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Started By
Message
*Updated OP with before and after pics* What works best for removing watermark from fiber
Posted on 12/9/14 at 6:15 pm
Posted on 12/9/14 at 6:15 pm
I bought this bass boat from my dad two years ago, and I fish out of it all the time. It's not in the best shape aesthetically, but it runs well and gets the job done.
He took great care of it for a long time, but over the last couple years that he had it he let it get a
bad watermark. What's the best thing to get this off?
Before
After
He took great care of it for a long time, but over the last couple years that he had it he let it get a
bad watermark. What's the best thing to get this off?
Before
After
This post was edited on 12/13/14 at 10:21 am
Posted on 12/9/14 at 6:21 pm to rballa19
Yeah the starbrite hull cleaner. Just make sure you wax it afterwards or they will come right back.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 6:30 pm to Bleeding purple
Good point about gloves. Also spray your trailer down with the hose before you use the cleaner.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 6:34 pm to rballa19
If those stains are really deep, the only thing you can count on is an acid based toilet bowl cleaner. Ring King is the brand I've used. LINK
BR hardware stores sell (used to sell) this. Been using it for years on fiberglas boats -- I'm too lazy to clean mine after every trip in the Basin.
Before you dismiss this as a joke -- the acid based cleaners work by dissolving//destroying the organic material that comprises the stain. It doesn't harm plastic or gelcoat (as evidenced by the fact that it is sold in plastic bottles).
You'll need to wear rubber gloves. Spray it on or use a sponge to apply. Do NOT get it on your stainless steel trailer fenders (same warning goes for Starbrite) -- fenders will start to rust within 3-4 days. I'm pretty sure Starbrite cleaner is also acid-based, but it has never worked as well (for me) as Ring King.
As was noted earlier -- wax your boat after you clean the stain off.
BR hardware stores sell (used to sell) this. Been using it for years on fiberglas boats -- I'm too lazy to clean mine after every trip in the Basin.
Before you dismiss this as a joke -- the acid based cleaners work by dissolving//destroying the organic material that comprises the stain. It doesn't harm plastic or gelcoat (as evidenced by the fact that it is sold in plastic bottles).
You'll need to wear rubber gloves. Spray it on or use a sponge to apply. Do NOT get it on your stainless steel trailer fenders (same warning goes for Starbrite) -- fenders will start to rust within 3-4 days. I'm pretty sure Starbrite cleaner is also acid-based, but it has never worked as well (for me) as Ring King.
As was noted earlier -- wax your boat after you clean the stain off.
This post was edited on 12/9/14 at 6:37 pm
Posted on 12/9/14 at 7:37 pm to rballa19
We sent ours to a detailer after I left it in the water and had started trouble. This is the before and after...
Posted on 12/9/14 at 7:59 pm to rballa19
Lol, don't use star brite unless you want to just throw money away. Use sno bowl toilet bowl cleaner. It's the same exact acid that costs .99 cents compared to at least $10 star brite.
Edit: I see dawg knows what's up.
Edit: I see dawg knows what's up.
This post was edited on 12/9/14 at 8:04 pm
Posted on 12/9/14 at 8:31 pm to Grouper Picatta
...will scratch a finish.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 8:33 pm to Grouper Picatta
quote:
Liquid Bar Keepers Friend
You might as well sand it with 1500 grit.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 8:47 pm to rballa19
On & Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner!! Will leave it sparkling white, good stuff!
Mix a 20% solution and apply with brush, wait a min or so then rinse off... DONE
Mix a 20% solution and apply with brush, wait a min or so then rinse off... DONE
Posted on 12/9/14 at 9:16 pm to WilsonPickett
the works toilet bowl cleaner
Posted on 12/9/14 at 9:25 pm to rballa19
Star Brite or anything else with oxalic acid in it to eat the crud.
Then use a compounding polish to get the fiberglass shiny again.
Then put a good coat of wax on it or two each year.
Then use a compounding polish to get the fiberglass shiny again.
Then put a good coat of wax on it or two each year.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 9:30 pm to eng08
quote:
Then use a compounding polish to get the fiberglass shiny again.
