Re: Barnacle bottom cleaning/sandpaper
Jim,
Its probably too late for this, but a good rule of thumb is to
remove as much as you can while the bottom is still wet. Removing the
pads is easiest if you use a palm sander with #100 wet/dry paper.
I have successfully cleaned of my Enterprise (a U.K. Dinghy from
Holt and Allen) that has been moored in salt water every year since
1969. When we used to race her, we did not use anti-fouling paint,
but would haul her up on a sandy beach every week for a bottom
scrubbing with plastic scrub pads, and "sand from the beach rubbed
with rags". I know apply multi-season antifouling paint that can be
burnished smooth.
Next year, coat the bottom with one of the
multi-season anti-fouling paints meant for trailerable boats, and much
of this work will not need to be repeated.
My clean up time this year was around 1 hour and that includes
getting out the hose and rewinding it. No sanding was necessary this
year.
I have used the bottled "cleaners" and they do work, but at what
cost to your health and the environment? I do not think they are any
bit more effective than sandpaper and elbow grease. I like to use the
cleaners for scum around the waterline where sanding may effect the
boot stripe or damage visible gel coat.
Happy Sailing,
David Jost
"time to flush and winterize the motor"
Its probably too late for this, but a good rule of thumb is to
remove as much as you can while the bottom is still wet. Removing the
pads is easiest if you use a palm sander with #100 wet/dry paper.
I have successfully cleaned of my Enterprise (a U.K. Dinghy from
Holt and Allen) that has been moored in salt water every year since
1969. When we used to race her, we did not use anti-fouling paint,
but would haul her up on a sandy beach every week for a bottom
scrubbing with plastic scrub pads, and "sand from the beach rubbed
with rags". I know apply multi-season antifouling paint that can be
burnished smooth.
Next year, coat the bottom with one of the
multi-season anti-fouling paints meant for trailerable boats, and much
of this work will not need to be repeated.
My clean up time this year was around 1 hour and that includes
getting out the hose and rewinding it. No sanding was necessary this
year.
I have used the bottled "cleaners" and they do work, but at what
cost to your health and the environment? I do not think they are any
bit more effective than sandpaper and elbow grease. I like to use the
cleaners for scum around the waterline where sanding may effect the
boot stripe or damage visible gel coat.
Happy Sailing,
David Jost
"time to flush and winterize the motor"
--- Inbolger@egroups.com, pmcrannell@y... wrote:
> Jim,pads.
>
> The hardest part of this job is getting rid of the barnacle
> The shells come off easily with a scraper or putty knife. I'vespent
> many hours scraping these pads off with an old, chipped chisel oris
> pocket knife. NO FUN! It's best to tackle everything when the boat
> first pulled. Once this stuff hardens up, you're in for a lot ofwork.
>The
> There are a couple of products that will make your job easier.
> first one is Starbrite's Hull Cleaner. It comes in quart bottles.The
> active ingredient is oxalic acid, similar to clorine bleach, butetc.
> different. It's used as a teak cleaner, waterline scum remover,
> It should soften up the pads enough to scrape them off.a
>
> If not, you'll have to get out the big guns. This is a product
> made by MaryKate, called On & Off. This stuff will definitely work!
> In addition to On & Off, buy some heavy rubber gloves, goggles, and
> good disposible respirator, and wear old clothes. This stuff hasmetal,
> hydrochloric acid in it, and it's pretty nasty stuff. But it works.
>
> Move your boat onto a waste piece of ground, and keep a hose
> running. It will corrode your trailer, so if any drips on the
> blast it with a hose. If you can block the boat on some wood,you'll
> have better access, and won't have to worry about the trailer.that
>
> The charter captains use On & Off for cleaning up fish blood
> soaks into gelcoat, and on stubborn fish scales that sick tofor
> everything. I think they overuse it, but it doesn't seem to hurt
> their boats.
>
> Take care,
> Pete Reynolds
>
>
> --- Inbolger@egroups.com, Jim Goeckermann <jim@s...> wrote:
> > Boy, that subject sounds like a serious medical condition, eh?
> > Actually, I have a new-to-me West Wight Potter. (I know, fellas,
> flame away if
> > you must, but this is actually a wooden boat - turned f.g. design
> from England -
> > a sort of Micro in every sense. And absolutely cute...)
> > It sat in the salt for two plus years, then sat on the trailer
> a year. IAny
> > think I left a string of clamshells up I-5 when I dragged it home
> last weekend.
> > Who has some cleaning experience here? Should I soak it first?
