I am looking to buy some cleaning products for my boat. I would appreciate advice as to what cleans/protects te following surfaces best: 1. Teak 2. Non-Skid 3. Fiberglass Also I recently purchased a 2003 Precision 21. After leaving the boat for a few days, I went for a sail. When I opened up the cabin I noticed some brown, almost urine like stains on the boat floor. A quick search revealed that all hatchs and postholes were shut, but some sort of liquid had pooled next to the teak bulkheads. I could not find any leaks, and needless to say I am baffled. Does anyone have any ideas??? Thanks in adance for any input
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Sid R Ballantyne
Sweat
My guess is that the oil in your teak bulkhead has "sweated" out with condensation from the humidity in the air and run down on to the sole. I have noticed that if I splash my teak bulkheads that the water that runs off is a yellowish-brown as it takes off some of the oils that have been applied. Try running a dehumidifier to cut down on condensation.
My guess is that the oil in your teak bulkhead has "sweated" out with condensation from the humidity in the air and run down on to the sole. I have noticed that if I splash my teak bulkheads that the water that runs off is a yellowish-brown as it takes off some of the oils that have been applied. Try running a dehumidifier to cut down on condensation.
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R.W. Landau
Find the leak!
Will, You have a problem brewing. I think you should consider spending time with a hose. Chose a section of the boat and spray it with a hose until you find that leak. Finding the leak is the first thing. Now you need to evaluate the damage. If it is mast bolts , chain plates, hand rail, electric socket, or other fitting. Is the piece that is leaking in a cored portion of the boat. If you are not familiar with cored boats, let me try a brief explaination. Fiberglass is pretty strong. The thicker it is the stronger it is. So, the manufactures use fiberglass for the deck and the use a core( usually balsa or plywood.) to increase the thickness for strength. When a fitting that is connected through that portion leaks, is allows water into the core. Thus, the balsa or plywood gets wet. The brown color you see is most likely brown from the wood in the core. Water in the core could be rotting or may even berotted. Find the leak. Determine if the core is rotting or just wet. If it is wet, dry it out. If it is rotted, Look at Rick Ledgers recent post. When you find the leak, post again as to how to repair it. just my thoughts. r.w.landau
Will, You have a problem brewing. I think you should consider spending time with a hose. Chose a section of the boat and spray it with a hose until you find that leak. Finding the leak is the first thing. Now you need to evaluate the damage. If it is mast bolts , chain plates, hand rail, electric socket, or other fitting. Is the piece that is leaking in a cored portion of the boat. If you are not familiar with cored boats, let me try a brief explaination. Fiberglass is pretty strong. The thicker it is the stronger it is. So, the manufactures use fiberglass for the deck and the use a core( usually balsa or plywood.) to increase the thickness for strength. When a fitting that is connected through that portion leaks, is allows water into the core. Thus, the balsa or plywood gets wet. The brown color you see is most likely brown from the wood in the core. Water in the core could be rotting or may even berotted. Find the leak. Determine if the core is rotting or just wet. If it is wet, dry it out. If it is rotted, Look at Rick Ledgers recent post. When you find the leak, post again as to how to repair it. just my thoughts. r.w.landau
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Geoffrey Jackson
Cleaners for gelcoat and nonskid
Try the Island Girl products. Their "pink" cleaner did a great job - when used full strength - of cleaning old (1975) nonskid that had crud embedded in tiny pits and crevices. Other cleaners I tried were not effective. I did not want to resort to using rubbing compound as some people recommended. I use a few drops in a bucket of water for washing the boat. This works just as well as the 1/4 cup or so of the usual boat wash stuff you buy at the marine supply chain stores.
Try the Island Girl products. Their "pink" cleaner did a great job - when used full strength - of cleaning old (1975) nonskid that had crud embedded in tiny pits and crevices. Other cleaners I tried were not effective. I did not want to resort to using rubbing compound as some people recommended. I use a few drops in a bucket of water for washing the boat. This works just as well as the 1/4 cup or so of the usual boat wash stuff you buy at the marine supply chain stores.
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Tom Monroe
f/u to geoffrey
Just to tag on here, the pink island girl stuff and the heavier duty stuff that you don't wash off really work great for removing chaulking and restoring gelcoat. And the sealer they sell works great also for sealing the surface afterwards. But I haven't been real happy with their wax. It wipes on and looks great, but it's WAY too slick and a great way to promote swimming from your boat. And, it has a kind of greasy surface so every dead bug in the world sticks to your boat. They just spray off, but still looks terrible. So ... I now use a regular boat wax afterwards. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
Just to tag on here, the pink island girl stuff and the heavier duty stuff that you don't wash off really work great for removing chaulking and restoring gelcoat. And the sealer they sell works great also for sealing the surface afterwards. But I haven't been real happy with their wax. It wipes on and looks great, but it's WAY too slick and a great way to promote swimming from your boat. And, it has a kind of greasy surface so every dead bug in the world sticks to your boat. They just spray off, but still looks terrible. So ... I now use a regular boat wax afterwards. Tom Monroe Carlyle Lake
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Debra B
Teak - start with salt water
If you have grey teak - start with a bucket of salt water. You would be surprised. Then go up to the soap and bleach. This works as well as the 1 part cleaners you can buy. Be VERY careful of the 2 part cleaners. This is an acid and a neutralizer. They will eat at the teak, and they can stain the deck. If you do use them, then wear rubber gloves.
If you have grey teak - start with a bucket of salt water. You would be surprised. Then go up to the soap and bleach. This works as well as the 1 part cleaners you can buy. Be VERY careful of the 2 part cleaners. This is an acid and a neutralizer. They will eat at the teak, and they can stain the deck. If you do use them, then wear rubber gloves.
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Gord May
Acid - Caustic?
Debra B: I believe the 2-Part Teak cleaners are "Caustic" (the exact opposite of acid), and neutralizer. It would make a huge difference to anyone contemplating making their own. Gord
Debra B: I believe the 2-Part Teak cleaners are "Caustic" (the exact opposite of acid), and neutralizer. It would make a huge difference to anyone contemplating making their own. Gord
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