Aqua Buff 2000. The best product out there.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 9:44 pm to glassman
I have big jug of the 3m micro finishing compound. It's great when I was trying to bring the polish back after a scratch repair.
Posted on 12/9/14 at 10:07 pm to eng08
quote:
Star Brite or anything else with oxalic acid in it to eat the crud. Then use a compounding polish to get the fiberglass shiny again. Then put a good coat of wax on it or two each year.
Compounding and polish are a bit of an oxymoron when compared congruently. Apply a cheap oxalic acid (not star brite) and use a polish (the best is finesse it II ) and you will be golden. Compound leaves swirl marks. 3M finesse it II polishes and is designed for such applications. But, it also cuts, just not as aggressively. Also, because finesse it polishes, it leaves a non porous surface with almost nothing able to bind to the surface within a decent period of time. Fresh water stains, marine growth,(not so much) fish blood, engine soot...etc are examples.
Wax actually attracts waterline stains. Not as much as a non waxed hull, but a polished hull's non porous surface is much better IMO.
This post was edited on 12/9/14 at 10:11 pm
Posted on 12/10/14 at 3:44 am to rballa19
You need muriatic acid, we used it to clean Mastercrafts after they stayed in the lake for a week or more...It's powerful stuff, we used a 1:10 dilution with water and it would eat the scum right off. It will damage the gel coat if you don't dilute it (the strongest I'd ever go is 1:4) so its better to do multiple sprays (always pre-mixed it ad loaded into spray bottles) with a weaker concentration if you notice any scum coming off at all, and after you finish be sure to wax it. Even if its never been waxed you're going to expose parts of that gel coat that haven't seen weathering in years and the wax will both make it shine and protect it the rest of the season. Can't emphasize how important the wax is for future protection...
Spray it on and don't let it sit any longer than 1 minute without spraying it off. Wear some rubber gloves too because you'll feel it if it hits bare skin..It won't do any damage to you unless your huffing it or shooting it straight into your eyes but it is an acid so use your common sense.
Muriatic is in almost everything labeled "hull cleaner", if you go buy Muriatic from Lowes though you can get a gallon for $8 vs $40 for the watered down version at West Marine. Don't let me scare you off because I guarantee you that nothing will pull scum off better than it will. My $.02
Be sure to clean the boat over gravel, if you do it on concrete, wet the ground first or it'll leave spots where the acid hit it. Wouldn't hurt to wet the trailer too in case any overspray hits it.
source: cleaned boats everyday for 2 summers at a ski school
Spray it on and don't let it sit any longer than 1 minute without spraying it off. Wear some rubber gloves too because you'll feel it if it hits bare skin..It won't do any damage to you unless your huffing it or shooting it straight into your eyes but it is an acid so use your common sense.
Muriatic is in almost everything labeled "hull cleaner", if you go buy Muriatic from Lowes though you can get a gallon for $8 vs $40 for the watered down version at West Marine. Don't let me scare you off because I guarantee you that nothing will pull scum off better than it will. My $.02
Be sure to clean the boat over gravel, if you do it on concrete, wet the ground first or it'll leave spots where the acid hit it. Wouldn't hurt to wet the trailer too in case any overspray hits it.
source: cleaned boats everyday for 2 summers at a ski school
Posted on 12/10/14 at 6:28 am to MrBobDobalina
quote:
You need muriatic acid,
This. That stain is not water base. That is iron and other heavy metals that is in water. Due to no wax, the gelcoat sucks up.
They way I do it is buy a gallon of muriatic acid. Around $4-$5 a gallon at Homedepot. Used to clean bricks. I think it's 27%.
Rubber gloves are a must and used this in the open. Rinse down the trailer real good and keep it wet at all times.
With a clean rag and gloves on, wet out the rag with the acid and wipe it on the hull. It's going to smoke some. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and then rinse. Repeat as needed till all stains are gone. As bad as that, two or three times.
Wash everything with dawn dish soap. Wax the hell out of it after to close up the pours in the gelcoat.
This is how boat yards clean water lines and I been doing it for over 30 years.
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