Yellowing gel coat

[Dmac336]

As last season wore on (northeast seasonal sailor), my hull developed yellowing close to the water line....upon hauling, I tried lots of remedies but only Marykate on/off eliminated the yellow. Question is, as I prep to drop this season, is there any advice on what I can do, in terms of Hull prep/ wax type etc, to prevent a return of the yellow? I was told that the more you use on/ off, the more the yellow will return as it damages the gel coat?.....Thanks, in advance , for your thoughts.

 

[captainpat]

Usually all of the rust stain removing products use oxalic acid as the active ingredient - ON/OFF, FSR, Barkeeper's Friend, etc. If left to remain on the surface too long it can damage the gel-coat. The trick is not to let it remain on the surface. Rinse thoroughly with a hose stream of fresh water and you should be fine. The brown waterline staining is a common sight with upper Chesapeake boats, as well as boats traveling the ICW, particularly in VA, NC and SC. The water contains a lot of color (Tannic Acid?) from the cedar and cypress forests the rivers travel through on the way to feeding these waterways. This is particularly noticeable in the Dismal Swamp, the PasquotankRiver and the very beautiful WacamawRiver. Traveling through these waters is like floating in black coffee. I don't know an effective way of preventing this from happening, and curiously, some boats seem to be more susceptible then others. I usually put an extra (3rd) coat of wax on the waterline area and bow. You might also try a more extreme solution; raise the waterline. Perhaps someone else has a more effective answer.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Perfect answer.

Either wax immediately, or figure on reusing the FSR or other material.

 

[Steve Dion]

I would clean it with the MaryKate as you have experienced in the past. Then I would buff out the area to remove any oxidation.

Then I would use Island Girl pink to recondition the gelcoat. Then you can use one of the Island Girl Products or use Collinite to finish it off.

The Island Girl pink and the other product will fill the pours in the gelcoat.

Give Jim at Island Girl Products a call for his recommendations.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

If it is available in your are, try Iron Out. Mix it in a garden sprayer and spray it on. Yellow disappears like magic.

 

[Dubo]

Is yellowing gelcoat like yellow snow?

I do wonder what your neighbor's boats are doing? FSR is a great product as mentioned though.

 

[Dmac336]

Is yellowing gelcoat like yellow snow?

I do wonder what your neighbor's boats are doing? FSR is a great product as mentioned though.

A couple of other boats in the marina have the yellow but most do not. Sounds like better prep before I drop her in will help.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

I use a product called Zing. It is basically hydrachloric acid and works great. It is designed as a hull cleaner and eats through stains of which you write with temerity.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Captainpat hit it on the nailhead. I am familiar with those waters very well and the only solutions are to raise the water line or waxing the water line 1-2 times a year. Many do not maintiain the hull cleanliness on an annual basis which is why there is so much yellowing at the water line or whatever it is.

If embedded in the gel coat, some solutions might work which is the first I would do but if not, I lightly sanded with wet and dry 600 or 800 if compounding did not work. At that point, I would use a cleaner wax and then apply pure wax on top at the water liine

crazy dave