preventing waterline stain

[smithy]

Anyone had any success with preventing the yellow/brown waterline stain? I removed it last year with oxalic acid and gave the hull three coats of wax, I was really pleased with the result. Six weeks back in the water and the staining is coming back already.

 

[[2574]]

Well I think you're doing everything right, I do three coats of 3M wax and have had very good results avoiding staining. Maybe try a different wax?

 

[gerryraby1]

Elbow grease and unremitting determination are the only two ingredients that have ever worked for me I am afraid :-(

Gerry www.sadler32forsale.com

 

[Rigger Mortice]

I think the only really succesful way of getting around the problem is to get a yellow/brown boat.

 

[William_H]

I am fortunate in having reasonably warm water. I simply swim around the boat wearing mask and snorkel and use one of those plastic bottles with pump sprayer with oxalic acid. It helps to have calm water and people on deck to heel the boat a bit but I don't bother. By the time I have got around the boat I can go around again to catch the bits I miss. I did it once mid season. good luck olewill

 

[CaptainBob]

Our current boat has a higher antifoul line and suffers less as a result. Perhaps move yours up a couple of inches?

 

[smithy]

The staining usually ends up about a foot above the waterline at the bow so getting a bit high for antifoul. I've noticed the newer boats don't seem to suffer so much, its a bit like the the pores are open on the gelcoat. Are some moorings worse than others?

 

[vyv_cox]

A few years ago I concluded that it was the wax that was turning yellow. I never wax mine now and it has not needed the oxalic acid treatment for years.

 

[smithy]

Think next year I will try waxing one side only and see what happens.

 

[Corribee Boy]

I'd asked this question a couple of weeks ago and have now stripped wax off part of my hull -I'm waiting to see what happens.

 

[smithy]

Make sure you post and let us know what happens.

 

[jwilson]

A few years ago I concluded that it was the wax that was turning yellow. I never wax mine now and it has not needed the oxalic acid treatment for years.

Had a boat that had never been waxed (except maybe the release agent from the mould), and it got the usual brown stain around the waterline. Lots of hard work trying to polish it out before I discovered oxalic acid did the job with minimal effort. Now a paste/oxalic treatment every spring on a not too cold day is part of the pre-launch sequence: oxalic/wash off/polish hull (a bit) and antifoul (as thin a single coat as possible).