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#1
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
Hi
I have a 26 year old Mirage 27 sailing boat, beautiful condition inside, however the hull has become dull, looking tired and her age. I would like to clean and bring back the shine. I have heard both pro's and con's of silicon polish. Can anyone advise a good fiberglass cleaner, and resolution to the "dull hull" syndrome. I need to apply anti-fouling this year, should I use the cleaner below the water-line before applying the anti-fouling. Thanks. |
#2
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
I posted the following respone to a similar question on sailnet.net the
other day to the same question: First look at the gelcoat with a strong magnifying glass or pocket microscope (Radio Shack). If you see NO 'alligatoring', then the gelcoat can be wet sanded and powerbuffed back to the 'original' shine and brilliance. 1. wash the surface with a STRONG caustic detergent ... from a janatorial supply, then use oxalic acid (wood bleach -- from a paint store) to remove old dead wax, iron and tannin stains. Dont MIX detergent and oxalic !!!! rinse in between the two. Wear gloves when using oxalic as it quickly absorbs through you skin and can damage your kidneys. 2. Flat sand the gelcoat with 1000-- 1500 --2000 grit wet and dry sandpaper using a few drops of dishwashing detergent in a few gallons of water. Use a rubber sanding block. Sand away until the surface is flat. Most gelcoat is quite thick .... but stop sanding immediately when you see the matting layer of fiberglass under layer showing through .... if you do its time to paint. If not, proceed to 2. The object is to remove the oxidized outter layer of gelcoat and produce a FLAT surface ... use the pocket microscope if you have one. 3. Get a high speed autobody power polisher (varibale speed 1000-3000 rpm), 3M foam polishing pads, Coarse Fiberglass rubbing compound, 1000 grit auto body shop compound, 3M finesse it, 3M Perfect polishing compount, Collinite Fleetwax. 4. Begin with a fresh foam pad (Never mix pads and grits). In a 2ft. by 2 ft. surface apply coarse rubbing compound then do the 2ft. x 2 ft. square with a foam pad, move to the next 2X2 square until the whole boat is completed, Then do the same with 1300 grit - whole boat, then Finesse-it, then Perfect-it. Keep the buffer moving at all times, be very careful and dont 'burn through' sharp corners. Power buffing can remove a LOT of gelcoat, so use a 'light touch' .. and keep the buffer moving so you dont 'overheat' the surface. The speed of the polisher is what does the work not the pressure. By the time you get to the Finesse-it the hull should be back to NEW condition shine wise. Perfect-it with give the deep shine. You must wax immediately to fill the 'pores' of the gelcoat. Use a clean bare hand, some water and the paste collinite and rub by hand until the wax begins to shine, then add about a 10¢ size spread over the 2X2 and powerbuff. Push the wax INTO the pores of gel ... dont just smear it across it - this will seal the pores and will retard oxidation. 99% of the time the above process will restore an old faded hull back to NEW condition. Its also the same process that is used to powerbuff a NEW hull when its pulled from its mold. Rewax at about 6 months and every 12 thereafter as a minimum. Every 2-3 years STRIP the old dead wax with a caustic detergent, light powerbuff with Perfect-it and rewax. .... This should keep the boat looking like new for the next 30 years. You may want to fill in gouges, etc. with new gelcoat before you powerbuff. Beware snake oil: acrylic coating 'wipe on' coatings. They look good for a season or two but ultimately fail and have to be removed (when they will look like a severe skin disease). The acrylic removal is a PITA and is ultimately more harmful than the above powerbuffing method.In article FgD1g.40957$7a.16136@pd7tw1no, Sebastian wrote: Hi I have a 26 year old Mirage 27 sailing boat, beautiful condition inside, however the hull has become dull, looking tired and her age. I would like to clean and bring back the shine. I have heard both pro's and con's of silicon polish. Can anyone advise a good fiberglass cleaner, and resolution to the "dull hull" syndrome. I need to apply anti-fouling this year, should I use the cleaner below the water-line before applying the anti-fouling. Thanks. |
#3
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
You are giving excellent advice. I think that the 3M stuff requires
3200rpm. Read the label and follow the instructions and Rich's prediction will come true for you. |
#4
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
Great advice Rich! Well done.
