How to seal fibreglass deck after cleaning?

[Cruiser1]

By deck I mean all the deck including the moulded non-skid areas. Not worried about the topside or the bottom of the hull at this stage - topside is reasonably clean and in good condition and the bottom is antifouled.

I currently wash the deck with Starbrite "Non Skid Deck Cleaner with PTEF" and I am very happy with the results. The only problem left, after washing, is some ingrown mould in the gelcoat (mainly in the flat areas rather than the moulded non skid) and I find this comes off easily by rubbing with melamine foam pads (sold under various trade brands "Magic Eraser", Doktor Power", etc). The melamine foam also works on the non-skid but this tends to give the foam a hard time and I am not sure that it does to the sharp points of the non skid gelcoat much good.

I don't imagine the protection offered by the small amount of Teflon in the Non Skid Deck Cleaner would last very long. My question is:

"What do I use to seal the gelcoat against oxidation and UV once it is actually clean?

I have read Maine Sails excellent article on "Essential Tips for a Great Buff / Wax" and have no doubt that this is the way to go with the topsides (between waterline and rub rail) of the hull, however I am not at all clear about actually sealing the deck so that it will be:
1. Non slippery to walk on after treatment
2. Long lasting, as in at least 4 months and preferably 6 or more months.
3. Well protected from oxidisation and UV damage.

I have read many opinions about using the various (what appear to be) carnauba wax based products such as Collinite 885/845 / 855 / 925 / Insulator Wax/Fleetwax, Aurora "Sure Step", "Woody Wax", and (what appear to be) synthetic products such as Island Girl "SB Superglaze" and Island Girl "Non Skid Deck Sealant".

Is there a downside to using carnauba wax on the deck or is it the only way to go?

Currently I use Finesse It II and then Nu Finish on the topside and I am very happy with those products. If I used those on the deck and non skid (ie. Finesse It II and then Nu Finish) would it end up too slippery?? eg. shiny floors in a hospital are not necessarily slippery??.

Can I polish the deck and then use carnauba wax over the top to seal it??

 

[navigator97]

On the non-skid areas I have used Aurora Marine "Sure Step". It polishes the non- skid with out losing traction. You don't gain traction, but don't lose it. Aurora is a Canadian company and found on web - I think at auroramarine.com. Check them out. They ship. Products used to be available here in New England, but I can't find them here any more.

 

[BobM]

I was thinking the same thing...

Some have used Penetrol to seal their decks. It is a paint conditioner readily available at hardware stores. But it evaporates and is only good for a season. Apparently you just paint it on and it soaks in.

Woodywax is another product that, although a wax, does not create a slippery surface. It does have to be buffed off. I also have used the

Aurora Sure Step sounds interesting too.

An easy to apply product (comes in spray or as a liquid) is Gel-gloss. I have used it to shine up my cockpit in the past, but again, it doesn't last long. I haven't done any horizontal surfaces with it though. It has to be buffed off too. I have used it on fiberglass tubs / shower stalls. Looks good and the spray is easy to apply, but again, only lasts a couple of months. It is a cleaner/wax that leaves a thin coat of carnuba wax behind.

In any case, given the neglect, I should polish my deck before I apply anything. Given everything I have to do this year that won't happen. Woody wax is spray on, which is a plus and I have a battery powered Ryobi buffer I can use on the mooring in a pinch.


I think I will

For vertical surfaces (obviously) you can just polish and wax them.

 

[Cruiser1]

On the non-skid areas I have used Aurora Marine "Sure Step". It polishes the non- skid with out losing traction. You don't gain traction, but don't lose it. Aurora is a Canadian company and found on web - I think at auroramarine.com. Check them out. They ship. Products used to be available here in New England, but I can't find them here any more.

Thanks navigator, I keep reading both positive and negative reports about most products and it gets difficult to know which way to go. The following thread threw some doubt on the use of "Sure Step" - the problem is that one never knows the full background behind a lot of comment
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=128995&highlight=cleaning+skid

Some have used Penetrol to seal their decks. ..............

.......Woodywax is another product that, although a wax, does not create a slippery surface. It does have to be buffed off. I also have used the ...............

.......An easy to apply product (comes in spray or as a liquid) is Gel-gloss. I have used it to shine up my cockpit in the past, but again, it doesn't last long. .............

.......In any case, given the neglect, I should polish my deck before I apply anything ............

.......For vertical surfaces (obviously) you can just polish and wax them. .

Thanks Bob,
Penatrol: I have read a number of threads saying to keep Penatrol and WD40 away from fibreglass as they have a dissolving effect on the underlying structure over time.

