What UK product should i use for degreasing/cleaning/dewaxing hull

[ryansdesk]

What product is easily got hold of in the UK thats for cleaning/degreasing/dewaxing in preparation for painting and epoxy filling repairs on a GRP boat hull.

 

[lexi]

Well you may need some kind of solvent to degrease it from wax build up etc. Commercial Panel wipe from Auto body shop may be an option for you. Maybe you could go for a hotwash system with one of the commercial type Traffic Film remover products. There will be Yacht Chandler stuff but I always try to find alternatives first.
Alex

 

[cliff]

Acetone does it for me, just don't breathe the fumes nor leave an acetone soaked rag lying on the deck. Oh yes, it will dry your skin so do wear gloves that are impervious to Acetone. Never had a problem with the gel coat disolving or even softening, just wipe over with acetone damped rag and wipe off with clean rag.

Don't forget you will need to rub down after anyway to give the paint a "key". Plenty of fresh water and "wet-n-dry" (and elbow grease)
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[boatmike]

Absolutely. Acetone. But don't use too much and wash down with hot soapy water afterwards if you can. It won't attack fully cured gel-coat unless you leave puddles of the stuff about or as cliff says leave an acetone soaked rag in one spot for too long.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Then what do you recommend for subsequent polishing? If (like wot I have) you have just brush gelcoated the GRP, is the wax that forms part of the brew and floats to the surface best left on to aid the polishing or removed and replaced with something else?

 

[cliff]

Now that is a different story - the gel coat may not have fully cured so the Acetone may soften it or even lift it. IIRC hot soapy water and a "3M" automotive paint "polishing pad" will remove the "bloom"/wax from the new gel coat - it is actually a release agent so comes off easily.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"
sailroom <span style="color:red">The place to auction your previously loved boatie bits</span>

 

[boatmike]

Disagree there Cliff. The wax will just get spread around that way. Release agents don't actually come off that easily actually but agree they are easier to remove than silicone polishes which should never be used for that reason. I do agree though that using Acetone on fresh gel-coat is not a good idea. I would suggest Perclorethelene (Perc) followed by a detergent wash. The type of detergent used for washing hard surfaces (Kitchen floor cleaner) usually does well. If you want to avoid using solvents altogether and it aint that big then abrasive cleaners like Ajax or Vim work well but it aint half hard work!

 

[ryansdesk]

thanxs for the comments, ended up buying a tin of Internationals Number 1 thinners, seems to be the correct one if going on to paint surfaces with pre-kote followed by toplac.