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January
Deck Brushes
Until recently, Microfiber had been a nebulous product exclusively reserved for car and boat cleaners in the know. Now it can be found almost everywhere (I am personally waiting for microfiber toilet paper…). It is important to understand that Microfiber is not some magical fabric woven by the Microfiber worm in the secluded mountains of Mongolia. The term “Microfiber” actually refers to the measurement of the fibers used to make the cloths. Now that the glamour and glitz is gone from “the little fiber that could,” I am going to walk you through the ups, downs, ins and outs of the amazing cloth that can do ANYTHING.
The word “micro” is often misused: how small is Microfiber? The prefix “micro” refers to anything that is 10-6 (one millionth). As far as I can find, microfiber is not on the scales of any major scale normally considered micro, micro is really small. So it is only a cool name, and we could call in Nanofiber or Pecofiber if we liked. However, it is certainly smaller than a microwave or a microscope. Yarns and fibers are measured in denier. One denier has a mass of 1g for a piece of fiber that is 9000 meters long. Microfiber is considered to be any piece of fiber used to weave cloth that is less than one denier. Actual microfiber used in DF Microfiber towels is .02 denier. It is small stuff!
As far as I know, there are two types of Microfiber available: poly blend and cotton cellulous (called AlpineMicrofiber™ in the DF Concourse Towel). The poly microfiber towels can be purchased almost anywhere. They are square and come in different colors. For the most part they are made in Asia, usually China and at a very low price (as low as $1 a piece from some wholesale clubs). This widespread availability and affordable pricing means you can retire some of your older cotton cloths. I would not trade all of your cotton care cloths, because I find cotton acts as a better applicator for many waxes as it gives the wax a place to build up, but you can trade a number of them for microfiber. Often the microfiber is too fine to grab some wax and apply it on a paint. Out of the entire spectrum of the poly microfiber, a few brands stand out as exceptionally good
- 3M’s Ultra Performance Wipe-Very light with an interesting tight weave—good for sunglasses
- Presta Products- Very thick towel that will take longer to fill up with wax
- Turtle Wax- Medium thickness and useful for normal polishing
- Shurhold Industries- Makes a 3 towel kit, one very fine for windows, one medium for polishing and one thick for washing! (Great starter kit)
- Meguiar’s Ultimate Wipe- light thickness great for anywhere around the boat
The second type of microfiber towel is made by Dominique France Motorsports and is quite different from the blue polyester type. DF Microfiber is made from a blend of cotton and cellulose fiber (the aforementioned AlpineMicrofiber™). These towels are These towels are a large loop terrycloth.. They are quite different from anything that are currently on the market, with a soft hand to which I have yet to find an equal. The towel feels too nice to use on your boat. The material simply must be felt to be believed. I have found two downsides to this type of towel, the first being the large loops tend to get caught on things and if not taken care of by cutting pull off about a quarter of an inch from the cloth, which may compromise the integrity of the weave. The other downside of these cloths is their cost. The towels are an investment and their cost ranges from $5.99 (12” square) to $18.30 (36 x 20). This is not a cheap towel but just to feel the towels makes them worth it. They are superior in quality to the imported towels and are made in the USA from Italian fabric (due to the lack of weaving machines in America). The question you need to ask yourself is: what quality towel do you want to use on your boat? Cheaper towel may scratch. If you invest $100,000 in a boat, is it worth investing money in quality towels? I think it is worth purchasing at least one and trying it for yourself. I like the fabric so much, I think I will have a custom pair of Cleanie shorts made to fit my personal waxing style…
Microfiber can be used for anything that you use cotton for. A microfiber cloth can be dipped in your soapy water to wash. It can be used both to apply and to buff either polish or wax. The benefit of microfiber is that the smaller fibers have the ability to pickup and hold much more than a cotton towel. It will hold onto dust until it is washed.
Care for microfiber is quite easy. Here are a few basic rules:
- Wash all microfiber separately from other fabrics
- Use no fabric softeners, liquid or sheet
- Wash DF Microfiber separately from any other microfiber; use hot water on regular cycle with detergent only. Dry in dryer on any heat
- Do not wash Poly microfiber in hot water because it may melt some of the microfiber. For the same reason, let it air dry or put it in your dryer on low heat.
With some care, your microfiber should last quite some time and provide years of scratch-free polishing. Just remember that these towels will pick up any dust, grime and debris, meaning if you drop it on the ground the towel will need to be washed, if you use it for a long time it will become dirty and will need to be washed, and if you are cleaning dirty stuff use lots of towels. It has become my general practice to use the less expensive towels for preliminary and “quick” cleaning while I save the nicer DF Towels for final wipe downs and waxing to perfection. So don’t waste time micromanaging, grab a microbrew and microfiber towel and make some macro improvements to the way your boat looks.
Find import microfiber at local auto parts stores or wholesale clubs. Get the good stuff from:
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle, Bldg. 223-06-S-06, St. Paul,
MN 55144-1000, (888) 364-3577,
http://www.3m.com/marine.
Dominique France Motorsports,1876 Muttontown Rd. Syosset, NY 11791, (516)
620-5215,
http://www.dftowel.com.
Presta Products,P.O. Box 2164, Akron OH, 44309-2164, (800) 860-4488,
http://www.prestaproducts.com
Shurhold Industries Inc., 3119 S.W. 42nd Avenue, Palm City, Florida 34990-5558,
(800) 962-6241,
http://www.shurhold.com.
Turtle Wax, 5655 W 73rd St Chicago Ill 60638, (800) 323-9883,
http://www.turtlewax.com.
February
When you wash your boat you will usually use some cleaning apparatus at the end of a pole, commonly known as a deck brush. Currently there are a several systems available on the market, which consist of a brush head or cleaning pad that locks onto the pole, allowing you to clean comfortably, even those tricky places you can’t reach. Other devices like squeegees or boat hooks can be clipped on to the same pole, making it a very versatile and useful tool and a sound investment for any boater. The three primary deck brush makers are Shurhold, C-Mate and Swobbit. They have all sent me their anodized aluminum poles and brush set and I went to town.
The Mechanical Concept:
A cleaning pole that is strong, lightweight, easy to use and adjustable. On this pole one can add numerous accessories; mainly deck brushes, mops, squeegees, boat hooks and many other “snap on” goodies.
The Pole:
For most boaters the 4’ - 6’ pole will be more than long enough to reach almost anywhere. The material of choice is anodized aluminum because it’s lightweight and strong. Beware of aluminum poles that are not anodized because the aluminum will corrode. Poles can also be made of stainless steel, but they tend to be heavier.
Adjustable:
By looking at the three different manufacturers of poles (Shurhold prefers to call them “Handles”), one can see three different innovations that set each system apart. The quintessential pole is made by Shurhold and snaps into place by means of a spring-loaded rounded locking button. The handle is simple and provides good grip in most conditions. One issue with this design is getting the button to line up with its hole, since the inner and outer poles tend to twist. Shurhold addressed the irritating issue of aligning the inner and outer pole by painting a red stripe on the inner pole so you know how to align the snaps. This simple improvement comes in very handy when you are wet and trying to extend the pole.
