Boat cleaning chems

[ConPexEr]

Is there any reason not to use basic household cleaners like Lime-A-Way on my boat? Water spots are killing me this year.

[oldjeep]

If you like covering the boat with acid. There are plenty of better options for water spots

Wipedowns with Eagle one wax as you dry works great once you have a decent wax job on the boat. It keeps my mainly black boat pretty spotless .

 

[skiinxs]

Vinegar will usually remove water spots unless they are extremely bad.

[skihacker]

50/50 mix of spray wax and vinegar works well for me. The water at our site is pretty "hard", it tends to eat aluminum fin box's pretty quick.

[foxriverat]

I have been using mixture 25% Eagle one wax as you dry 25% vinegar 50% water found that formula on here. Been working well for me. Too much vinegar strips the wax off your boat.

[BadgerwannaB]

I use Hot Sauce by Boat Bling and it works great for the hard water here in SE Wisconsin. I use it right after I come off the water and it works great at removing any dried spots and leaving a little bit of wax behind too. (I am not connected with Boat Bling at all, just love the product!)

[markchilcutt]

Step 1. Spray boat with Ducky water spot remover never letting it dry (don't get to far ahead of yourself). Doesn't take much product.

Step 2. Wipe with a wet rag. This is where you need to put some elbow into it.

Step 3. Immediately follow wet wipe with a lightly damp rag. Make sure you ring out as needed. Never use a completely dry rag on your boat or car that is how you get swirl marks.

Step 4. Wax boat in the fall and mid summer more if you ski all year. Our season goes from April till October.

[BraceMaker]

I'm on the vinegar train, just mixed up a jug of half vinegar half distilled water and I fill a spray bottle with that. particularly for the black areas on my hull

[oldjeep]

@BraceMaker - what are you using as a wax/sealant on your boat?

[h2onhk]

@ConPexEr for what its worth.... I bought a used boat that had a dark blue hull. On the back starboard side there were some god awful streaks embedded in the gel. Dealer stated the original owner used lime-a-way. Had to wetsand and buff to remove the streaks. Stick with a boat product or at least a less aggressive acid.... babes, boat candy, 50% vinegar 50% water, etc......

[markchilcutt]

Pic

[markchilcutt]

 

[shansen345]

Mix white vinegar with water 50/50 in a spray bottle. If that doesn't work, then try something more... inorganic. With boat or car care, I always like to start with the least aggressive method possible and then work my way up if it doesn't work.

[BraceMaker]

I'm a heathen. I use nu-finish almost exclusively.

[h2onhk]

@ConPexEr pics of what lime a way supposedly did to the gel for the original owner. those streaks and swirls were permanently in the gel. had to remove the decals, wet sand, strip with acetone, buff, install new decals, and wax. did I have to do it? no. did it drive me absolutely insane looking at the streaks? yes. OCD.

 

[dvskier]

@BraceMaker no problem with Nu Finish, it's a great polish, make sure to get a coat of wax on it to preserve the shine. I've used this process for 20 years, keeps boats looking new.

[BraceMaker]

@dvskier Ya it seems to be pretty durable, beads for a long time and is supposedly good w UV which most waxes don't seem to handle. It also doesn't cake up.

 

I machine compound when needed using 3M perfect it and then will wash and apply a carnuba but then I follow it with nu-finish during the season doing a bit of a spot treatment method. I'll even do that at the sand bar.

[BraceMaker]

If you already have spots buy muriatic acid in a jug not some fancy product with a small amount of acid for more money.

[mlange]

Magic Formula = 25% quick wax, 25% vinegar, 50% distilled water.

 

 

 

 

[Horton]

Of course I'm a huge proponent of products from Babe's Boat Care but I'm super surprised that you guys say that a product like lime away would damage a boat. I thought gelcoat was inert epoxy and should be pretty much impervious to acids.

[h2onhk]

I have no proof that lime a way was the culprit other than that's what the dealer thought was put on it. The harshest acid I have ever used to remove extreme hard water is the works toilet bowl cleaner. 9.5% hydrochloric acid. Older lime a way products were 14.5-20%.