Rubber Residue from Fenders

[graham460]

June 2025

Hello Fellow Sailors.
Does anyone know how to remove the Rubber Residue from Fenders Rubbing against the Hull, as In Fertilla USAI they Crammed in the boats so tight they were virtually always touching and fenders rubbing all the time..

I tried - White Spirit Did nothing to remove them.

I had a small Bottle of Acetone It seemed to Remove Some of the THIN smears But the the Caked in Rubber Residie maybe over 1mm thicj in most parts..

A Shop in Bosa Gave me a Home made remedy - said to mea Wear Gloves and Mask.. I watered it down with about 25%Water It removed some of the mark But very little I then used it near But the Spray has run down the side of the Hull making Smears.. and down to the copper coating I need to Try to was that off tomorrow 0 I hope it jhas not damaged the Gel Coat.. There is Very little here in BOSA in the way of yachting equipment Regards Graham I WILL ADD 2 more photos tomorrow of the Stains that the Striong fluid has made

 

[thinwater]

Xylene. Acetone is not the best solvent for this and it dries too quickly to penetrate. Give the xylene at least 20 seconds to soak into the heavier bits.

White sprits (aliphatic), xylene (aromatic), and acetone (aldahyde) are three very different chemistries.

 

[graham460]

Xylene. Acetone is not the best solvent for this and it dries too quickly to penetrate. Give the xylene at least 20 seconds to soak into the heavier bits.

White sprits (aliphatic), xylene (aromatic), and acetone (aldahyde) are three very different chemistries.

Hi Thinwater Thanks for the repl y The Shop never had any Acetone on Friday I'll check this morning Rgds graham

 

[vyv_cox]

Fender socks. In the Mediterranean boats are always jammed in together, berthed stern-to, finger pontoons between boats being very rare. It is often read that sand etc will lodge in the cloth and abrade the boat but in 50 years of using them this has never happened to me.

To the contrary, when berthed for a week in Tinos in very lively conditions the boat next to me with unsocked fenders left several unsightly marks on my boat that needed considerable effort to remove.

 

[Jim@sea]

Is it worth sticking some Clingfilm on the hull where the fenders rub. Its actually very good, I used to buy ex-Police cars from Liverpool and they used to putt Clingfilm on the inside of the front and rear door windows as when yobboes there bricks or stones at them the clingfilm would stop the glass shattering.

 

[dje67]

I've had some success removing those sorts of marks using a Jizer-type degreaser. Worth trying. Need to do my fenders after 3 days being pummelled against the pontoon black rubber fendering in Oban Transit pontoons... I wish they wouldn't use that stuff!

 

[graham460]

Xylene. Acetone is not the best solvent for this and it dries too quickly to penetrate. Give the xylene at least 20 seconds to soak into the heavier bits.

White sprits (aliphatic), xylene (aromatic), and acetone (aldahyde) are three very different chemistries.

Hi Thinwater Thanks for the repl y The Shop never had any Acetone on Friday I'll check this morning Rgds graham

Fender socks. In the Mediterranean boats are always jammed in together, berthed stern-to, finger pontoons between boats being very rare. It is often read that sand etc will lodge in the cloth and abrade the boat but in 50 years of using them this has never happened to me.

To the contrary, when berthed for a week in Tinos in very lively conditions the boat next to me with unsocked fenders left several unsightly marks on my boat that needed considerable effort to remove.

HI I have purchased some Fender socks for 90% of my fenders.. This should stop some of the damage.. Thanks for the Information

 

[Bodach na mara]

I had a similar problem after a fishing boat tied up alongside me in Kyleakin harbour. My other half got to work with the only agents available; meths, white spirit, Tesco cream cleaner and Fairy stuff for washing dishes. She reported that they all worked to some extent and she got the fenders clean. I had less success on areas of the hull that were marked. I managed to reduce the visual impact of the staining but resorted to waiting until the winter layup when I abraded the hull with wet sandpaper and painted it.

 

[johnalison]

Fender socks are fine, and we used them, but they won't work on other people's fenders. The only effective prevention would be a fender mat, as sported by posh boats. (Personal observation).

 

[wonkywinch]

I've had some success removing those sorts of marks using a Jizer-type degreaser. Worth trying. Need to do my fenders after 3 days being pummelled against the pontoon black rubber fendering in Oban Transit pontoons... I wish they wouldn't use that stuff!

Thanks for the tips. I am on fender cleaning duties tomorrow after a recent visit to the Royal London pontoon at Cowes left them all looking very black and rubbery.

 

[Malish]

I've had good results with Pink Stuff, but appreciate it is an abrasive, don't get carried away with it.

 

[KevinV]

I've had good results with Pink Stuff, but appreciate it is an abrasive, don't get carried away with it.

I was thinking cutting paste, there's bound to be abrasive damage to the gel/paint

 

[Pye_End]

PVCu cleaner might work.

 

[graham460]

I had a similar problem after a fishing boat tied up alongside me in Kyleakin harbour. My other half got to work with the only agents available; meths, white spirit, Tesco cream cleaner and Fairy stuff for washing dishes. She reported that they all worked to some extent and she got the fenders clean. I had less success on areas of the hull that were marked. I managed to reduce the visual impact of the staining but resorted to waiting until the winter layup when I abraded the hull with wet sandpaper and painted it.

WOW Bug job abraiding the hull Mine is partly Stained where this Chemical i was given by a local shop has dripped down.. YES the Fenders did come up reasonably clean in the end maybe 90% for most and 80% for a couple others There is a Pack of Fluid with a Magic White Sponge.. It works well but after 9 fenders it sort of becomes Black with dirt.. You don't scrub you just put on the fluid and Wipe in 1 Direction then maybe Scrub with Sorapy Water before the Chemical residue dries Quickly over here in Sardinia I thoughtI hd uploaded files But cannot see them

 

[bluerm166]

E

PVCu cleaner might work.

Yes as suggested by PyeEnd have recent excellent result removing the otherwise resistant black stain from fenders after a bout with those black sausage type on Hap'enny pier. Ever build upvc cleaner from screwfix did the job without leaving a sticky /destroyed surface.

 

[graham460]

E
Yes as suggested by PyeEnd have recent excellent result removing the otherwise resistant black stain from fenders after a bout with those black sausage type on Hap'enny pier. Ever build upvc cleaner from screwfix did the job without leaving a sticky /destroyed surface.

Hi PYE end
That sems like a good option PVC cleaner aas the Fender cleaner eaves a residue Tacky Problem is I am in Sardinia in BOSA Like Back of Beyond Only one sort of shop that sells some boat stuff More loke a garden shop But I can drive to Sassaria TECHNIMAT like Out B& Q but not quite as good in Some respects Regards Graham Ive Cleaned most of them maybe 4 left However I have bought Socks for 85% of them Thankls for your Support