The next innovation is C-Mate’s dual locking pole that has added another spring loaded button to help distribute the torque on the pole in two locations instead of one. It is a great idea but without the tell-tale paint mark on the inner pole you are left to guess the alignment of the pole. C-Mate’s grip ergonomically contours with the hand and is riveted to the pole so it will never slip off. Both Shurhold and C-Mate poles are very light and strong.
The final entry to the handle market has what I feel to be the greatest innovation to the extension pole industry. Swobbit has made what they call the Perfect Pole. It is stronger and eliminates the alignment problem once and for all. The Swobbit pole is made with a longitudinal channel and a guide that slides along the channel, keeping the pole from twisting. This design makes the pole stronger but also heavier. Another consideration for salt water boaters is that new track provides saltwater boaters another place for salt to build up and hamper your otherwise slick sliding pole. A good tip for all aluminum poles is to make sure to rinse inside and out with fresh water after each use. If you notice that the pole is not as slick as it used to be you can always use some Chap-stick or Shurhold’s Snap-Stick (get it) that you simply rub on the aluminum snaps and any areas that the inner and outer pole touch.
Fixed Length:
As you can imagine, fixed poles have one length and provide a base for accessories to snap onto. They are good if you know that you will use one length for multiple jobs. I use a fixed length pole as a deck brush and boat hook. The main benefit is that these poles are very lightweight and inherently simple. If you do not need the adjustable length, a fixed length pole is necessary!
Brush your shoulder off:
There are many different surfaces on your boat ranging from paint to nonskid. Paint is softer than smooth gelcoat and non-skid gets dirtier than smooth gelcoat so what brush do you use? The answer is simple: you get as many brushes as you need for your boat. Brushes consist of a metal adapter that fits on the pole you are using, a brush head and the bristles. The adapters are specific to the pole you use. It is important to try not to mix and match brands because they will fit with each other but I have run into some problems with brushes getting stuck in the pole not designed for the attachment. The main difference between the brush heads is that Swobbit uses a molded “Poly Block” (plastic head) instead of the traditional wooden blocks. On many wooden blocks, bristles are held in by internal metal plugs that anchor the bunch of bristles in the block. The bristles can be pulled out of the block, but normally don’t fall out under typical use. The “Poly Block” will never pull out because the bristles are literally molded into the plastic. Shurhold makes a very high quality wooden brush for those more interested in natural products, plus Shurhold backs their products 100%. The company has told me that people will wear the bristles down to the block before the block beaks or the bristles fall out. Below you will see the bristle material that Swobbit uses to obtain optimal cleaning with minimal damage to your boat.
When looking at the entire system each maker produces a quality product but Swobbit clearly has the innovative edge with many features that set them apart from the other two makers. It is the easiest pole to extend and retract as well as the pole with the least deflection. One accessory that is simply superb is their water-blade that is essentially a California Water-Blade (silicone squeegee) for marine use. Having this tool in your cleaning arsenal will make drying your boat a breeze when you need to dry large areas of smooth fiberglass. Shurhold can not be overlooked as the industry standard. The price and the quality of the craftsmanship as well as versatility and wide range of products make it a great investment. It is something about the wooden brush head and the touch of the brush that just feels right.
For more information contact dini@cleaniedini.com! OR
Shurhold Industries 3119 S.W.
42nd Avenue, Palm City, Florida 34990-5558
800-962-6241
772-287-1313 (local phone)
http://www.shurhold.com/html.html
Swobbit Products, 6678 Guion Road,
Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
800.252.1986
317.298.1995 (local phone)
http://www.swobbit.com/marine.html
C-Mate - Taylor Made Products,
65 Harrison Street, Gloversville, NY 12078
518-773-9400 (local phone)
http://www.taylormadeproducts.com/catalog/
March
Swirl Marks
If you have been spending too much time at home and have a cabin fever that can only be cured by getting Cleanie, you are ready to tackle the phenomenon of the swirl marks and, more importantly, their elimination! Swirl marks are small scratches in a paint or gelcoat surface that are in a swirly, circular shape. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go outside and look at your car. Yeah, those circular scratches, yep, the really light ones.
Swirly talk
Swirl marks can be considered many different things. For clarification I am referring to swirl marks as not just marks caused by high speed rotary polishers but all small “spider scratches” that can be caused by many actions other than electric polishers.
· Dirty wash- Soap and water is used to remove dust and filth so it doesn't scratch your boat when you try to get it off. If you don’t wash correctly the dirt will scratch the surface. Keep the brushes and wash solution clean so not to wash with the same filth you just washed off and wash from the cleanest areas on your boat to the dirtiest. Possibly use the two bucket method!
· Inappropriate touching- Every time you touch your boat (especially with sweaty, greasy, or generally dirty hands on a dusty dirty painted surface) there is the possibility that you will put small scratches in the paint due to surface contaminants.
· Poor polishing- everyone has seen that guy going at his boat like he was grinding down a weld. Poor technique and incorrect product selection can create mechanical swirl marks.
· Blame Bad Brushes- the worst is when you try to clean your boat and end up doing more harm than good, putting scratches or swirl marks in your finish. Many of the brushes discussed in February "Brush Bonanza" are designed for fiberglass surfaces that are much harder than paint. So read the article or visit: www.cleaniedini.com/Deck_brush.htm
Solution:
Everyone is now sitting on the edges of their seats, beseeching, "Cleanie Dini, tell us how to rid our lives of these awful swirl marks!"
Cleanie Dini will now divulge the solution: because swirl marks are small scratches, they must be removed with very light abrasives going by many names; polish, compound or glazes. To further add to the confusion, you can apply these polishes and glazes in any one or combination of three ways: hand, random orbital polisher, or rotary polisher.
Hand polish/glaze:
Hand polishing is not fun. It is the lowest, most manual form of polishing. If you are a long-time Cleanie Reader you know that the Karate Kid had it all wrong when waxing in a circular motion… Really, if swirl marks are circular, why would you ever want to wax or polish your boat in that manner? Instead, “Wax on, Wax off” like Cleanie Dini, in short, quick up-and-down motions. You hand polish in this manner to cross most swirl marks and lessen the sharp edges in the scratch, making the scratch disappear or be much less visible. The two main hand polishes I use for clear coat are Presta 1500 polish because it has enough abrasives to remove 1500 grit sandpaper scratches with a rotary polisher, which means it is mild enough for hand use to remove swirl marks. In the other corner is 3M Perfect-It II finishing material (remember to grab few microfiber towels and a foam applicator if available). Both of these are light abrasives that will lessen the appearance of swirl marks. The more you rub the more they remove, and remember that to remove swirl marks you need to take off a small amount of paint, so don’t be getting swirly removing swirl marks, or you will be left polishing your "Primer Liner”. This compound works great for cured clear coat and Imron paint. Remember to apply even pressure during application on a pad (to disperse the force) and buff off with another cloth as soon as you have finished rubbing it in.
