Hull Maintenance

[sidetrack]

I have been running and owning vessels for 30 years but my R-25 is my first fibreglass hull. The tug stays in the water year round and is coming out for some semi anual maintenance very soon. I would like to treat and protect the hull (above waterline). What product and procedure is best recommended to renew/refurbish and UV protect the fibreglass hull?

 

[Claud'in]

Hello!
you needs to make clean the hull with a rather powerful jet but not too much.
Then sand with a low grain the hull.
Then cross a primary coat of paint in the roller.
Then cross an antifouling (several marks exist)
As your boat remains in the water the choice of a érodable paint would be preferable.
But the choice and the way of making are very precise many factors are to be taken into account as the temperature of the sea on average over the year, the common weaks or forts.
The érodable paint is good for R25 because he does not exceed 20 knots. (It is my current choice stands out International)
But this complete treatment is all the same a work of professional, especially if we navigate in salt water.
Good luck and good navigation.
Claude of " Claud' in " since the island of Corsica in France.

 

[sidetrack]

I am not looking for antifoulant advice. I want product and procedure above the waterline. I have been referred to 3m products. Any opinions?

 

[Ken Boyd]

I used "3M Marine Cleaner and Wax" on my 2009 R-25 (dark blue hull) this spring. The product worked fairly well and it is suppose to provide some UV protection. I found that applying the product by hand to a three or four foot hull section and then removing the dry haze using a mechanical buffer with a terry cloth bonnet seemed to work best. The boat looked great when I finished but I do not have any experience on how long it will last since this year was the first year I have used the 3M product. The boat has been back in the water for two months and it still looks good.

 

[Nellie Too]

Nita and I have used Mirage and Prisim on our hull. We love it and it is soo easy to use. I let a professional boat detailer borrow a sample and the next day he drove 180 miles round trip to buy some. You can go on line and find it and you will be given the phone number of the company owner who would be happy to tell you where you can buy some. For Nita and I it gives us two years between applications and you will be awe struck with the results.
All the best,
Bob and Nita

 

[Brian B]

I have been using REJEX for a few years and I am extremely happy with the results. It goes on easy, comes off easy and I have found it to still bead water one year later. If there is any fading you will want to to use a compound or polish first to remove any oxidation.
I use it on the metal work. I use it on both sides of my eisenglass enclosures that are 7 years old and they look brand new.
Use it on your windshields like you would Rain-x.
Use it on your vehicles, etc.

http://www.rejex.com/rejex.html

 

[knotflying]

I clean the boat and compond any scratches then a coat of Collonite Fleet Wax. I do this twice per year. I used Collonite on my plane as well. It really holds up to abuse. It is about $20.00 per can. It can be purchased at Jamestown Distributiors or Defender. I use the paste wax not the liquid.

 

[sportner]

I use Collinite fleet wax too, I have used both the paste and the liquid and they seem to hold up quite well. Also their color restorer.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

If the hull on your Ranger Tug needs cleaned first, like mine did last winter, I used 3M Marine Finesse-IT II Glaze to take off any scratches, hard water spots, etc. I then applied Meguiares Flagship Premium Marine Wax however the Collonite Wax would be just as good if not better. The trick is to make sure the gelcoat is clean before the waxing and using an orbital buffer keeps the swirl marks away and makes the job go a lot quicker.

Jim F

 

[doke01]

Prism Polish and then Prism Sealant and Protectant. http://www.prismpolish.com/

Easy wipe on/wipe off and the hull looks brand new when you are done. I do it every spring. It also restores the stainless and gets rid of fiberglass oxidation. Really worth it.

 

[Zundels]

At the recommendations of this site, I ordered and we have been using Prism's Mirage. It is easy to buff on (we are use a power buffer) and just wipe off. Noted this spring that where I had a rubber bumper hanging I did get some discoloration in the dark navy blue. Have used several applications of Mirage and it has taken most of the cloudiness out. Next time we order a new bottle of Mirage will look at getting one of their other "treatments" to remove are restore these blemishes.

 

[VancMike]

My (white) fiberglass boat is in an urban area with too much pollution....or at least stuff in the air. I use Marine Spray 9 for routine cleaning....it cleans the surface without dulling the gel coat. And, it's a disinfectant.

I don't think it's intended as a long-term protector as mentioned above, but for a quick clean.....

 

[JerryE]

There are two basic, but very different approaches described in this thread. One involves high grade waxing and the other involves non-wax polymers (stuff like Mirage that lays a thin plastic-like covering over the boat) which fill the microscopic holes and scratches (sort of like Rain-X does to glass) to make the surface smooth and slick and shiny.There are debates, of course, about which approach is best but I'm tired of the polishing, compounding and sometimes sanding that precedes the application of wax. The polymers like Mirage Sealant (http://www.prismpolish.com/mirage.html) typically need a good cleaning first, that's all. The most popular are Vertglas and PoliGlow, with PoliGlow seeming to win the review contest. Here's a review of the products from Practical-Sailor.com: http://www.myboatstore.com/article.htm

I have problems with oxidation from Florida (just from the winter sun, I know Frank on Ainokea has to keep at his boat often during the summer sun in Florida). I think I'll try PoliGlow with their kit which sells for under $70 (prism is a lot more I hear with more steps). Here's a video about how to use PoliGlow, looks pretty easy. Even a tug boater should be able to do this:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HaRZzKswaY[/youtube]

 

[BaseCampAnne]

Thanks for explaining the two approaches, Jerry.

