Cleaning Fibreglass Boats

[QldKev]

What do people use to clean fibreglass boats. I was going to use a mix of bleach and detergent, but my mate thinks (not sure) if bleach is bad news for fibreglass. I have also been told to use a mix of baking soda and salt, but have never used it before. Any ideas.

[Needmorerum]

What are you trying to clean off? When doing a general clean after coming back from fishing, I just use an auto wash and wax in one of those turtle brush's, same as I do for the car.

I'm looking for someway of polishing fibreglass. The top deck is getting a little dull, and I'd love to give it a spruce up, just not sure what works. I've tried a fibreglass polish, but it didn't do much.

Will follow the post with interest,

Corry

[tengals123]

wet sanding and buffing for fiberglass works a treat. But be prepared to use extremely high grit and buff by hand with cutting compound. Big job.

cheers

[2DKnBJ]

Have used the Starbrite rubbing compound and finished off with the Starbrite polish with teflon.Worked a treat but be prepared for a bit of work with the rubbing compound.Only wish i had gone with the heavier duty compound.If you have a white deck try shower cleaner not as harsh as bleach.I normaly do my deck every couple of trips and have not had any probs.I just don't like the idea of polishing the deck.Wet feet/polished deck not a good combo.

Cheers Dazza

[tengals123]

true!

cheers

[Streaker]

I had rust marks (idiot) and chalking on mine. I spoke to the boat detailer at Scarborough marina and he put me onto some gear. The job came up a treat. I will get the products name and post later.
Wayne

[QldKev]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm cleaning 2 boats, my trusty old rig ready for selling and the new boat I have recently purchased. My old boat is in very good condition, but hasn't been really well washed for the past year. It has been kept in a garage most of its life. The new rig has been left outside unused for a year and looks the part :-X, but I loved the hull shape; very rare find in the smaller hulls. Both will receive a full polish at the end of the clean.

[Streaker]

Septone cut and polish 3m restorer

[whichway]

I recently polished my boat - came up well. Tips -

Use a car type cutting compount first, then a fibreglass light polish and cleaner eg 3m

Use cheesecloth for the initial application

Buy a cheap electric buffer (less than $50). Makes the job so easy and quick, you'd wonder why you didn't buy one years ago (probably because they were $300.00 years ago).

I fact I actually enjoyed the improvement so much that I will probably go over it with a wax and polish again in a couple of weekends time - and I hate polishing!

Best of luck

Whichway

[Needmorerum]

Whichway, if you love it that much, you can come up and do mine for me.

Corry

[Sportfish_5]

Gotta luv a platey :-X ;D ;D

Hose down after each trip and polish once a year - maybe ;)

Greg

[tengals123]

be careful using a electric buffer on corners....DANGER!

cheers

[Bosunsmate]

Yep I agree with tengals, also keep ya buffer away from any vinyl/plastic stickers cause they can get hot and melt under the heat caused by the friction between polisher/polish and surface.

Have had similar probs doing wifes car, stripes melted down and left hard to remove marks on white paint.

[Dignity]

I've tried a fibreglass polish, but it didn't do much.

Corry

Interesting thing is that I found fibreglass polish to be more abrasive than a good car polish. Doesn't do anything for the boat but I tried it on some perspex (not on the boat) the other day to try and polish out some fine scratches and it left scuff marks. Tried a patch next to it with my car polish and it was definately better. So what gives, I would have thought that polish for RGP would have been softer. Could be the brand I was using.


Sam

Sam

[Morlers]

Dignity
You can get a product to polish out scuff marks on perspex. My son uses it on his motor bike helmet shield. I don't know what it's called but will try and find out. For the boat I use NuFinish in the orange plastic bottle. Works good and lasts.

:) :)

Morlers

[Dignity]

Thanks Morlers, the stuff I used was K & H which I picked up at a chandlers. Damn useless. I see also that Whitworths currently have a little palm polisher on special for $25, wondering if it would be any better than an electric one.