After you polish, you may want to use a hand glaze. For the most part, glazes are an ascetic addition and will not protect like a wax, a glaze will cover up more of those scratches and lessen their appearance using the finest abrasives. This is a temporary fix of coving up scratches and will not last forever but to look your best before that big event glazes come in mighty handy. Many glazes today like 3M Perfect-It III Finishing Hand Glaze is an extremely light abrasive coupled with some carnauba wax and polymers. It is applied much like polish and removed in the same way. Just remember to go back and put some wax over your newly beautified surface
Random Orbital Polish/Glaze:
The newest craze in the polish world is the random orbital polisher. A random orbital polisher operates by vibrating and imitating the natural motions of the hand. The benefit being the machine makes work go by much faster. You can use the same hand-polishing products we spoke about above with the random orbital polisher. The Porter Cable Random Orbital Polisher has quickly become the industry standard. It has a variable dial so you can adjust the speed to match your needs; I like to work in polishes slowly (#2-3) with a stiffer polishing pad, you may need to wipe the surface off with a microfiber cloth. For glaze you will switch to a softer waxing pad and increase the speed (#4-5) and then wipe off. Cyclo makes an industrial strength dual head random orbital polisher that is a good alternative to the Porter-Cable. Stay tuned for a Cyclo article later this year! And again, when finished, don’t leave the paint open to contaminants, remember to wax it up!
Rotary Polish/Glaze:
For those of us who are not faint of heart, there is the rotary polisher (aka high-speed polisher). This method is how the pros get rid of their swirl marks. 3M Finesse-It II can be used with 3M™ Perfect-It™ Hookit™ Foam Polishing Pad 05726. This foam pad is less aggressive than its wool counterparts and is a safe bet for all paint polishing and glazes. Presta Swirl remover is very similar to the 3M but tends to take a little longer to work in before the pad lifts the polish up, but tends to give a deeper gloss on dark colors plus it has a wonderful blueberry smell. This polish is designed to be used with Presta’s Blue Foam Pad. 3M™ Perfect-It™ III Machine Glaze can be applied with the same type of pad as the Finesse- It and will help clean up the surface and finish the paint very well. It is important to remember the proper waxing technique, to review pointers on waxing visit: http://www.cleaniedini.com/rotary.htm. Remember, do not use just any products and make sure you have done your homework; any questions on the effect of products on your surface question simply ask Dini@cleaniedini.com. Paint jobs are expensive; to ruin yours would be a real shame.
Where did the swirl marks go?
Removing swirl marks is a more advanced maintenance item. Always start with hand polishing and see if that works for your surface, if not, then move up to random orbital and finally rotary as a last resort. This progression will insure that you use the least invasive method that will obtain the desired results. Remember that these methods work for clear coats, enamel paints and Imron paints. The abrasives discussed above are too mild for gelcoat polishing. If you so desire, you can mix-and-match polishing with hand, random orbital and rotary and glazing with another method. Finally, remember to wax afterwards because you will find that after polishing the surface will look great, but will dull quickly as it picks up dirt and ambient filth and oxidizes. Always be protected. Wax that THING.
Questions dealing with this delicate task can be directed to dini@cleaniedini.com.
Polishers
Cyclo Toolmakers, Inc., 1740 Skyway Drive Longmont, CO 80504, (888) 485-1990, http://www.cyclotoolmakers.com/
Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation, 13135 W. Lisbon Road Brookfield, WI 53005, (262) 783-8226, http://www.milwaukeetool.com
Porter Cable Corporation, 4825 Hwy. 45 North P.O. Box 2468 Jackson, TN 38302-2468, (800) 321-9443, http://www.portercable.com/
Polishing Compounds
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle, Bldg. 223-06-S-06, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000, (888) 364-3577, http://www.3m.com/marine.
Presta Products, P.O. Box 2164, Akron OH, 44309-2164, (800) 860-4488, http://www.prestaproducts.com
April
Quick Cleaning
Marine cleaning is all too often an all-day event. As much as I cherish this precious time, not everyone holds boat cleaning in such high regard. When you are ready to go home you don't want to have to break out the wash brush when the wife clearly is suffering from "low blood sugar." This month you will learn how to get in and get out as quickly as possible and not let your wife know that your one true love is the one that you can turn off and stop all the noise.
Quick Wash
I call any washing procedure where one step is removed a quick wash. A good example of quickly removing a washing step is to use Mother's aptly-named "Quick Wash," which takes the bucket out of the wash by putting soap in a spray bottle. The procedure is simple; just grab your hose, a brush and your soap and go at it:
· rinse off surface grime
· spray on soap
· scrub away
· rinse off
· dry as much as desired
Make your own quick wash by putting a spray head on your favorite boat wash.
Another neat new trick is Mr. Clean's Auto Dry washing system that eliminates the drying from your wash ritual. This works well for clear coat boats and allows water to sheet off and leave no water marks. Bad news: still gotta scrub but PRESTO: no drying!
Dry Wash
When you simply need to make your boat look great and it isn't very dirty to begin with, you want to dry wash. Dry washing is the process in which a "dry cleaning spray" (name used to differentiate between liquid surface spray and other cleaners like Windex or Fantastic; such harsh cleaners will potentially ruin paint and other materials on your boat) is applied to a surface and wiped off with a microfiber towel. A dry cleaning spray usually consists of distilled water that is fortified with silicones and polymers, which act as a buffer so light dust will not scratch the surface you are trying to clean. This compares to a quick wax, a thin wax that is sprayed on, wiped in, and buffed off. Some dry cleaning sprays are thicker or thinner than others. The thickness is a function of how many silicones and waxes are included. To apply a dry cleaning spray, spritz on a fine mist in a four spray area (two square feet), give it a quick wipe-off with one section of your cloth to remove surface grime, then rotate the cloth and wipe thoroughly clean. It is important to wipe the dry cleaning spray off fully because it will smear. Work quickly in heat and direct sunlight; some products will not look great once they dry. Dry cleaning sprays work great on fresh or aged bird droppings. Hammerhead’s spray wax is a nice, thick dry cleaning spray that goes on smoothly and wipes off of paint and gelcoat without incident and can be used in any temperature. If you are boating in a lake with very hard water and get major mineral deposits, Boat Wax Plus Extreme H2O has made a great product that uses a light acid (found in vinegar) to break down the minerals and leave a light silicone protection.
TIP: all of you hardcore high speed rotary polishing fanatics, you can use Presta Spray and Shine to make your polish go further, just spray on as the polish begins to dry and it will be like you just used more polish, only you didn’t! Saving money Cleanie Style!
Dry cleaning sprays include but are not limited to:
Griot's Speed Shine
Mother's Show Time
Presta Spray and Shine
Meguiar's Detail Mist
Zaino Brothers
Hammerhead Spray Wax
Boat Wax Plus Extreme H2O
QUICK WAXING (the impossible made possible)
As far as "quick waxing" goes, boats need to be very clean; this method should not be used as a primary cleaning but more as a supplemental wax or pre-showtime nervous action. For quick waxing simply spray two full sprays, wipe evenly with a foam applicator and buff off with a microfiber buffer. The wax will smear around for a little and then it will dry to a haze and buff off very easily.
