Boat Wash!

[Simon Sexton]

Brian,
Good morning! On my Catalina I use biodegradable boat soap that is sold for cheap at West Marine and other boating related stores; it comes in a clear plastic bottle and is usually pink. It works, but I do have a problem with it: It is impossible to rinse it all off. I have spent hours on end rinsing and rinsing and the suds just keep coming; this means the soap dries onto the fiberglass fast, and if you don't rinse it right away, you'll be stuck with a bunch of lines and spots where the soap dried. This is solved by going back over the surface with a high-pressure hose nozzle or pressure washer, but as for now I've just resolved to magic erasers. I bought a few boxes of them, and they work great for cleaning off mold, dirt, algae, and scuff marks.
Hope this helps!

God Bless,
S.S.

 

[pateco]

Is it really possible to clean without taking off wax?
Even water wears down wax.
- Will (Dragonfly)

I agree with Captain Bob

Meguires car soap with carnuba wax mixed with water (a little stronger than used on a car) and a scrub brush will clean off the dirt and leave a little wax. Only enough wax to protect but is not slippery.

This is what I use $6.97 at Wallmart

Meguiar's® Gold Class™ Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner is a rich and luxurious product designed to both wash and condition paint in one easy step. The premium formula gently foams away tough dirt, road grime and contaminants without compromising wax protection.

 

[Whatfiero1]

Mop n glow. But the dollar store brand. Been using for 30 yrs leaves it nice and shiny with no slippery service

 

[william24424]

Starbrite boat cleaner works well. I followed up with Woody Wax on the entire surface, including the non-skid...followed the instructions, was slippery at first, but the next day the nonskid property returned. So far, looks acceptable for a 1988 fiberglass deck.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Specially the brand of the soap or whatever you use.

When it comes to spring washing, everything's got to go. Bird crap, otter crap, oxidized gel coat, and old wax. I've had good luck with .............

.............. for getting rid of most everything. The mild abrasive is not enough to bother the gel coat.

For lightly oxidized gel coat, I've found that ..................

.................. does a good job.

After that, it's whatever wax turns your crank.

During the summer, it's just water and a long handled brush. Grand kids are somewhat helpful until the first one falls over the side.

 

[Brian D]

This is very interesting. I guess I expected to see a consensus on a detergent, but all I got was water. LOL No, really, it is good to see the variety of products being used. I am gonna try some of them I think.

I use Simply Green and have had the bottle since I purchased the boat in 2005. So I guess that shows how much I wash the boat. I use the Meguiars Ultimate Wash and Wax on my car and like it. Never thought of using it on the boat. Hmmm...

 

[Calif. Ted]

I use a checkbook to pay the guy that cleans it every 2 weeks.
Ever notice how good fire engines usually look ? They get rinsed with clear water and chamois dried 2 to 4 times a day and waxed quarterly, if REALLY dirty you might be permitted to use Ivory soap flakes in some clear water.
If I never wash or wax anything the rest of my life it's ok by me.

 

[JamesG161]

I use 2 neighborhood kids.

For best results serve lunch.
Jim...

 

[Ward H]

IMAR Boat Wash as recommended by Main Sail.

 

[Sailm8]

Turtle Wax car wash. Does not remove wax (so it says). For spot cleaning, bird poop, stains, etc. I use dollar store toilet bowl cleaner.

 

[Meriachee]

Collinite. Best stuff yet.

 

[Brian D]

Meriachee, I want to wash my boat, not wax it. Do they make a wash formulae?

 

[Meriachee]

920 cleaner is great stuff, except it evaporates really fast. You’re right about the wax. Oh my.

 

[NYSail]

My wife washes the boat. WM boatsoap..... a splash of bleach for the fall bird. We have a deal.... I keep her running and floating, she makes her pretty. Although nobody on the docks ever see me working and wonder what’s up..... and I always seem to go up top with s nice cold one when she is halfway through and the neighbors walk up. I am in charge though of the cockpit closed cell foam cushions.... on the dock with simple green and a brush.

 

[Will Gilmore]

I keep her running and floating, she makes her pretty.

Who scrubs the green off below the waterline? When people walk by, who do they see with mask and snorkel and stiff bristled brush in hand? Maybe you use a SCUBA tank so you don't spoil the effect? I mean, standing at the toe rail with a cold one while telling the wife in the water with scrub brush, "you missed a spot over there," would REALLY leave your audience with an impression.
Or, it could be your wife's secret plan gather sympathy for being abused.
We all know who's really in charge.

- Will ("conspiracy theorist", Dragonfly)

 

[NYSail]

Ha..... yea she helped me clean the bottom once but when she saw all the little critters all over her she refused to ever do it again. So one more on me...... or my friend the scuba diver!

 

[thinwater]

I'd like to think I own the boat, not the other way around. Other than rain, she gets a bath 1-2 times per year.

However, in the process of selling my boat, and with about a dozen products to try, I sought out perfection. I like Sudbury Boat Zope. Very little is used (about on cap per gallon) and if allowed to stand for a few minutes, it removes everything, including old bird crap.

 

[danstanford]

I have tried lots of different environmentally friendly soaps that didn't work very well then I saw a buddy use his power washer. I brought my pressure washer down and the boat looked the best it ever has. Be careful around the sealed and soft edges and go to town. The best part is that it is only water, no soap run-off!
Dan

 

[Will Gilmore]

Definitely no wax after that cleaning. No zebra muscles either so,
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[thinwater]

No one that has ever faced a wet core or rebedding deck hardware would allow a power washer on deck. I've used them plenty, but not near anything that didn't need blown apart. I've seen them do ugly things to practically every surface. Their primary redeeming feature is that they are fast.

The main trick with soap is age old. Slop it on, get it wet, and let it soak a few minutes. Only then work do your way around the boat. I think you will find it is just as fast as a pressure wash, does a better job, and does less damage. You won't see the high pressure water shoot under the bedding and cause a leak. It won't leak for months, perhaps.

But what's the point? I'd sooner leave it dirty than risk damage. Are we so girly that a smudge bothers anyone?