Woody Wax: Yes lots of positive support for Woody Wax as long as it is applied correctly. I get the feeling that those who have problems with it may not have applied it correctly.

Gel Gloss: Yes I will have a look at the background on this one, but yes the lack of staying ability appears to be a problem with lots of products.

Polishing decks: Yes I am almost thinking of going that way, at least on the flat surfaces, as oppossed to the moulded non skid. I gather if you thoroughly buff and then apply wax (and buff that) you will get "shiny" but not necessarily "slippery".

Vertical Surfaces: Yes I am thinking of polishing all verticle deck surfaces with 3M Finesse It II paste and then going over than with Nu Finish. Long term I will eventually do the 'Full Montey' (or as you guys might say 'The whole ball of wax') and polish the topsides and verticle surfaces according to Maine Sails recommendations.
http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=79354&highlight=cleaning+skid

At this stage I am just trying to resolve what to seal the deck with after cleaning. At this stage, using one of the Collinite Waxes (not sure which one though) is attracing me the most, but still not sure.

 

[Steve Dion]

Island Girl & Woody Wax both have non-skid sealants.

http://www.myboatstore.com/woodywax...&kw=woodywax&gclid=CJndxsjvv7ACFQ-AhwodQjKJpw

http://islandgirlshop.enstore.com/browse/1

 

[Cruiser1]

Island Girl & Woody Wax both have non-skid sealants.

http://www.myboatstore.com/woodywax...&kw=woodywax&gclid=CJndxsjvv7ACFQ-AhwodQjKJpw

http://islandgirlshop.enstore.com/browse/1

Thanks Steve,
Do you know if there is any downside to waxing a deck?
Does it cause problems later on when using deck sealants on fittings or when cutting back the fibreglass to start a new polishing job?
If you are going to cut the fibreglass back again do you need any special preparations to take the old wax off first?

 

[BobM]

review article

http://www.myboatstore.com/woodywaxarticle.asp

 

[Cruiser1]

http://www.myboatstore.com/woodywaxarticle.asp

Thanks, Makes an interesting read Bob. Would be good to find an evaluation of how long the various waxes last.

I was interested to see that they compared Star Brite Non Skid Deck Cleaner with the other 2 that are purely waxes (and not cleaners). Perhaps I Should just wash my deck with Star Brite Non Skid Deck Cleaner after compounding and polishing and just leave it at that - although I find it hard to believe it would last anywhere near as long as a straight pure wax. The Star Brite it certainly much quicker to apply!

 

[Steve Dion]

Thanks Steve,
Do you know if there is any downside to waxing a deck?
Does it cause problems later on when using deck sealants on fittings or when cutting back the fibreglass to start a new polishing job?
If you are going to cut the fibreglass back again do you need any special preparations to take the old wax off first?

I would not have any issues with using these products that are made for non-skid. I would shy away from anything that is not made for this purpose.

 

[BobM]

Seems like the ticket is to polish your deck to freshen it up then Woody Wax it to protect it and aid traction. The Starbrite is a pretty good deck cleaner. I tried it last year and bought it again this year. It smells a lot like simple green but does not suds up as much.
Like or not most of this stuff has the same chemistry going on.

 

[johey]

I have mixed feeling about Penetrol. I used it in a small area with great results (aside from a very slight yellowing). I then thoroughly washed the deck, getting it very clean and applied Penetrol after letting it dry for about 6 hours in the summer heat. This was not long enough, the Pentrol blocked a moisture layer which got moldy, making the application look quite horrible. Getting it back off of vertical surfaces wasn't too bad with a very stiff brush mounted on a drill and lots of baking soda, the non-skid was impossible. I spent a season in the tropics, where it slowly started to evaporate. Three years later, it's pretty much gone. It clearly sealed and protected the fiberglass so I'm a bit tempted to repeat it -- but would thoroughly let the deck dry (a week?) first.

 

[tailwind]

Try cleaning with Spic & Span. It gets rid of the mildew in the gelcoat and non skid. It will be gone by the next day.

 

[AXEL]

I've noticed I posted in some of those links. Again, have used Woody Wax, expensive and doesn't last very long (1 - 2 months). I use Sure Step. Cost is about the same as Woody (Sure Step requires 2 coats), more labor involved. Lasts the whole season. My deck will bead water into the next season. Red wine too!

 

[dparilla]

We used PoliGrit (from the poli glow guys) this spring. Has a very fine grit in the part A solution, followed by a clear sealant (part B). It sealed the non skid beautifully, gave it a shine and a nice sure footing. In the past we have used Woody Wax, and tested it on a small corner of the deck that had been treated with poli grit with no ill effects. Your mileage may vary, but both products worked well for us.