Best way to clean up dried fish guts and blood?

kappykaplan · Jul 17, 2016

GGordonWoody · Jul 17, 2016

For the record, I'm a big fan of the claymore solution, just need to keep them angled away from your rigging. Hey, how about Hydrogen peroxide? I know the hospitals use it, not sure what strength they have, but Marsha says it does a good job on the gowns.

CloudDiver · Jul 17, 2016

Use regular soap or detergent of your choice, let it soak, get up the majority of the mess. Softscrub with bleach does wonders on white fiberglass/non skid. If the blood stains don't come off with Softscrub, wipe with acetone. Don't worry, the acetone won't harm your nonskid or gelcoat. If it gets dull you can polish it with fine rubbing compound. The acetone will de-wax, so its good to wax again. Also, a good waxing will prevent future 'guts' and bird crap from actually sticking, easier to just hose off.

P.S. A good tip for all, stop wasting your money on 'marine' cleaners. You are paying double or even triple the price for 'off the shelf' products that can be found at Walmart or Home Depot!

Rich Stidger · Jul 17, 2016

If you are unfortunate enough to get the blood and guts on your canvas, see the Sunbrella site. They have a chart of stains and removal solutions for nearly every stain imaginable.

All U Get · Jul 17, 2016

You have to move the boat more often. They won't follow you more than 5 or 10 miles. If you keep moving you might decide you like cruising.

All U Get

woodster · Jul 17, 2016

kappykaplan said:
Ask @woodster .

use what stu jackson and i use lysol mold and mildew blaster in the purple container

rgranger · Jul 17, 2016

Barkeepers friend... (or any other oxalic acid product) It even gets off the tannin stains on the bootstrap.

Great stuff... love it.

Paul Mermelstein · Jul 17, 2016

My wife found that using OxiClean does a good job on many organic stains including blood and red wine. It's not expensive and easily available at the supermarket.

Jacktar · Jul 17, 2016

cascade dishwasher gel and half cup of regular 3% hydrogen peroxide, let soak for few minutes , scrub with stiff brush and hose off. repeat as needed, will not mess with wax, but note most sailors do not wax the non skid anyway

bharney · Jul 18, 2016

On-off removes almost all stains, great product except for the toxic fumes, be careful and wear gloves

Bob S · Jul 18, 2016

I would not use OnOff on the topside.

MattObjects · Jul 19, 2016

We too have osprey problems (and duck problems and heron problems and occasional bald eagle problems). So far, the best thing I have found has been the Lysol wipes with the micro-scrubbers on one side. I sometimes drape a damp wipe over the really dried on bits and leave it there for a few minutes. When I come back, the moisture and cleaning product in the wipe will have softened what is underneath so it can be removed. The wipes also work wonders for blood stains on gel coat as well as stains from flies local to our area that seem to die by the thousands on our gel coat after their mating season, each leaving a bright green stain behind as a reminder of their passing.

If you find some way to keep the birds off the boat to begin with, please clue me in. I've got a fake owl and holographic ribbons strung up, and am thinking about some kind of motion-detector-equipped water cannon . . .

WayneH · Jul 19, 2016

MattObjects said:
If you find some way to keep the birds off the boat to begin with, please clue me in. I've got a fake owl and holographic ribbons strung up, and am thinking about some kind of motion-detector-equipped water cannon . . .

A friend of mine swears by his two plastic iguanas. One stays in the cockpit and the other suns on the coachtop. I prefer being tied up next to a taller mast. ;D Upwind, of course.

marke14 · Jul 19, 2016

That is brilliant, Wayne! I am making note of these various tips.

Stu Jackson · Jul 19, 2016

bharney said:
On-off removes almost all stains, great product except for the toxic fumes, be careful and wear gloves

This stuff should be banned from the marketplace, at least the liquid, vs. the gel, version. Better to use FSR. Less harmful to humans, of which I am sure you are among.

Stu Jackson · Jul 19, 2016

MattObjects said:
If you find some way to keep the birds off the boat to begin with, please clue me in.

BoatUS has an extensive archive of anti-bird ideas.

MattObjects · Jul 20, 2016

WayneH said:
A friend of mine swears by his two plastic iguanas. One stays in the cockpit and the other suns on the coachtop. I prefer being tied up next to a taller mast. ;D Upwind, of course.

In our mooring field, mast height does not seem to be a factor. The birds seem to prefer the boats least affected by the wakes from passing power boats. At 8.5 tons with a full keel, our boat shrugs off waves that send boats near us bouncing--and that send birds flying from those boats onto the relative stability of our boat.

I like the plastic iguana idea.

Gunni · Jul 20, 2016

A Maryland starling (one of the sh*tin'ist birds on earth) wouldn't know, or fear an iguana if it grabbed him by his stubby tailfeathers! And an Osprey would see a lizard as suitable lunch. I am experimenting with rubber snakes but the UV turns them to dust in no time. Birds don't like snakes, or boats that move.