After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


I definitely would not use a product like Zud, because it is abrasive
and will scratch the finish. Tidy Bowl might be good, but I would be
concerned with it staining your bottom paint blue. I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 06:16:05 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

"On and Off" works extremely well. It should, the main ingredient is
hydrochloric acid. It does not seem to harm fiberglass but it will
damage some kinds of paint and take wax off the hull. I wear rubber
gloves and glasses when I use it, wet everything down in advance, and
rinse well afterward. The best way to avoid slime build up is a good
coat of wax. Zud and Soft Scrub are two of the worst things you can
use on a fiberglass boat, try everything else first.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 06:16:05 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

"On and Off" works extremely well. It should, the main ingredient is
hydrochloric acid. It does not seem to harm fiberglass but it will
damage some kinds of paint and take wax off the hull. I wear rubber
gloves and glasses when I use it, wet everything down in advance, and
rinse well afterward. The best way to avoid slime build up is a good
coat of wax. Zud and Soft Scrub are two of the worst things you can
use on a fiberglass boat, try everything else first.

Best acid cleaners are the ones for toilets. Home Depot may carry them, but
janitorial supply stores do. Is a gel type version of muriatic acid.

On Oct 29, 5:16 pm, "Calif Bill" wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message

...





On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 06:16:05 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

"On and Off" works extremely well. It should, the main ingredient is
hydrochloric acid. It does not seem to harm fiberglass but it will
damage some kinds of paint and take wax off the hull. I wear rubber
gloves and glasses when I use it, wet everything down in advance, and
rinse well afterward. The best way to avoid slime build up is a good
coat of wax. Zud and Soft Scrub are two of the worst things you can
use on a fiberglass boat, try everything else first.

Best acid cleaners are the ones for toilets. Home Depot may carry them, but
janitorial supply stores do. Is a gel type version of muriatic acid.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Where'd you get your degree in Chemical Engineering? OR are you now
resorting to cleaning public toilets to get a little cash as opposed
to being a handyman?

On Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:50:45 -0000, wrote:

On Oct 29, 5:16 pm, "Calif Bill" wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message

...





On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 06:16:05 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

"On and Off" works extremely well. It should, the main ingredient is
hydrochloric acid. It does not seem to harm fiberglass but it will
damage some kinds of paint and take wax off the hull. I wear rubber
gloves and glasses when I use it, wet everything down in advance, and
rinse well afterward. The best way to avoid slime build up is a good
coat of wax. Zud and Soft Scrub are two of the worst things you can
use on a fiberglass boat, try everything else first.

Best acid cleaners are the ones for toilets. Home Depot may carry them, but
janitorial supply stores do. Is a gel type version of muriatic acid.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Where'd you get your degree in Chemical Engineering? OR are you now
resorting to cleaning public toilets to get a little cash as opposed
to being a handyman?

He was simply providing some information. Does that call for the kind of
**** you just delivered? If you disagree and have better information,
please provide it.

Sno-Bowl works great, and was recommended by a popular (successful)
local fiberglass man.


"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

"sherwindu" wrote
Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?

I use an oxalic acid product called Savogran Wood Bleach from Lowe's. I mix
a tablespoon or so of the crystals with water in a quart spray bottle and
mist it on the stains. A few minutes later they're gone and I rinse with
plain water. No ill effects so far. I have noticed that a recently waxed
surface will make the OA mixture bead up and be less effective. YMMV

On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

You might try this stuff:


http://lat43.com/marine.html


Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.

Chuck Gould wrote:
On Oct 27, 10:44?pm, sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

You might try this stuff:


http://lat43.com/marine.html


Absolutely non-abrasive, and cleans far better than any thing else I
have ever used.


Chuck, have you used this stuff on water line gunk?