Deck cleaning

[Peter Ennis]

I'm geeting a little tired of scrubbing bird and spider detritis, dirt and scuff marks from my deck and cockpit with soap and brush - especially on brutally hot Chesapeake summer days. Sailing is supposed to be fun but this is hard labor. Simply hosing the boat down doesn't seem to get the surface clean. Anyone have a good system for making light work of this onerous chore. I was thinking about a power washer/compressor - they can be had for < $100 and can be fitted with a soap dispenser and wide angle nozzle but I'm afraid the high pressure will damage the fiberglass or any coating that may be on it.

Thanks, in advance, for the help.

Peter

 

[Tom Spohn]

I have reasonable results with a high pressure washer--without the soap. For a few weeks in the fall when the birds are eating the local blackberries I have blue stains that are difficult to remove. I found however that if I just blast off the solid mess the sun will bleach the stains out in a few days.

 

[Ross]

You need a deck hand. The captain doesn't swab the decks. What are you thinking?

 

[Steve Dion]

I would suggest that you take a look at cleaning and sealing your non-skid.

There are several options out there. One that I am familiar with is the Island Girl (IG) System. You can power wash the non-skid first. Then you scrub it with the IG Pink. This will hlep remove the oxidation. Then you use their non-skid sealer. It does NOT prevent the bird/spider crap, but it make removal easier.

 

[XPatriot]

Powerwashers tend to put moisture where it shouldn't be. Decks, siding and boats all look better, but what hairline crack or seam now has water permanently forced into it?

 

[Stu Jackson]

I have no problems like this in our marina. However, we did buy a deck brush that rotates from water pressure and includes a soap dispenser.

Be creative, check out an ACE hardware or Home Depot and see what they have.

Sealing the deck makes a lot of sense. It's what I would do if I had to.

I would also do a search on "bird" and "poop" (really!) on this message board, great earlier discussions.

Join the Audubon Society if you must...

 

[Steve Dion]

Stu:

The Audubon Society IS the problem.

 

[RECESS]

A fellow sailor at our yacht club turned us on to Totally Awesome. I am no fan of the spiders, but this makes very short work of their mess. Spray it on, very little brushing, and hose off. Never break a sweat. Works well on the getting of that pine pollen too. It is biodegradable and contains no bleach or ammonia. I doubt it has no marine pollutants, but it seems to better than most choices.

 

[lfisher53]

I agree with RECESS. This stuff really works well for cleaning the deck.

 

[Ross]

carpet cleaner is very effective.

 

[catsailor]

Wear dark glasses.

Seriously, is a boat a trophy or a tool to sail? It will not own me.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2010/03/seven-sins-i-will-not-commit-this.html

 

[DougM]

I used a clorox product which seems to be a mild soap with just a little bit of bleach in it (supposedly as a disinfectant). I just wet the deck, brushed on some of the solution, let it set for a few minutes and hosed it off before it dried. All evidence of a coordinated seagull bombing mission disappeared...

 

[shemandr]

Steve,
Have you actually used the Island Girl products? I have them sitting in a bag because I was afraid to use them after reading the instructions.
How old was the boat you used them on, how were the results and how has it held up?

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Totally Awesom is fantastic!

You get it from Dollar General for $1.00 for the spray bottle like is shown above. For $3.00 you get a half gallon refill. Spray it on, let it sit for a minute and hose it off - most is gone. Spot spray again on the hardest spots and they are gone. Went over my boat in about 30 minutes last weekend after two weeks away and very clean.

I pressure wash and wax at the beginning of each season, but use light pressure washing and don't get too close. Use Woodywax over the deck and non-skid and replenish about once a month.

 

[Steve Dion]

I have used the Island Girl Pink to remove the oxidation and used one of the waxes (simply brilliant) with good success.

I have not done the non-skid treatment, but one of the fellows in the harbor has done it and commented about the good results on his non-skid. He said you "Just hose the bird crap away".

If you look at the video's it does a better job of explaining how to use the products. I suggest that you give it a try.