Quick waxes:
Meguiar's NXT generation tech wax
Presta Fast Wax
Meguiar's Fast Wax
Flyers Speed Wax (Jet Stream Aviation)
Fears of the unknown:
Q: Will wiping my boat with dry cleaning spray scratch
it?
A: It depends on many factors, like how dirty your boat is, how much spray is
used, and how often you rotate your wiping cloth. Obviously, any paints are
softer than gelcoat and are more susceptible to small scratches or swirl marks.
Generally, dry cleaning sprays will not scratch and will most of the time hide
small scratches.
Q: Will these quick waxes and dry cleaning sprays protect
like normal waxing?
A: To make a spray wax easy to apply it has more silicones to provide easy
application and great looks, but silicones tend to last days under good
conditions and you may find yourself using a spray wax or booster wax.
Q: How long will the dry cleaning spray and quick wax
protect?
A: Normally a dry cleaning spray will last a day or two before it begins to
break down. Hammerhead and Zaino dry cleaning sprays last a bit longer. Quick
wax will last longer, about a week. These two products are very easy to apply
and can be done while you wait for your time to fly.
For more information contact dini@cleaniedini.com! OR
Extreme H20, 7349 Miliken Ave., #140-148, Rancho Cucamonga,
CA 91730, (909) 483-2800,
http://www.boatwaxplus.com.
Griot's Garage, 3500-A 20th Street E.,Tacoma, WA 98424, (800) 345-5789,
http://www.griotsgarage.com.
Hammerhead Boatworks, Inc., 1423 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA ,23454,
(866) 373-6992
http://hammerheadboatworks.com
Jet Steam Aviation Products Inc, 7515 Lemmon Avenue, Building "J", Love Field,
Dallas Texas, 75209, (800) 727-JETS,
http://www.jetstreamproducts.com.
Meguiar’s, 17991 Mitchell South, Irvine, CA 92614, (800)347-5700,
http://www.meguiars.com
Mothers Polishes Waxes Cleaners, 5456 Industrial Drive, Huntington Beach, CA,
92649,
http://www.mothers.com
Presta Products, P.O. Box 2164, Akron OH, 44309-2164, (800) 860-4488,
http://www.prestaproducts.com
Zaino Brothers, 4057 Highway 9 North #106, Howell, NJ 07731, 888-999-9870,
http://www.zainostore.com.
May
Extreme Oxidation
Keeping your boat looking great can sometimes be a very daunting task. When your boat gets to the point where it looks like someone sprinkled confectioner’s sugar all over it you have a problem. The problem is oxidation and a lot of it. Oxidation of gel coat is the breakdown of the resin in gel coat due to environmental factors like exposure (dirt, acid rain, and wear and tear) and UV degradation. What is left after the resin is broken down is the pigment that originally colored the gel coat, usually white, in the powder form. After this extreme point it is rare that boats will return to the finish you once enjoyed when your boat was new. Every boat has seen different wear due to the environment and use, however some finishes will return to their original luster and depth. I have found two ways of removing oxidation, restoring luster and protection. The first is the more traditional way of polishing with a high-speed rotary polisher and compound followed up by tradition waxes and protectants. The second is using an abrasive pad with an acid to remove oxidation and a water-based polyurethane spread on for protection.
Last year we spoke about polish and polishing technique. A good amount of this information can be found at http://www.cleaniedini.com/techniques.htm . When dealing with removal of extreme oxidation, don’t expect an easy fix; in fact, expect a long arduous journey that is met with hardship, tears. As my uncles often say, “the job isn’t worth doing unless you put a pound of meat into it.” The tools you will need to enter this wonderful world of waxing include a high speed rotary polisher, your choice of compound, microfiber cloth (to clean up the mess) and quick cleaning spray (to lubricate the pad and remove excess polish that has hardened on the surface). Once you have all your toys all in one spot you can begin. Consult the above website for safety information and proper techniques. In your choice of compound you are responsible to assess your surface condition and look at the list of products below:
- Presta Products
- Ultra Cutting Crème- a harsh compound used to remove heavy oxidation, best when used with a 100% wool pad, wool has the most abrasive properties. This is a water based compound, good for you, and good for the environment. Also carries a pleasant scent.
- Ultra Cutting Crème Lite- A less harsh compound. Still too harsh for paint but will remove light oxidation on gelcoat when used with wool poly blend pad. This product is a favorite of mine because of its reduced clean up and versatility. Presta has done a lot of work to make these products easy to use and it shows
- 3M
- Ultra Gloss Gelcoat Compound- This a medium to harsh compound that has many fillers for specifically compounding gel coat. Use with a 100% wool pad. It comes in a one gallon paint can so if you get a can it, plan on doing your entire boat. This is not a fully water based compound, but an emulsified petroleum gel.
- Perfect-It-III Extra Cut Compound- As part of 3M’s Aftermarket Automotive Refinishing Division made for automotive paint finishing. This is the harshest compound that I have used. Use in EXTREME OXIDATION situations. This is a water based compound which has replaced the older Super Duty Rubbing Compound. The main advantage over the old is the color, the white color tends not to leach into the porous gelcoat as much as the light brown older Super Duty.
- Perfect-It-III Compound-this is the same compound as the Extra Cut compound but without the “Extra Cut”. It is a medium compound in the full sense of the word. It is a heavy compound for paint that is a little too harsh for most paint polishing but works well as an oxidation removing compound. It works well on light boat oxidation. This is the most versatile compound in the line of compounds and being water based, it doesn’t smell like a petrol-refinery.
In the other corner, something completely different. I am sure you have seen products like Poly Glow or Vertglaz on the shelves in most boating store. It took me about a year to get around to finding a boat that I truly wanted to test this system out on, trying to find the perfect powdery subject. Finally the day came when I put on my rubber gloves and safety glasses (of course) and grabbed that scratch pad and acidic cleaning acid and went at it. Most systems like Poly Glow come with two scratch pads and a handle that makes it very easy to use. You need to apply some pressure with the pad and keep in mind that all safety measures must me taken seriously. The powdery oxidation will make your rinse bucket look almost like milk if you have a very oxidized patient. After an eternity of scrubbing with my spiffy gloves and scratch pad the surface looked pretty shiny. Make sure you rinse the area off very well. Next, spread on what is a water-based polyurethane. Application is tricky, any imperfections in the application they will show up (hairs, dirt, dust etc.). But the good thing is you can use the acid to remove the sealant and then reapply. You can put on as many coats as you think looks good and then let it dry. You will see that there is now an amazing glazed look (like glazed pottery) on your gel coat that doesn’t look exactly like new but is a good alternative to the extreme oxidation you had been dealing with. The first time I tried this product I was far too impatient and that prompted bubbles and imperfections that I later had to go and fix. There is never time to do it right the first time but always time to do it again… Take your time. After a little time I really got the hang of it and finally presto! Bye bye oxidation and hello shine! Every couple months I like to put on a booster coat and about every year to maintain optimal shine you must remove with the acid and reapply, in most conditions the coat can last two years. Beware of black streaks, possibly clean canvas and roof tops that may cause them because the black streaks tend to stick to the sealant.