> of the
> > commercial cleaners worth using, or just elbow grease?
> > Thanks for any suggestions.
> > Jim
Jim,
The hardest part of this job is getting rid of the barnacle pads.
The shells come off easily with a scraper or putty knife. I've spent
many hours scraping these pads off with an old, chipped chisel or
pocket knife. NO FUN! It's best to tackle everything when the boat is
first pulled. Once this stuff hardens up, you're in for a lot of work.
There are a couple of products that will make your job easier. The
first one is Starbrite's Hull Cleaner. It comes in quart bottles. The
active ingredient is oxalic acid, similar to clorine bleach, but
different. It's used as a teak cleaner, waterline scum remover, etc.
It should soften up the pads enough to scrape them off.
If not, you'll have to get out the big guns. This is a product
made by MaryKate, called On & Off. This stuff will definitely work!
In addition to On & Off, buy some heavy rubber gloves, goggles, and a
good disposible respirator, and wear old clothes. This stuff has
hydrochloric acid in it, and it's pretty nasty stuff. But it works.
Move your boat onto a waste piece of ground, and keep a hose
running. It will corrode your trailer, so if any drips on the metal,
blast it with a hose. If you can block the boat on some wood, you'll
have better access, and won't have to worry about the trailer.
The charter captains use On & Off for cleaning up fish blood that
soaks into gelcoat, and on stubborn fish scales that sick to
everything. I think they overuse it, but it doesn't seem to hurt
their boats.
Take care,
Pete Reynolds
The hardest part of this job is getting rid of the barnacle pads.
The shells come off easily with a scraper or putty knife. I've spent
many hours scraping these pads off with an old, chipped chisel or
pocket knife. NO FUN! It's best to tackle everything when the boat is
first pulled. Once this stuff hardens up, you're in for a lot of work.
There are a couple of products that will make your job easier. The
first one is Starbrite's Hull Cleaner. It comes in quart bottles. The
active ingredient is oxalic acid, similar to clorine bleach, but
different. It's used as a teak cleaner, waterline scum remover, etc.
It should soften up the pads enough to scrape them off.
If not, you'll have to get out the big guns. This is a product
made by MaryKate, called On & Off. This stuff will definitely work!
In addition to On & Off, buy some heavy rubber gloves, goggles, and a
good disposible respirator, and wear old clothes. This stuff has
hydrochloric acid in it, and it's pretty nasty stuff. But it works.
Move your boat onto a waste piece of ground, and keep a hose
running. It will corrode your trailer, so if any drips on the metal,
blast it with a hose. If you can block the boat on some wood, you'll
have better access, and won't have to worry about the trailer.
The charter captains use On & Off for cleaning up fish blood that
soaks into gelcoat, and on stubborn fish scales that sick to
everything. I think they overuse it, but it doesn't seem to hurt
their boats.
Take care,
Pete Reynolds
--- Inbolger@egroups.com, Jim Goeckermann <jim@s...> wrote:
> Boy, that subject sounds like a serious medical condition, eh?
> Actually, I have a new-to-me West Wight Potter. (I know, fellas,
flame away if
> you must, but this is actually a wooden boat - turned f.g. design
from England -
> a sort of Micro in every sense. And absolutely cute...)
> It sat in the salt for two plus years, then sat on the trailer for
a year. I
> think I left a string of clamshells up I-5 when I dragged it home
last weekend.
> Who has some cleaning experience here? Should I soak it first? Any
of the
> commercial cleaners worth using, or just elbow grease?
> Thanks for any suggestions.
> Jim
Boy, that subject sounds like a serious medical condition, eh?
Actually, I have a new-to-me West Wight Potter. (I know, fellas, flame away if
you must, but this is actually a wooden boat - turned f.g. design from England -
a sort of Micro in every sense. And absolutely cute...)
It sat in the salt for two plus years, then sat on the trailer for a year. I
think I left a string of clamshells up I-5 when I dragged it home last weekend.
Who has some cleaning experience here? Should I soak it first? Any of the
commercial cleaners worth using, or just elbow grease?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Jim
Actually, I have a new-to-me West Wight Potter. (I know, fellas, flame away if
you must, but this is actually a wooden boat - turned f.g. design from England -
a sort of Micro in every sense. And absolutely cute...)
It sat in the salt for two plus years, then sat on the trailer for a year. I
think I left a string of clamshells up I-5 when I dragged it home last weekend.
Who has some cleaning experience here? Should I soak it first? Any of the
commercial cleaners worth using, or just elbow grease?
Thanks for any suggestions.
Jim