Pressure Washers

Tejas · Mar 22, 2012

You might want to beware of how you use a pressure washer. A pressure washer can eat-up teak quite rapidly for example. Essentially -- use with discretion I think.

Clark · Mar 22, 2012

It depends some on whether you have shore power. We do at our marina and I have used a Karcher electric and it did fine. A word of caution, use the least pressure that will do the job and avoid spraying directly on your fittings. High water pressure can remove the sealant. Because of that, I don't use one regularly.

shemandr · Mar 22, 2012

As much as I love scrubbing with a brush and soapy water I have to think that a power washer will be an enviromentally preferrable way to lean a deck than soap and water - however biodegradable

Dan Johnson · Mar 22, 2012

Karcher...

Glenn, I use the smallest one Karcher makes, yesterday in fact. It's small size makes it easy to manuever on deck and carry about without fear of a hernia.

Soapy solution applied with a deck brush as usual, with lots of elbow action. Pressure washer used to rinse off soap and any residue. Adjustable setting on the most forceful, but never applied less than a foot of the surface. Caution mentioned about too much pressure removing caulking is quite true from past experience.

Pressure washer is great when on the hard for getting up under the rub rails (particularly on the H34's overhanging one) to dislodge all the spider nests and survivors of the mild winter. First shot of spray and the hull side looked like a miniture lesson in rock face repelling.

Also makes removing FSR easy after applying it along the waterline and on the bow "mustache".

Steve Dion · Mar 22, 2012

Pressure washers are a great way to clean the bird poo off the boat.

Be aware of the aformentioned interfaces bedded hardware & teak. These units will also do a good job of removing oxidation (not sure if this is environmentally friendly).

Just use it with discretion and warnings and you should be okay.

caguy · Mar 22, 2012

Go for it! I love mine. I have a 2500 psi gas driven washer. I has a 5.5 hp Honda motor. I lucked out at Home Depot. I bought it for $125. It was marked down about $100 because the box was opened. Someone bought it and returned it. Everything looked like it was there and the floor man reassured me that if it did not work I could return it. When I got it home I unpacked the box and found about $100 worth of accessories.
I bought it originally to wash my truck but found it works great on the boat. Like you I was hesitant to use it on the gel coat. I use the 15* spray tip and it cleans everything. I used it to strip the loose paint off the trailer and it remove all of the paint except the primer. I have used it to strip varnish off from teak after retreating with paint remover.
I especially have found it useful at the marina to wash the Cat 27. It has a 25 ft hose so I can do the whole boat without moving it. Our marina has coin operated wash stations that only take 1 quarter for 1 minute of water. I am able to fill up one of their 50 gallon water barrel that they use for trash cans. They put a liner in them so they stay clean. I can fill one up for 50 cents (takes it right to the brim. I take it back to my boat space in Mast-up on the tailgate. The first time I used an 12v water pump to supply water to the washer. The second time I used a sump pump laying around the garage to pump the water much easier to set up. It only uses about 2 gallons/minute so the barrel lasts about 1/2 hour.

rgranger · Mar 23, 2012

I have a honda, purchased it at Lowes. I LOVE IT! Once you own a pressure washer, you find all kinds of uses for it. It is frankly the best tool I have ever purchased. I wash my boats, cars, patio house etc. several times each year and they do a great job. My honda is now 6 years old, and the only maintenance I've had to do is change the oil and spark plug each season. Starts on second pull every time (first with the choke then she starts).

Don't use the red nozzle unless you want to etch something ... and even the green one will take the skin off of your foot if you are wearing flip flops while using it.

MrBill_FLL · Mar 23, 2012

be VERY careful of the high pressure washers on the gelkote. it can pit the gelkote if you blast it.

-not unlike blisters, the water goes into and past the gelkote, and can dislodge it.

Ends up looking like thousands of micro dots, that REALLY hold dirt.

bleach and sun > pressure washer

Gunni · Mar 23, 2012

There is a significant risk of an "injection injury" with these tools. More so if you are using a soap siphon attachment. A pressure washer can pierce your skin and inject nasty stuff right into your bloodstream. Feet are a prime injury, followed by the hand (silly user points nozzle at hand to see how powerful the spray may be).