Now, that wasn’t so bad. You are now familiar with the two basic ways to battle oxidation. The choice is yours. Polishing is a bit labor-intensive and sometimes doesn’t render the results you expect. The water based polyurethanes has a bit of a learning curve but after one application you are a pro! Plus it makes your nails look really shiny and nice (possibly the wife would like this job!). But no matter what your polishing preference with some work you will be perfectly pleased.
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle, Bldg. 223-06-S-06, St. Paul,
MN 55144-1000, (888) 364-3577,
http://www.3m.com/marine.
Lovett Marine (Vertglas), 4404 Hamilton Cleves Road, Suite 2, Hamilton, OH
45013, (800) 673-5976,
http://www.lovettmarine.com/files/vertglas.asp
Poli Glow Products, Inc., 488 South Market Ave Fort Pierce, Fl 34982, (800)
922-5013,
http://www.poliglowproducts.com
Presta Products, P.O. Box 2164, Akron OH, 44309-2164, (800) 860-4488,
http://www.prestaproducts.com
June
Cyclo Polishers
Last month we introduced a few polishing compounds that can be used to remove heavy oxidation, and described rotary polishing as the traditional method used to polish off oxidation. Today we all know of the dangers of rotary polishing, so for the do-it-yourselfer the preferred choice is the random orbital polisher. I have found polishers of all different levels of quality and effectiveness, but as usual, there is one crown jewel of the collection, the cut above the rest. In the polishing world that is the dual-head Cyclo random orbital polisher. The Cyclo has a history of excellence, quality and versatility at the highest level of polishing.
Cyclo is a name I had never associated with polishing, but it turns out that Cyclo has been polishing two and a half times longer than I have been breathing. Since I have pretty much mastered breathing by now I can only assume that Cyclo has a pretty good grasp on polishing. Their polishers are used on everything from military missiles to Air Force One.
Cyclo is a tool with a die cast aluminum casing that just screams quality. Any tool freak will appreciate the hefty construction when you pick it up and realize that metal was actually used in the construction of a tool! When you plug the tool in and switch the all-business toggle switch, the tool shrills to life and the two heads whirl in front of you as you feel the kick of the motor. Everything on this tool is built to last and Cyclo is quite proud of the tool they make. Made in America, this tool is an example of what tools where like in the day, like a time machine. The most industrial polisher I have used.
The Cyclo’s usefulness is also a testimony to its quality. Polishing is one job that it excels at, due to its two heads being able to rub in an abrasive without creating the heat of a rotary polisher. However, it also has the power to fling used polish off the pad and buff at the same time, much like a rotary does. This does not happen on many random orbital polishers because they just vibrate, then when you take them off the surface they go into a death spin, out of control, and fling polish all over the place. The Cyclo has a variety of foam pads from compound to glaze, wool and wool blend pads, sand paper attachment, micro-fiber bonnets and my favorite, brushes. The dual brush head is the first that I have seen on a random orbital polisher and works great for many cleaning needs. Carpet cleaning was the one aspect for which I found it most useful. Many times you get some stains on your boat, not enough to warrant getting the carpet cleaned but annoying none the less. By popping these pads on with some carpet cleaner you are able to get many stains out that you would not expect to be able to clean. One tool for all your polishing needs as well as attachments that make the Cyclo good for cleaning various other materials like Sunbrella-type canvas and the bottoms of vinyl cushions.
Great! So why hasn’t everyone gotten one by now? The reality of the situation is the price has excluded it from the recreational automotive enthusiast spectrum. Because of the prohibitive cost, it is not common to find around and is not promoted as much. A boat is a much larger investment and maintenance on a boat is much more time-consuming and costly to have done so the Cyclo’s versatility makes it a sound investment. The Cyclo costs about $260 from Top Of The Line Detailing where the more commonly-known Porter-Cable random orbital costs $130. The price difference is substantial when you look at the price of a polisher flat out. Let’s say you buy a Porter-Cable for your $40,000 Corvette and a Cyclo for your $120,000 Cigarette, fair game, toy for a toy and a real machine for your real machine. The Porter-Cable would cost 0.00325 cents for every dollar of the car value, the Cyclo only costing 0.002167 cents per dollar of the boat value. PROOF POSITIVE. Your investment in a boat is an investment in her looks as well as fun factor if only that investment was only true for the opposite sex. Call up Cyclo; see if it is right for your needs, because it sure opened my eyes.
Cyclo Toolmakers, Inc. 1740 Skyway Drive, Building C Longmont, Colorado 80504 U.S.A., 1 303 485 1990, www.cyclotoolmakers.com
July
Locker Cleaning
Lockers on your boat don’t need to smell like your locker in High School!
Lockers on your boat are used to hold a variety of fun stuff including line, drinks and (your favorite and mine) boat cleaning items. As great as this all sounds, you may occasionally find forgotten bait, fish and three-week-old sandwiches carefully stored in lockers’ confined spaces. Inadvertent storage of these items has forced the topic of locker cleaning.
There are several major issues that we contend with when cleaning out boat lockers: smell, mildew, and stains. Iosso is a company that makes powerful specialized marine products like their Bait Well/Fish Box Cleaner. This 4 oz. tube of white powder, when added to two gallons of water, makes a mixture that can be added to lockers, coolers and fish boxes and removes such things as fish stains, odors, mold, mildew and algae stain.
The first thing to do is to wash your boat lockers in a normal fashion with boat soap and a brush. This could present a problem for those of us without drains in the locker but no need to fear. Your friends at Swobbit have thought about this problem and made the Aquazorber mop head with very absorbent PVA material like a synthetic chamois. These mops can be used to dry the compartment quickly and easily with their wide strips of material!
Once the locker is dry you can determine if you need to clean it further with an Iosso cleaner. The trick to Iosso’s Bait Well/Fish Box Cleaner is to mix it up, scrub it in and let it sit and do its work. After letting it sit for about 10 to 20 minutes you will either have to pump out the solution from the locker and/or absorb it out. Make sure to rinse the locker well to ensure that all of the cleaner has been removed. No worries about hurting your friends below because Iosso’s Bait Well/Fish Box Cleaner is biodegradable and removes mildew without the harshness of bleach. Difficult stains can be treated with acidic cleaners such as FSR (Fiberglass Stain Remover) or rubbed out with a harsh compound like Presta Ultra Cutting Creme or 3M™ Perfect-It III Extra Cut Rubbing Compound. After cleaning, removing any residue from cleaners is always nice. OrPine® Boat Soap has been a long-time favorite because of its ability to do no harm to surfaces while also producing amazing soapy lather and a piney fresh scent. It usually won’t hurt to wash your lockers after cleaning, plus it leaves a fresh scent everyone can enjoy; that is, of course, unless you think pine fresh and porta-potty smell the same.
