 'fun' stuff. I ear marked a couple of hours in last weeks day of work on her to gently clean her decks. What I supposed were just grubby bloom marks of dirt on the deck appears to actually be many patches of micro fractures in the gel coat. I tried scrubbing with a micro fibre cloth and some Mcguire's polish, however, this had little effect.

I asked on the Bavaria forums and they were very helpful, however, they indicate this is not a widespread Bavaria issue.

Has anyone experienced micro fractures like the below? Should I be able to polish them out with rubbing compound and machining (which will be hard in the non slip of course)? Or do we think it goes right the way through the gel coat and will need Dremelling out and gel coat colour matched and reapplied?

Looks to be on the surface, try taking a bit of 1000 grit wet and dry to the smooth bit. I would have thought that you could use a machine buffer and some compound paste to the non skid and it will clean up well.

 

[Dino]

Try Cilit Bang Black Mould Remover first. It’s only a few quid and it’s in a black and purple bottle. Spray it on a wet deck and agitate with a brush. Leave for a few minutes and scrub/wash off. While it won’t solve your micro-crack issue, it is great for cleaning decks.
I had textured decks on a previous boat. When I bought it the decks were covered in black blotches, looked like a workboat. Cilit Bang was the only think that worked.

 

[James_Calvert]

Be cautious.

Could it be strands of underlying glass laminate beginning to show through a thin gel coat?

Hope I'm wrong!

 

[doug748]

Be cautious.

Could it be strands of underlying glass laminate beginning to show through a thin gel coat?

Hope I'm wrong!

Yes, I think that is what it is, thin gel coat. It may well have been thin at the outset. It is probably quite common on the boats, but the sort of thing you notice with a new boat and then fail to notice and eventually forget about.

Almost anything you do to it will make it look worse, unless you are very competent, to a top professional standard, with GRP work; even then it may look better for a while and then re-emerge as a blemish. If you paint the deck it will never quite be as crisp and you create an ongoing maintenance issue.

The good news is that it will probably cause no problem to you whatever. My deck has an area like that plus star cracks etc and they are the same now as they were 25 years ago, on a boat over 40 years old.

.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Paint the deck with something like International Interdeck. I did this on a previous boat and it looked very smart.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

I don't what it is, but it's not laminate showing through - it wouldn't be on the peaks of the non-slip.

Is it rough to the touch? I'd go along with the cleaning suggestion before anything else.

 

[pvb]

Paint the deck with something like International Interdeck. I did this on a previous boat and it looked very smart.

I suspect this crazing is on the coachroof, so he'd end up having to paint virtually the whole boat.

 

[pvb]

Try Cilit Bang Black Mould Remover first. It’s only a few quid and it’s in a black and purple bottle. Spray it on a wet deck and agitate with a brush. Leave for a few minutes and scrub/wash off. While it won’t solve your micro-crack issue, it is great for cleaning decks.
I had textured decks on a previous boat. When I bought it the decks were covered in black blotches, looked like a workboat. Cilit Bang was the only think that worked.

Cillit Bang Black Mould Remover is basically bleach. The best mould remover I've found is HG Mould Spray, which contains bleach plus sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). Widely available, including from B&Q.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

On my old boat, the chopped strand was showing through the gel coat, and this is nothing like that I think. It's in strange little areas too, see the dark areas in the background to the left of Matthew, that shadowing is these little fractures.

The HG mould spray is a good bet and will at least 'hide' the issue by removing the colour - a coat of wax over the top should hopefully stop it repopulating with mould or dirt. On your advice PVB, I chose to buy some Baracol, so I could use some of that on the cracks? I do have the HG stuff too.

I've been here before with deck painting on my old boat: Paint your deck outside in winter - Triola - Albin Ballad #50

If I can avoid it in any way, and put the grim day back, it is favourable to that slog . It took me about six years to build up the will to do it on Triola, and frankly, it was worth it - but oh the work!! The back ache! The slog!

 

[pvb]

On your advice PVB, I chose to buy some Baracol, so I could use some of that on the cracks? I do have the HG stuff too.

You could try it after cleaning the cracks, it wouldn't do any harm and it is a clear liquid.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Would something like this help to get the compound into the non slip? Beats doing it all with a tooth brush

Drill Brush 4Pcs Scrub Brush Drill Attachment Kit,Time Saving Kit and Power Scrubber Cleaning Kit, for Car, Bathroom, Wooden Floor, Laundry Room Cleaning (White): Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

 

[northwind]

Would something like this help to get the compound into the non slip? Beats doing it all with a tooth brush

Drill Brush 4Pcs Scrub Brush Drill Attachment Kit,Time Saving Kit and Power Scrubber Cleaning Kit, for Car, Bathroom, Wooden Floor, Laundry Room Cleaning (White): Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home

No, but this would:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline...16&hvtargid=pla-561971005126&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Thank you, I have one of those kiddies already, with a wool mit. That'll be fine on the flat areas, won't that not get into the non slip though?

 

[northwind]

Thank you, I have one of those kiddies already, with a wool mit. That'll be fine on the flat areas, won't that not get into the non slip though?

it should do, plenty of water to lubricate and it will be fine.

 

[MagicalArmchair]

Thank you, I'll give that a go and see if the mit will polish any of the crazing out.