[Dignity]

Morlers, did you ever find out wha that polish was - also wonering if it would be any good on for the clears on my side curtains etc.

[Morlers]

Dignity

I have emailed my son. I will try and find out for you.

:) :)

Morlers

[banshee]

Realy badly chaulked fiberglass can be restored with a product called Nyalic(spelling) it is painted on and can be re-aplied over existing coats without removing them,it's only downfall is it's very expensive.For genneral cleaning and polishing 3M stuff is hard to beat but I've found Kitten polishes to be nearly as good.Rust stains on the gell coat can be removed with tooth paste and a tooth brush then go over again with a cream polish.Rust stains on the flow coat can be removed with Jiff and a plastic pot scourer(scratchy).Perspex can be polished with a product called Plexus comes in a spray can and has to be removed with cloth not paper,this stuff will remove scuffs and small scratches out of most plastics,costs $20 a can and the only place I've seen it is at the Brisbane boat show,Plexus also make a fibreglass restorer although at last years show they didn't have the demo running for this product.

[cooky]

I'm a reasonably new boat owner and found my 4 year old fibreglass was going a bit powdery in the harsh NQ sun. It has a dark blue strip on the top side and this tends to go lighter and looks bad (faded). 6 months ago I bought the 3m stuff and buffed with drill - sort of worked, but not very well - seemed to require a bit of effort.
Since then I did some research and found that 'apparently' you should use a pretty low speed buffer on fibreglass. My drill has pretty much only one speed (very fast).
Anyway I used my father in-laws old makita power drill (pretty slow) and turned down the speed - used one of those 6 inch wool cover things. It seemed to rip through the dark section and I did the front of the boat in about 25 minutes today - looks like new. Worked really well. Took anyfading and has a nice shiny slippery surface on it. I also put some KM wet look polymer stuff over top for protection. Boat looks great. I left some unfinished sections to compare and amazing.
I'm keen to do the rest of the boat now and I think it shouldn't take me more than an hour.

[Morlers]

Morlers, did you ever find out wha that polish was - also wonering if it would be any good on for the clears on my side curtains etc.

Hi Dignity

My son advises it is Meguiars Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner. Got it at Super Cheap Auto. He doesn't know if it will be any good on the side clears though. He uses it on his motor bike helmet visor and wind screen on bike. Directions on can might indicate uses.

Hope that helps.

:) :)

Morlers

[Morlers]

Dignity

Some more info for you. Here is the link to Meguiars website with the blurb

http://www.meguiars.com.au/Products_Marine_BVC.htm

:) :)

Morlers

[Dignity]

thanks Morlers will give it a try - will also try it on the clears - have a small area that if it doesn't work it wont matter too much

Sam

[breakthelines]

What about a pressure cleaner?

[TimiBoy]

I bought a cheap electric polisher ($50) and found it to be next to useless. It was OK on the car, but fibreglass polish was too much for it, the damn thing just didn't have enough torque.

I lashed out and spent $300 on a Makita variable speed polisher. It's shaped like an angle grinder. It does an unbelievable job, and because of the variable speed, I am in little or no danger of causing friction issues.

I polish the tub twice a year because she's outdoors, and it cuts hours off the job. Please consider!

Cheers,

Tim

[Jarrah Jack]

Blackened is the guru for restoring and polishing fiberglass on this forum. I'm suprised he hasn't made a comment by now, must be fishing.

He wrote a very detailed post a while back giving all the trade tips in polishing. I don't know how to post a link but you could find the post through an advanced search. He recommended a few maguiars products wich I've found to be brilliant.

[Dicko]

Blackened is the guru for restoring and polishing fiberglass on this forum. I'm suprised he hasn't made a comment by now, must be fishing.





This post was near 5years old, until last night. ;)

[Jarrah Jack]

This post was near 5years old, until last night. ;)
You got me Dicko...Maybe an extended overnighter.....:-*