Why not bleach? Bleach is one of those amazing products that can be sprayed everywhere and which exudes an almost disgustingly clean chlorine smell. And bleach does a number on mildew, one of the key impediments to locker cleanliness. So why not? Because bleach has the tendency to remove waxes and protectants as well as break down fiberglass gelcoat leading to oxidation. Lack of gelcoat will also make your fiberglass more susceptible to staining. On fabrics, bleach will break down the synthetic fabrics and wash out bright colors. Instead of using bleach, try one of the various other non-chlorine solutions, like Iosso’s Mildew Cleaner for fabrics. Always be sure to rinse any cleaners and chemicals from your boat very well to avoid surface damage and chemical mixing.
Nice and clean now:
Now that your lockers are sparkling clean you can think about how to keep them that way. Personally, I prefer to put a coat of wax in the lockers. Most any wax or protectant will do, and there is a certain joy in knowing that the inside of your lockers are waxed up and ready to go. In addition to protecting your fiberglass from the environment, you can virtually block mildew with 3M™ Marine Mildew Block, which can be applied over existing wax or protectant. 3M™ Marine Mildew Block is a new product on the market that was released in 2004 to deal with the problem of mildew growth on various parts of your vessel. This product does not remove mildew but creates a barrier so that mildew will not grow on the surface. It is imperative that this product not be applied over existing mildew so make sure the mildew is removed prior to application. Simply spray on and you are protected. This product will be featured next month in detail on all the great ways to remove and prevent mildew.
With a few simple steps you will have lockers that not only smell good but look good too. This is very important for a few reasons:
- Peace of Mind - Now you can sleep knowing that you have the cleanest lockers of anyone you know
- Pride - You are now the resident expert on locker cleaning with the lockers to prove it
- Function - You now need not worry about where to keep your beer or lunch cold because you have a nice clean locker ready and waiting for any application.
Enjoy your time locking up your lockers and remember that there always needs to be “that anal guy” in the marina, so it might as well be you. Rise to a new level by keeping not only the places people see spotless, but those that are intended to get dirty clean enough to eat out of.
Iosso Products, 1485 Lively
Blvd, Elk Grove, IL 60007. 1-888-747-4332
http://www.iosso.com
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle, Bldg. 223-06-S-06, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000,
(888) 364-3577,
http://www.3m.com/marine
August
The Cleanie Dini War on Mildew
Made possible by the same people who brought you Post-Its and those little abrasive green scotch pads
What is Mildew:
Mildew—just the name conjures up visions of mold growing on bulkheads, in bathrooms, and eating up small woodland creatures. Yeah, it’s pretty nasty stuff. All those spores flying through the air are no harm to you and me, except the occasional sneeze, until they find a suitable home, anything they can eat! Mildew is a mold, a simple plant that is part of the fungi family and can eat just about anything natural, including cotton, linen, rayon, silk, wool, leather, wood, paper and some oil-based paints. Mildew will survive on phosphates which are used in most laundry detergents, so man-made fibers like your Sunbrella cover can be susceptible to mildew if phosphates remain for mildew to feast on. Mildew is usually black but can be white. It likes warm (75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit), damp areas that don’t usually see sunlight or circulated air, much like a high school shower, or any shower for that matter.
Prevention:
The simple solution to mildew has always been to bleach it. But as good Cleanies know, bleach can be pretty harsh on many marine materials including wax, fabrics and gelcoat. So what are we to do? First we must identify what mildew likes and eliminate it.
- Dampness: Dehumidify when possible or just don’t stow wet gear. Open lockers and let everything air out.
- Warmth: If possible, condition the air in your boat to keep it cool when the temperature outside begins to rise.
- Light: Lay gear that stays in the boat out in the sun one afternoon while getting Cleanie. Waxing your boat allows the perfect time to lay out gear to let the sunlight kill mildew.
- Air Circulation: There is only one solution to this and it involves putting the key in the ignition, burning some fossil fuels, and telling the wife, “really honey, we gotta go fast like this to make sure the mildew doesn’t grow.” Upon return set up a ventilation system even if it just involves leaving cabin portholes partially open, just enough to circulate some air.
So what do Post-Its have to do with this:
Your friendly 3M researchers have been hard at work to provide boat owners with the first mildew protection system. This system includes their 2004-released 3M Marine Mildew Block and their new-for-2005 Marine Mildew Stain Remover. Together this dynamic duo has teamed up to rid the marine world of mildew.
The Mildew Stain Remover has been specially formulated to remove mildew stains, which includes properly preparing the surface for application of the Mildew Block. To prepare the surface, spray the Marine Mildew Stain Remover, allowing the cleaner to penetrate for about 5 minutes and then wiping off.
If the mildew isn’t removed on the first try, a second application may be necessary. 3M makes good by making the mildew remover somewhat thick to avoid the common runny-ness that results from spray liquid-type cleaners. 3M says to be careful where you spray this Marine Mildew Stain Remover and always try a test spot in an unnoticed area in case there is any discoloration.
The real gem in the rough is the 3M Marine Mildew Block, a new approach to dealing with mildew from a preventative standpoint. Before you get mildew in high-risk areas, spray this mildew block and worry no more, at least for a while. When applying the spray it is imperative to begin with a clean and dry area prepped by 3M Marine Mildew Stain Remover and spray using some sort of pattern to insure a light wet coat is applied across the area, with no runs! Remember that this spray will not make the surface impenetrable to mildew forever. It creates a barrier of a mildacide, a pesticide for mildew, and will remain for a period of time. This amount of time changes with use and exposure to elements and could need to be reapplied every 2 weeks to every 2 months. If an area is seeing a lot of traffic, like a bait well or locker, then it will need to be blocked more often. If you are closing your boat up for the winter, Mildew Block could last months. If you are leaving your boat for a while and spray Mildew Block in your cleaned problem areas, when you return within a couple months you should not have too much of a problem. Remember, however, that nothing can replace the “old school” preventative measures mentioned above.
Use all of your mildew weapons carefully and seamlessly together. These joint warfare operations will not allow mildew to know what hit it. The war wages on against mildew and only you can win the battle; you have been given the tools and knowledge so take the time to wage war on you mildew before you put your boat away for the season. Make sure you open up all areas on you boat. I have taken to collecting those Silica Gel pouches you find in shoe boxes and beef jerky and keeping them all over some boats. The beef jerky ones make your boat smell like a smoke house but they both help absorb moisture, a useful characteristic when storing your boat. So tell your wife to go shoe shopping and there will be no problem. And go to your local marine store and amass your WMD’s (weapons of mildew destruction).
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle Department, Bldg. 223-01-N-13, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000, 1-888-364-3577, http://www.3m.com/marine
September
Imron paint
Not everyone has the pleasure of having a beautifully clear-coat finished boat with graphics in numerous different metallic, pearlescent and chameleon colors. In fact, some old-school boaters are still enjoying Imron paint on their boat. Imron paint is an amazing paint that can withstand the harsh marine environment—many boats with Imron paint sit in harsh salt water all year long with painted section submerged and the paint remains in fine shape.
