Polishing blue hull.

[Allan]

The boat has just returned from the Caribbean and is covered in hard white crystals which I thought were sun dried salt but I've tried washing it off, with three different boat washes, with no success. I expected it to be water soluble but it doesn't seem to be. The only way, so far, I've got rid of a small patch is with a Scotchpad which left that small area very dull. I'm afraid that anything I use to compound or polish will pickup these crystals and scratch the surface.
Before the Caribbean trip I compounded it with G3 and G10 then waxed with the 3M hard wax.
Has anyone got any ideas of how I can safely remove the white stuff?
Allan

 

[Marine Reflections]

Interesting..

I would have thought it would be soluble also, you're not able to take any pics of the offending crystals are you?

I'd leave the scotchpad alone for the moment, we may be able to brainstorm a solution... pun intended

 

[Allan]

I'm off to the boat tomorrow. I'll try to put some pictures on here if I can. I'm wondering now if part of the problem is going from G10 to wax last time. Maybe I've given the white stuff something to key into?
Allan

 

[coopec]

QUOTE
Stubborn Salt stains on hull.....anyone !!!

I have just returned from a 6 month trip and have bad salt staining on my hull. As the hull colour is Blue this really shows up. I have tried fresh water, soapy water, water with chemicals for removing most other stains but nothing works. It's like a really hard speckled crust, a bit like orange peel effect you get on badly painted cars.

Does anyone know of something that will get this off ???

https://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/60453-stubborn-salt-stains-hull-anyone.html

 

[VicS]

The boat has just returned from the Caribbean and is covered in hard white crystals which I thought were sun dried salt but I've tried washing it off, with three different boat washes, with no success. I expected it to be water soluble but it doesn't seem to be. The only way, so far, I've got rid of a small patch is with a Scotchpad which left that small area very dull. I'm afraid that anything I use to compound or polish will pickup these crystals and scratch the surface.
Before the Caribbean trip I compounded it with G3 and G10 then waxed with the 3M hard wax.
Has anyone got any ideas of how I can safely remove the white stuff?
Allan

I would try an acidic cleaner, oxalic acid perhaps or Viakal or Cillit Bang "Limescale and shine", although the latter may also affect any remaining wax polish.

Try a little trial to see if it is effective. Decide how to proceed if it is

 

[Allan]

The product that worked when I tested it today is SALTOFF, available only from me for £15-99 a bottle. Any resemblance to Tesco white vinegar (40p a bottle) is purely coincidental!
If I could get my pictures to load I could show how well it worked.
Thank you to all who helped.
Allan

 

[Ric]

The boat has just returned from the Caribbean and is covered in hard white crystals which I thought were sun dried salt but I've tried washing it off, with three different boat washes, with no success. I expected it to be water soluble but it doesn't seem to be. The only way, so far, I've got rid of a small patch is with a Scotchpad which left that small area very dull. I'm afraid that anything I use to compound or polish will pickup these crystals and scratch the surface.
Before the Caribbean trip I compounded it with G3 and G10 then waxed with the 3M hard wax.
Has anyone got any ideas of how I can safely remove the white stuff?
Allan

Try citric acid - available as crystals in any big supermarket, and costs a tiny fraction of fancy yottie stuff.

I always have a ready made sprayer (old kitchen cleaner sprayer bottle) in the galley and it is fantastic for cleaning off encrusted salt anywhere on the exterior of the boat, and getting rid of the tarnish and hard lumps that build up on internal chrome fittings.

 

[steve1963]

If this really is salt (as in sodium chloride, NaCl) then it should be VERY soluble in aqueous solutions (try hot water). If this does not get it off, then it is not NaCl, but maybe calcium carbonate (lime-scale). If so, then an acid wash should remove it (hydrochloric acid for example)

 

[Allan]

If this really is salt (as in sodium chloride, NaCl) then it should be VERY soluble in aqueous solutions (try hot water). If this does not get it off, then it is not NaCl, but maybe calcium carbonate (lime-scale). If so, then an acid wash should remove it (hydrochloric acid for example)

Please see post number 6 above.
Allan.