Bill Roosa · Mar 23, 2012

Thanks Gunni
I'll remember to not try and bursh my teeth with it.

Personally I think you nailed it with "Silly user......" Natural selection at it's finest.
or as John Wayne said; "Life is tough, it is toughter if you're stupid"

and there is no cure for stupid

Bill Murray · Mar 23, 2012

Also.... Be careful decals and vinyl lettering and graphics. Pw is best way to remove vinyl! Also be careful of lines and canvas. You can cut through a line - fast and canvas is no match for it. Regarding pressure injection injuries.. These apply to anything driven by compressors... I lost a finger to gangrene caused by a high pressure injection accident. I was fortunate...originally docs said I would lose my hand. Be sure to wear real shoes with socks when working worth one of these things.

MrUnix · Mar 23, 2012

Bill Murray said:
Also.... Be careful decals and vinyl lettering and graphics. Pw is best way to remove vinyl

Unfortunately, it usually won't remove all of the decals if they have been on for a while.. only random chunks, which then requires further work to completely remove

Cheers,
Brad

PS: Yes, been there, done that!

Steve Dion · Mar 23, 2012

Actually the best tool I found for decal removal is a wall paper steamer. Then next best is the "eraser" that is used on a power drill.

Crazy Dave Condon · Mar 24, 2012

After five years of power washing a boat, a customer brought his boat in with the gel coat pitted not knowing what he had done wrong. As many have indicated, it is the pressure setting and of course nozzle. If you insist on using a water pressure, then turn the pressure way down using a wide spray nozzle. Boat yards love repairing the boats from use of high pressue equipment that owners used on their boats.

Crazy Dave

Benny17441 · Mar 25, 2012

I like those small electric units with a pressure that does not exceed 1200 psi. I use the tip which gives a wide spray and control the pressure by getting it closer or farther away

thinwater · Mar 26, 2012

I think some guys just love powe rtools. Warn as much as you want that it's the wrong tool for the job, they will still chose the power tool.

I too have seen damage done to everything a power washer can be used on. As far I I'm concerned they are for inside oil tanks and process equipment, concrete, and little else.

Ducati · Mar 26, 2012

Pressure Washer Works Like a Sander

Pressure washers do a great job of cleaning bird and spider crap. They also make quick work of destroying teak, dislodging the adhesive under deck fittings where water will find its way below and best of all, will put micro-pits on gelcoat. Later on you will appreciate the pressure washer as it washes all of the dirt and mold that is held in those micro-pits.

Get the one that has the highest pressure and you can even use it to create cool patterns or even engrave your name on the side of the hull.

Of course I'm kidding however I would never use a pressure washer on a boat because it does more damage (over the long term). I would invest in a light weight fabric tent to put over the boat when it's not in use.

rgranger · Mar 26, 2012

thinwater said:
I think some guys just love powe rtools. Warn as much as you want that it's the wrong tool for the job, they will still chose the power tool.

I too have seen damage done to everything a power washer can be used on. As far I I'm concerned they are for inside oil tanks and process equipment, concrete, and little else.

Are you guys serious? This thread kind of reminds me of the PDF thread we had last week... Yes! you can be an idiot with a pressure washer... or you can use the green nozzle, not get too close to the boat and do a great job of washing your boat quickly... and without all of the doom and gloom predictions we are hearing here. Maybe I should lanyard an EPIRB to my pressure washer and wear a safety harness when cutting my grass

Its a tool! Use it smartly and it makes your life better.

Lets start a thread on table saws next.

caguy · Mar 26, 2012

Perhaps a Mainesail Myth Buster demontration is in order.

rgranger said:
Are you guys serious? This thread kind of reminds me of the PDF thread we had last week... Yes! you can be an idiot with a pressure washer... or you can use the green nozzle, not get too close to the boat and do a great job of washing your boat quickly... and without all of the doom and gloom predictions we are hearing here. Maybe I should lanyard an EPIRB to my pressure washer and wear a safety harness when cutting my grass

Its a tool! Use it smartly and it makes your life better.

Lets start a thread on table saws next.

Thanks rgranger, Finally a voice of reason.
How about it MaineSail?

Pressure Washers

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