Getting Ridiculed
Being a polishing guy who also paints, I once went into the paint shop and asked the guys if they sold Imron and they laughed at me. So, being an Imron lover, I asked why such a harsh reception to the paint I loved polishing so, and they gave me three reasons,
Bad to breathe-fresh air system needed, not normal respirator
Hard to spray-often drips or looks splotchy
Better base/clears available-Current paint technology of basecoat/clearcoat has taken over the custom painting industry, providing effects and details impossible with Imron.
So that day I learned two things: first, that Imron paint may continue to be used but was being phased out because there were cheaper, easier and better paints to replace it. Second, that I should never ask questions or show any personal weakness at a paint shop.
Care:
Once upon a time, Imron paint was all the rage on marine applications. Imron paint is very tough. It is a two-part urethane and is very similar to Awlgrip, a marine paint used on large yachts and aluminum vessels. Awlgrip is not very user-friendly because once cured the paint is so hard that when it becomes scratched, the scratches are very difficult to remove. So, even though the paint resists abrasion, inevitably some scratches and swirl marks will emerge and become next to impossible to remove without creating more scratches that also cannot be removed. This situation is what we call a “Cleanie nightmare.” Imron paint, on the other hand, has a lot of the abrasion-resistance of Awlgrip but can polish out and look as good as new until the paint is gone. Imron paint can be cared for using traditional compounds, polishes and protectants. Because all paints will accumulate small scratches, surface contaminants and oxidation, the original luster of the finish will begin to fade with normal wear and tear.
Normal washing is essential to maintain any finish; wash notes can be found in the archive of maintenance articles at http://www.cleaniedini.com/Powerboat_2004.htm, or the March 2004 issue of Powerboat Magazine.
When clean and dry, your Imron paint is ready for its close-up. As with all polishing there are different levels of involvement, from mild to wild.
Mild - Hand polishing has always been the easiest way to brighten up your Imron paint. Mothers Ultimate wax system still stands out as a great way to clean and protect your finish. The three-step process includes a pre-wax cleaner that removes surface contaminants, softens edges of scratches, cleans off oxidation and polishes the finish. The Sealer and Glaze continues to polish as it fills in scratches. The final step is the pure carnauba wax that protects. The system will bring your Imron back to like-new appearance with some simple elbow grease. The three-step process should be done every year, and the wax needs to be reapplied about every three weeks to a month depending on conditions.
Medium - If you have access to some power tools like a Cyclo or Porter Cable random orbital polisher, then you may want to kick your polishing up a notch. With a stiff foam polishing pad and some Presta 1500 polish, you can gently remove the surface ailments mentioned above and restore your Imron paint appearance. Finish off your power polishing with some 3M Ultra Performance Paste Wax for amazing gloss and protection that will last about a month.
Wild - With a rotary polisher and foam pad, Imron paint can safely be polished using Presta Swirl Remover or 3M Finesse-It II Finishing Material. Follow all polishing information at http://www.cleaniedini.com/rotary.htm, your step by step guide to machine polishing. Using a rotary-type polisher with foam pad will not only speed along the work but also provide a slightly glossier surface than most other applications. The only problems with this type of treatment are the normal dangers of doing damage to your finish like swirl marks, burn marks and polishing through the paint.
Protect - With all of the waxes and polishes on the market, it is often difficult to find a truly different special wax. A relatively unknown company, Zaino Brothers, produces what I consider to be a truly different wax that will produce gloss on Imron paint like nothing else I have used. Zaino’s Z-3 Polish, when used with the ZFX curing agent, produces an amazing hard gloss that lasts all season. If you want to try something different and are open to less traditional products, this is the system for you. This protectant can follow up any of the previous procedures before applying a wax. Z-3 goes on and off like a wax and will produce a noticeably longer-lasting, better-looking finish. Call Zaino’s to try out this amazing protectant.
There are many ways to maintain your old Imron paint and renew the paint to that original show room shine. Buff it out and wax it up and put a smile on your face. Like an old girlfriend, Imron paint will always have its special place, even if it just a place in history.
3M Marine & Specialty Vehicle Department, Bldg. 223-06-S-06, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000, 1-888-364-3577, http://www.3m.com/marine
Mothers Polishes Waxes Cleaners, 5456 Industrial Drive, Huntington Beach, CA, 92649, http://www.mothers.com
Presta Products,P.O. Box 2164, Akron OH, 44309-2164, (800) 860-4488, http://www.prestaproducts.com
Zaino Brothers, 4057 Highway 9 North #106, Howell, NJ 07731, 888-999-9870, http://www.zainostore.com.
October
Getting ready for winter
Every year the same thing happens in the great north: Cleanie Dini rolls up in a cocoon and goes into a deep slumber until the warmth of summer will again power him to clean. An unlucky number of us need to part with our vessels until the all the snow melts and the bikinis are again out in force. In advance of this depressing time of year, it becomes a necessity to prepare our vessel for storage, like parting with a good friend, wingman and spiritual consultant. Mechanically, the engines and out drives are magically winterized and parts replaced costing only part of your liver and kidney. Thankfully, getting the rest of your boat can be winterized for the mere cost of some finger nails and hair.
Interior:
There are a few issues accompany putting your boat away for the winter. One is very limited circulation when a boat is packed up and put away for the winter. Even if “winter” simply means a period of decreased use, your boat will feel it. With stagnant air comes smells and possibly mildew. Combat mildew by looking back to August’s issue of Powerboat. A good measure to take is to clean off all surfaces before putting the boat away, leaving little or nothing for mildew to feed on. This means cleaning and protecting any leather, vinyl, carpets and hardened surfaces. I like to wax any interior gel coat, so get Cleanie with it and go nuts. Interior corrosion, moisture and smell will always be a problem during storage. Odor can be absorbed naturally with a Zeolite bag. This volcanic rock naturally absorbs and neutralizes odor. Griot’s Garage offers one product, Stinky-Be-Gone, which will last forever and can be placed throughout your boat, car or home. For rust, Bull Frog makes magic little “emitters” sending off space age VpCl’s that protect metal surfaces from corrosion. So drop a few into enclosed spaces and worry no more about corrosion! These emitters can be added to your engine compartment, glove box, tackle box, and lockers to keep all metals free of corrosion. Really a nice trick going into winter.
Exterior:
Before putting your boat away for the winter one thing must be remembered, if you put your boat away dirty, it will be even dirtier when you open it up for next summer. This makes it very important to clean up your boat quite well before laying your boat down for the winter. A cleaning like this includes a through washing as well as a surface cleaning. Over extended periods of time, painted surfaces will collect surface contaminants that will become imbedded into the paint. This will make the paint look cloudier and diminish its clarity. To properly clean your paint off before putting your boat away it is necessary to clean off the surface, either chemically or mechanically. Both methods can be combined with Waxing Frenzy! by Hammerhead Boat Works. This protectant cleans off surface contaminants using a micro abrasive and chemical cleaner. Its state of the art formula will actually not build up but clean itself off if applied twice, while cleaning the surface to expose a glossier, shiny surface. Waxing Frenzy! makes it possible to clean off the painted surface and protect it for the coming winter in one step.