"Rich Hampel" wrote in message ... I posted the following respone to a similar question on sailnet.net the other day to the same question: First look at the gelcoat with a strong magnifying glass or pocket microscope (Radio Shack). If you see NO 'alligatoring', then the gelcoat can be wet sanded and powerbuffed back to the 'original' shine and brilliance. 1. wash the surface with a STRONG caustic detergent ... from a janatorial supply, then use oxalic acid (wood bleach -- from a paint store) to remove old dead wax, iron and tannin stains. Dont MIX detergent and oxalic !!!! rinse in between the two. Wear gloves when using oxalic as it quickly absorbs through you skin and can damage your kidneys. 2. Flat sand the gelcoat with 1000-- 1500 --2000 grit wet and dry sandpaper using a few drops of dishwashing detergent in a few gallons of water. Use a rubber sanding block. Sand away until the surface is flat. Most gelcoat is quite thick .... but stop sanding immediately when you see the matting layer of fiberglass under layer showing through .... if you do its time to paint. If not, proceed to 2. The object is to remove the oxidized outter layer of gelcoat and produce a FLAT surface ... use the pocket microscope if you have one. 3. Get a high speed autobody power polisher (varibale speed 1000-3000 rpm), 3M foam polishing pads, Coarse Fiberglass rubbing compound, 1000 grit auto body shop compound, 3M finesse it, 3M Perfect polishing compount, Collinite Fleetwax. 4. Begin with a fresh foam pad (Never mix pads and grits). In a 2ft. by 2 ft. surface apply coarse rubbing compound then do the 2ft. x 2 ft. square with a foam pad, move to the next 2X2 square until the whole boat is completed, Then do the same with 1300 grit - whole boat, then Finesse-it, then Perfect-it. Keep the buffer moving at all times, be very careful and dont 'burn through' sharp corners. Power buffing can remove a LOT of gelcoat, so use a 'light touch' .. and keep the buffer moving so you dont 'overheat' the surface. The speed of the polisher is what does the work not the pressure. By the time you get to the Finesse-it the hull should be back to NEW condition shine wise. Perfect-it with give the deep shine. You must wax immediately to fill the 'pores' of the gelcoat. Use a clean bare hand, some water and the paste collinite and rub by hand until the wax begins to shine, then add about a 10¢ size spread over the 2X2 and powerbuff. Push the wax INTO the pores of gel ... dont just smear it across it - this will seal the pores and will retard oxidation. 99% of the time the above process will restore an old faded hull back to NEW condition. Its also the same process that is used to powerbuff a NEW hull when its pulled from its mold. Rewax at about 6 months and every 12 thereafter as a minimum. Every 2-3 years STRIP the old dead wax with a caustic detergent, light powerbuff with Perfect-it and rewax. .... This should keep the boat looking like new for the next 30 years. You may want to fill in gouges, etc. with new gelcoat before you powerbuff. Beware snake oil: acrylic coating 'wipe on' coatings. They look good for a season or two but ultimately fail and have to be removed (when they will look like a severe skin disease). The acrylic removal is a PITA and is ultimately more harmful than the above powerbuffing method.In article FgD1g.40957$7a.16136@pd7tw1no, Sebastian wrote: Hi I have a 26 year old Mirage 27 sailing boat, beautiful condition inside, however the hull has become dull, looking tired and her age. I would like to clean and bring back the shine. I have heard both pro's and con's of silicon polish. Can anyone advise a good fiberglass cleaner, and resolution to the "dull hull" syndrome. I need to apply anti-fouling this year, should I use the cleaner below the water-line before applying the anti-fouling. Thanks. |
#5
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
Coming late to this party, I wonder what is recommended for relatively
new awl-grip. By relatively new, I mean older than 2 years, which is how long Flying Pig has been ashore, at a minimum. That may be significant, as I see that less than 2-year old gelcoat isn't a good candidate for this product. FWIW, the stern and rubrail are both only 1 year old, but the rest of it is probably 3-5 or maybe more old. And, I'm wondering how much product would be needed to cover about 400SF or so... Thanks for any intelligence on the matter. As we approach the time to splash, with Lydia's mom available to help dress her out, this is now on the radar... L8R Skip Morgan 461 #2 SV Flying Pig KI4MPC http://tinyurl.com/384p2 The vessel as Tehamana, as we bought her " I went to the Sea because I wished to live deliberately .. to confront only the essential facts of life .. and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not .. when I came to die discover that I had not lived" - Hendry David Thoreau " |
#6
posted to rec.boats.cruising
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Cleaning the hull
Skip,
How is the older Awlgrip looking at this point? Skip Gundlach wrote: Coming late to this party, I wonder what is recommended for relatively new awl-grip. By relatively new, I mean older than 2 years, which is how long Flying Pig has been ashore, at a minimum. That may be significant, as I see that less than 2-year old gelcoat isn't a good candidate for this product. FWIW, the stern and rubrail are both only 1 year old, but the rest of it is probably 3-5 or maybe more old. Skip Morgan 461 #2 SV Flying Pig KI4MPC http://tinyurl.com/384p2 The vessel as Tehamana, as we bought her " I went to the Sea because I wished to live deliberately .. to confront only the essential facts of life .. and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not .. when I came to die discover that I had not lived" - Hendry David Thoreau " Actually, the correct quote from "Walden" begins "I went to the woods because..." Although its is fine to go to sea for the same reasons. Don W. |
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