How to clean your boat???

[Rain City]

A friendly reminder that any bleach based cleaners used on any vinyl with degrade the UV protection and overall integrity of the vinyl. They do come out looking new after using a bleach product but don’t expect them to last long. If blue jeans are starting to leave the dye behind that is sign that the vinyl has already started to degrade, the next thing that’ll happen will be the finish on the vinyl with start to become gummy. Speaking from experience.

My experience as well. The plus side is when you go to paint your seats before you sell the seats take the paint well . As far as bleach and harsh cleaners go on gel coat it's a losing battle. You're breaking down the protection making it more susceptible to staining, especially the non skid. My new older boat's gelcoat is yellowed and bloody so I just leave it that way. I get it professionally cleaned and buffed to look like new before the summer season starts so my wife is happy to bring her friends on board. Then come late August I'm f***ing it up again.

 

[Buckethead905]

My experience as well. The plus side is when you go to paint your seats before you sell the seats take the paint well . As far as bleach and harsh cleaners go on gel coat it's a losing battle. You're breaking down the protection making it more susceptible to staining, especially the non skid. My new older boat's gelcoat is yellowed and bloody so I just leave it that way. I get it professionally cleaned and buffed to look like new before the summer season starts so my wife is happy to bring her friends on board. Then come late August I'm f***ing it up again.

Hilarious, I went to Rondex (paint supply store) and had them mix me up some vinyl paint in custom colours because the seats were two toned. As you said, the old vinyl took the new paint really well, but not something I would like to ever do again. They looked good but I told the new owner they would likely only last a season or two, hopefully they hung in there. As you said, all these bleach cleaners used on non skid are breaking down any protection the gel coat had. The major issue with non skid is the gel coat oxidizes and leaves a microscopically porous surface that cannot be wet sanded or polished to the same extent as a smooth surface. That being said, the only way to keep it protected is to use a product like FSR to remove all the stains, and then use a non skid deck wax. I actually use a spray wax that has decent durability to it, but needs to be applied every few weeks in peak season. Any blood or debris washes right off. Another factor to consider is what type of boat wash you’re using... many car washes contain mild solvents that can actually strip the wax you’ve applied, dish soap is terrible. Choose a high quality wash and wax that specifically states it will not remove wax.

 

[Cuba Libre]

And remember bleach and aluminum dont get along well either

 

[waddy29]

Rough rider

 

[PIG HUNTER]

Try this La's Totally Awesome

This works fast and excellent on everything, boats, exhaust build up on the transom, siding, eaves haven't found any thing is doesn't work on.
I pay $1.25 for 946 ml bottle at Dollar Tree goes along way (concentrate).
No acids, no bleach, no ammonia.
Amazon.ca sells it for about $40.00 for the same amount.

 

[MadJigga]

Try this La's Totally Awesome

This works fast and excellent on everything, boats, exhaust build up on the transom, siding, eaves haven't found any thing is doesn't work on.
I pay $1.25 for 946 ml bottle at Dollar Tree goes along way (concentrate).
No acids, no bleach, no ammonia.
Amazon.ca sells it for about $40.00 for the same amount.

It’s called “La’s totally awesome”??? That’s the name of the product?

 

[PIG HUNTER]

Yes it's called La's Totally Awesome. Lots of youtube reviews

 

[PIG HUNTER]

Google.... cleaning your boat with La's Totally Awesome.
lots of info on different boating sites

 

[PIG HUNTER]

TSP ..... Trisodium Phosphate works good I buy it from Home Depot in the painting section.

 

[dennisb]

Awesome Gents, defiantly a good start.