Gelcoats have the tendency to oxidize over time, so preventative maintenance is required before putting your boat away to help remedy this situation. There are numerous ways to use light abrasives and polishers to clean your boat’s surface by hand. Quite possibly the most tried and true product for getting your gel coat clean and protected is Collinite Fleet Wax. This amazing product uses small corustation as an abrasive to clean off oxidation from the surface while applying a thin coat of wax to protect. Having been around forever, Fleet Wax has become the cleaner wax that all others are compared to. Harsh enough to clean off wax and oxidation but gentle enough not to scratch and very easy application. Collinite also offers a Boat Wax that can be used as a follow up to the Fleet Wax for added protection.
The World Beneath:
Everyone knows that holding tank smell. It plagues boats—your boat either smells like poo, or smells like some holding tank cleaner mixed with poo… An interview with numerous pump-out boat crew members a Cleanie solution for great smelling holding tanks during winter storage has been achieved.
- Pump out holding tank (as empty as possible) to shore based facility
- Flush about two cups of bleach and about a gallon of water down each toilet
- Refill with one gallon of bleach and water per 25 gallon tank
- Take boat out for a ride, sloshing around mixture
- Pump out mixture of bleach and water to shore based facility
- Flush several gallons of water down each toilet
- Fill tank up again and pump out to shore side facility
- Have holding tank winterized
Note: It is important to flush your system out after using bleach because chlorine bleach may damage plastic and rubber parts of your holding tank. Do NOT leave bleach in your system.
Also, many systems have not been cared for well and may take numerous cleanings to clear up the smell. Flushing the system out several times using holding tank deodorizers can then do the job.
In addition, do not use this process if dealing with a biological treatment system, since the bleach will kill the bugs that break down waste in these types of systems.
And… Always dispose of your waste at the proper facilities and keep our waters clean, Cleanie Dini Clean!
Putting your boat away is always depressing, but doing it well makes taking the boat out that much more enjoyable and squeaky clean when the snows of winter melt. So say goodbye to your best friend in style, spend some quality time and get your boat buttoned up for the winter season. We will all take a moment, holding back tears, to remember what a great summer we had…
Special thanks to the proud men and women that keep our waters clean on pump-out boats especially those on the Groton Town Pump-Out Boat.
Bull Frog Products, Cortec Corporation, 4119 White Bear Parkway, St. Paul, MN 55110, 1-800-4-CORTEC, http://www.bull-frog.com/
Collinite Corporation, 1520 Lincoln Avenue, Utica, New York,13502, 315-732-2282, http://www.collinite.com
Griot's Garage, 3500-A 20th Street E., Tacoma, WA 98424, (800) 345-5789, http://www.griotsgarage.com.
Hammerhead Boatworks, Inc., 1423 Air Rail Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA ,23454, (866) 373-6992 http://hammerheadboatworks.com
November/December
Inside Out!
The curse of the boating industry is an infatuation with the color white, which encompasses everything from exterior gelcoat to interior decorating. White leather upholstery and white rugs present a nightmare for interior care. Many of us spend a lot of time inside our boats, while many of us don’t. But at some point a lot of effort was put into the interior of your boat and chances you want it to stay that way.
Leather:
Like the supple seats of a Cadillac the interior of your boat may have a beautiful leather interior. Like your supple Cadillac leather, care is very simple, clean with a little warm water on a cotton cloth. High quality new leather needs little more. As leather ages it will eventually begin to harden and get worn, especially the captains seats. For this aging leather there are specialty cleaning and conditioning products that help extend the life and appearance of your leather. The finest products produce the finest results.
Cleanie Picks:
- Zymol two step Leather Cleaner and Conditioner can be found at most large retail stores like Target.
- Meguiar’s Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner/Conditioner combines these two steps in one process.
Vinyl:
By traveling back in time to February 2004 (http://www.cleaniedini.com/Powerboat_2004.htm), we remember that vinyl is essentially as simple to care for as leather. When possible, use a light boat soap and water with a soft brush and rinse and dry immediately.
Cleanie Tips:
- Keep vinyl clean and dry, mildew cannot feed on vinyl but soaps and filth can give mildew food and a home.
- Do not use any vinyl cleaners that smell at all like petroleum bi-products. They will break down the plasticizers that keep the vinyl supple.
Cleanie Picks:
- When choosing vinyl products I look for products that are not greasy.
- 303 Aerospace Protectant has been the longtime standard and supported by numerous vinyl suppliers.
- Meguiar’s Marine Vinyl Cleaner and Conditioner is easily found at many marine stores and does a good job as a one step dressing for vinyl and plastics.
- A personal favorite is Griot’s Garage Quick Plastic Wipes. By having pre-moistened wipes it is possible to enter true vinyl care nirvana.
Carpeting:
One material the CleanieDini has shied away from has been carpeting. At a young age a strange respect was born for carpet cleaning. The carpet cleaning man would come into my home and put furniture on tin foil. This preparation was followed by running a hose from the carpet cleaning van to the living room and then consequently ruining the afternoon’s TV schedule. Believe it or not there is an easier way to clean your carpet yourself. If you have a shopvac, a brush and a spray bottle you can buy some carpet cleaning fluid at the local hardware store and dilute as per directions and you have your carpet cleaning system. Usually, small spot cleaning is all that is necessary in boats due to lack of shoes and traffic. Spray on your carpet cleaner solution, brush in, and on “wet” mode vacuum out any solution you sprayed in.
Cleanie Tips:
- If you decide to be super “Cleanie” you can follow up with fresh water to take all cleaning solution out of fibers and vacuum dry. Many people complain that cleaning solutions tend to attract dirt when left in the fibers so the carpet rinse is always a good idea.
- Remember not to use too much liquid because it could get absorbed into carpet padding and, as a result, present moisture problems.
- Work quickly, brushing and spraying and vacuuming almost simultaneously
- If at first a stain doesn’t come out, try try again.
Interior Picks:
- Meguiar’s All Surface Interior Brush X1000 with zones for carpet and soft bristles for leather cleaning.
- Griot’s Garage Interior Kit 11363- A great combination of high quality cleaning and protection products coupled with interior brush, foam applicator and two micro fiber towels.
- 303 Fabric Cleaner and 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover is a powerful combination for just about any fiber on your boat from carpets to Sunbrella.
Interior Cleaning does not need to be done very often but is necessary for the upkeep and value of the inside of your boat. The joy that is begot from running your hands along the soft leather seats and you feet in the clean carpet is something of a Cleanie dream.
303 Products, Inc., PO Box 966, Palo Cedro, CA 96073, (800) 223-4303, http://www.303products.com/
Griot's Garage, 3500-A 20th Street E.,Tacoma, WA 98424, (800) 345-5789, http://www.griotsgarage.com.
Meguiars, 17991 Mitchell South, Irvine, CA 92614, (800)347-5700, http://www.meguiars.com
Zymol, 28 Madison Hollow, Killingworth, CT 06419, 1 (800) 999-5563, www.zymol.com