UV Damage to Seadog Dorade Cowl Vents

[sailcapt340]

This is what UV rays have done to my cowl vents. These are just 2 years old. Previously the same cowls (Seadog) were 8 years old. I replaced those because they had gotten brittle. All in all, since new (2000) I have replaced these 2 times.
I did try to install stainless cowls, but the 3 inch opening in the deck plate is not the same. This would require trying to widen the opening about 1/8 inch more. Not particularly easy given the age of the deck and possibly causing more damage to the surrounding areas.
So I gave up on that idea and resigned myself to just replacing them with what fits.
I use Dow 303 as a coating to try to prevent UV damage, or at least hold it off.
What are you using to stave off UV rays from damaging your deck parts?
Are there better products available today?
They’re reasonable enough to replace when needed and I’m not looking to make these last for the next 20 years, but 2 years seems off to me.
Thank you for the guidance.

 

[shemandr]

I don't know what Dow 303 is but I'd ditch it. It clearly didn't work.

 

[dmax]

I had similar results, though not as bad as yours, where the cowls looked terrible after 2 - 3 years. I was going to clean them up and paint them with flexible spray paint but ended up selling the boat and new boat doesn't have them. I would paint new ones before putting them on the boat, I think they'd look good for several years and could probably be re-painted a few times. They paint the insides red typically on those and it holds up ok.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I tried sanding them. It didnt' look great but it was an improvement. I like the idea of paint

 

[dmax]

I've used Rustoleum plastic spray paint on numerous plastic bits exposed to the sun and weather with excellent results.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I recommend Paint Brush & Roller Cleaner. I've owned boats since 1983 and have tried everything: sanding, acetone, never paint.

One day when walking down my dock I saw a skipper cleaning his fenders. He poured this stuff on a rag and gently wiped his filthy fender and it just cleaned up, no rubbing, no heavy duty effort at all. Turned out he was a boat maintenance guy who'd seen it all.

I have been using this stuff for decades. It works on fenders AND dorades. Give it a try, you'll be glad you did. I have also been posting about it here and on our C34 Forum for a long time.

 

[Allan12210]

That was something I dealt with for a number of years. My dorade cowls would weather and look pretty shabby. A light sanding and repainting with vinyl flexible paint and they looked good as new for 2-3 more years. The UV is tough on everything, but this was a realtively easy restoration. My vents were 5 in diameter. They quit making those a long time ago so I needed to preserve what I had for 35 years. Also, they got kind of droopy. I forgot who it was, but someone on the forum suggested putting a piece of copper wire inside them to preserve their shape. Somehow I had some of that wire and it worked like a charm.

I believe the 303 is a liquid coating for Sunbrella canvas to make it waterproof and UV resistantant. As you have found, it's not too effective for that. Make sure you can really clean them as that material may have silicone in it and your new paint may not stick.

 

[sailcapt340]

I was going to paint them but they are too sticky. To the point when you hold them your hands get just as sticky. This pair is done. Thank you all for the help.

 

[rgranger]

I recommend Paint Brush & Roller Cleaner. I've owned boats since 1983 and have tried everything: sanding, acetone, never paint.

One day when walking down my dock I saw a skipper cleaning his fenders. He poured this stuff on a rag and gently wiped his filthy fender and it just cleaned up, no rubbing, no heavy duty effort at all. Turned out he was a boat maintenance guy who'd seen it all.

I have been using this stuff for decades. It works on fenders AND dorades. Give it a try, you'll be glad you did. I have also been posting about it here and on our C34 Forum for a long time.

Inquiring minds want to know... what is "this stuff"?

 

[Allan12210]

Inquiring minds want to know... what is "this stuff"?

Stoddard solvent? It has a unique smell.

 

[Allan12210]

I was going to paint them but they are too sticky. To the point when you hold them your hands get just as sticky. This pair is done. Thank you all for the help.

Usually acetone takes care of that. I think it's just the plasticizer leaching out. Painting afterward seemed to control it later. The same thing happened to my power cord and vinyl coated lifelines. I put my power cord inside a woven polypropylene sleeve to prevent it from transferring to the deck. Hubble used to sell it. I see it on Amazon although usually in black. The 1-3/8 inch diameter let's you compress it to fit over the plug ends and you just milk it back tight and tape the ends. The lifelines needed an annual acetone wipe down.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Inquiring minds want to know... what is "this stuff"?

Paint brush & roller cleaner

Usually acetone takes care of that. I

This stuff ^^^ is better and easier to use than acetone.