Tough landing...

Mar 3, 2008
188
Hunter 356 Lake Stockton
Recently, in the process of making a windy entrance into our slip, I managed to drag the starboard portlite along the corner bumper thus leaving a white paint smear on the portlite plexi. What is a safe cleaner to remove said smear without damaging the pleaxi?

Thank you for your comments.
 

splax

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Nov 12, 2012
692
Hunter 34 Portsmouth
The white smear could be damage to the Plexi, in which case you might be able to polish it out with jeweler's compound.
 
Jan 22, 2008
1,654
Hunter 34 Alameda CA
You can use a headlight restoration kit available at any auto parts store. it comes with the polishing compound and a foam buffer you chuck into your drill. Its around $10.00.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Start with soft stuff first. It is most likely just dirt from the edge of the dock rubber fender. I find acetone works on my hull for those scrapes. In your case, start with Simple Green, then soft scrub or barkeeper's friend (which are very mild abrasives), before you get ever more aggressive. Good luck.
 
May 13, 2011
420
Hunter 40.5 Legend Jupiter
Start with soft stuff first. It is most likely just dirt from the edge of the dock rubber fender. I find acetone works on my hull for those scrapes. In your case, start with Simple Green, then soft scrub or barkeeper's friend (which are very mild abrasives), before you get ever more aggressive. Good luck.

Stu, Bon Ami is like barkeepers friend - not sure if you're aware? Its great stuff and always manages to removes scuffs on my boat without doing any damage. Well worth having on board imho. I also use it to scrub my non skid by spreading it straight from the tin and scrubbing with a stiff brusy - works really really well.

Its a natural cleaner as far as I'm aware which is always a good thing.

I'm not sure why I prefer it over barkeepers friend - I'm sure I read something somewhere that had me buying it instead.

Anyway, I believe publix currently has a deal on it as I have around 5 cans in the boot of my car due to that! :D

http://www.bonami.com/index.php/products/powder_cleanser/

I like it but just my 2 pence worth :)

Either way don't forget to wax back over the area.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,988
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Recently, in the process of making a windy entrance into our slip, I managed to drag the starboard portlite along the corner bumper thus leaving a white paint smear on the portlite plexi. What is a safe cleaner to remove said smear without damaging the pleaxi?

Thank you for your comments.

If it's just paint then why not use turpentine and a soft applicator? After that, buff with Plexus cleaner/polisher. If not turpentine for paint removal [b/c it's not paint], then I'd try the acetone as Stu suggested to remove the sticky, smearing gunk that accumulates on dock fenders and that glues itself to your hull with minimal contact!
 
Dec 14, 2003
1,393
Hunter 34 Lake of Two Mountains, QC, Can
If the portlite is lexan or similar product, acetone will mar the surface permanently.
 
Jul 7, 2004
25
Hunter 35 Augusta Sailing Club and Boca Chica
+1 Be very careful using acetone on a boat. In addition to eating most plastics on contact, de-fatting your skin, generally ruining plexiglas and lexan, the stuff is extremely flammable! Unless you're doing fiberglas work on the boat, I can't think of a reason to let it on a boat IMHO!
 

splax

.
Nov 12, 2012
692
Hunter 34 Portsmouth
jeweler's rouge is a milder abrasive than toothpaste, which is about as abrasive as the headlight polishing compound recommended above
I would not use any other of the items mentioned on plexiglass, such as Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend or Soft Scrub, which are fine cleaners for glass or porcelain or stainless steel
 

Mark48

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Mar 1, 2008
166
Hunter 34 Milwaukee
As to where to get buffing coumpunds (jewler's rouge) go to your local auto parts store.
 

eianm

.
Jul 7, 2010
517
Hunter 42 Sydney
Guys- by far the safest way to start is to simply use a good quality polish- in many cases these marks will polish off/out- no harm in trying this first- far less damage to plexiglass to have to repair later!
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
If the portlite is lexan or similar product, acetone will mar the surface permanently.
clean lexan/plexiglass with alcohol only no other chemical will work without damage...also use novis or mirror glaze polish for plexiglass
 
Mar 5, 2013
50
Hunter 45CC Lake Erie, Sandusky Bay
Stu, Bon Ami is like barkeepers friend - not sure if you're aware? Its great stuff and always manages to removes scuffs on my boat without doing any damage. Well worth having on board imho. I also use it to scrub my non skid by spreading it straight from the tin and scrubbing with a stiff brusy - works really really well. Its a natural cleaner as far as I'm aware which is always a good thing. I'm not sure why I prefer it over barkeepers friend - I'm sure I read something somewhere that had me buying it instead. Anyway, I believe publix currently has a deal on it as I have around 5 cans in the boot of my car due to that! :D http://www.bonami.com/index.php/products/powder_cleanser/ I like it but just my 2 pence worth :) Either way don't forget to wax back over the area.
You said, "rewax area after". What do you do when you use it on the nonskid? Do you use it as a weekly cleaning material?