I have been somewhat confused, but figured the intensity of the sun was one factor. On the other hand I am living aboard this summer in the Anacortes area of WA and many of the boats I am observing are probably permanent "resident" boats here. Some that are no more than 5 years old are quite faded already, so clearly some care is critical.

I have been watching folks coming and going on the docks here preparing for the holiday and I have seen some cleaning the fiberglass all day on a 25 ft. sailboat, others 2 days, some using a sander, some apparently using a liquid soap-looking mixture... I am guessing time available is a major factor, but the cleaning seems more prevalent than waxing in my non-scientific observations. I can see that the salt water attacks stainless steel and most of the boats in the marina could use more care!

This boat was brand new in March, 2012, and is now living full time in the salt water. I want to stay ahead of things if possible, and know to do a washdown immediately upon returning now. The first time I waited and it was harder to clean.

Do you dry it with towels or a chamois each time?

For the time being I want to live aboard and learn what needs to be done to keep the tug in very good condition.

I am guessing that means fairly constant cleaning of the fiberglass and stainless and glass and everything else. Then many are either using a sealant or wax on the clean surfaces, perhaps twice a year or ?

I haven't even considered the regular inspection/replacement of the zincs!

How much time does it take to keep a tug living in salt water ship-shape, I wonder?

 

[Zundels]

Anne,

In Kodiak, AK, in the Gulf of Alaska, we have our 2009 R-25 in salt water full time in the Kodiak harbor. We have the boat out in waves several times a week. When we get back to the dock we always to a high pressure fresh water rinse of the exterior hull and cabin, cockpit and all the lines, bumpers, etc. A thorough rinsing gets most of the salt particles off. Otherwise, a long handled soft brush and fresh water rinse does the trick. Equally as important is a fresh water flushing of your engine cooling system. We place a five gallon bucket on the swim step and clamp a hose of fresh water into the bucket. Then hook up short garden hose to suction the water into the engine cooling pipe and start the engine and run for several minutes.

Reconnecting the electrical to shore power, rinsing off the exterior and flushing the engine coolant all takes less than 30 minutes if not too many people stop by to ask you about your boat.

We do pull the boat out on to the trailer several times a year. This is a good time to check the zincs, clean and wax or coat the exterior, and windows and organize the cabin.

 

[BaseCampAnne]

Thanks for the very helpful info. I had not thought about rinsing the lines, and will focus on getting a nozzle for the hose, as well as climbing around the boat more to be more thorough. I have sprayed rather lightly, as I think about it.

I have not really asked anyone how to rinse the engine; I knew how to hook up the hose to the outboard on the C-Dory, and did it regularly. but never noticed folks rinsing our type, although I never watched either, and it makes sense to do so. Thanks for the specifics!

I do not have a trailer nor a place to keep one, but it seems clear that having the boat on the trailer at least sometimes will help track what is happening on the underside and overall.

Thank you!

 

[knotflying]

I do the same and often add white vinegar to the water and it cuts right through the salt.

 

[jroyle]

Call me the eternal pessimist, BUT, I purchased the Prism Polish and Mirage Sealer and WOW...I had pretty bad oxidation on the brows of the boat and just as everyone indicated a few swipes with a paper towel and they look brand new. On my other boats I would have used an abrasive compound with an orbital polisher. The only question left is how long will it hold the luster. :?: I am not affiliated with this company in any way just a very happy end user at this point.

 

[Shared Dream II]

Shared Dream uses Salt Away, a rinse, and a microfiber dry after every trip. Once per year the hull is treated with Prism polish and then Mirage (thanks Bob and Nita for the recommendation). The top side is treated twice per year. The portholes are treated with Flintz, both a spray that removes oxidation and the polish to brighten the shine then sprayed with McGuires to protect. This treatment is done once per quarter. Windows are treated with Rain X twice per season.
The net result is a boat that looks brand new and is going on her third year of boating.

 

[baz]

After reading this thread and seeing what people have recommended I thought I'd try out the Prism Metal Polish Fiberglass Deoxidizer that was given to me as a gift at the Bremerton meeting earlier this month.

I had a smallish and long scuff mark on my hull's starboard side. So this would be my test case.

I took a piece of paper towel (as the directions on the Prism container said to do as it would provide some 'teeth') and place a small amount of Prism polish on it and rubbed it over the scuff mark in a circular motion. This I did for maybe 2-3 minutes. The polish wasn't dry when I finished this.

I then took a clean cloth and gently polished the scuffed area until I got a nice shiny look. Here's the final look/effect after some 5 mins of labor.

IMO this is not too shabby and speaks volumes of what this polish could do for the above water line hull surface. The above image shows some evidence of the original scuff mark -- but with my eye it's almost impossible to see in reality and near to being invisible.