hull cleaner

[Hayden]

Are the fiberglass hull cleaners containing oxcylic acid safe for painted (awlgrip) surfaces? If not, what's the best product for removing that brown bay scum from a painted hull?

[Ed]

Since awlgrip is a closed cell paint, any sort of scum accumulating on your boat should just wipe right off. If not, try some boat soap or if you feel like spending a few extra bucks....Awlgrip makes their own boat soap. If that doesnt work....try lightly buffing the area with 3M's red colored buffing compound. (Be very careful not to buff through....some boat painters are notorious for spraying very, very little paint on when they paint a boat). After you're done....apply a couple of coats of polymer or telfon polish. Should keep the scum line down to a minimum.

I'm not sure what standard gelcoat hull cleaner with oxacylic acid would do to awlgrip but I wouldnt want to find out.

-Ed-

[James Tackle]

I can answer that for you Ed... it either bleaches it or removes it. When I worked at the sailfish marina on singer Island, Fl.... there was a beautiful whittaker there painted fighting lady yellow. They had a girl mate that took care of the boat. When she cleaned the teak covering boards... the acid ran down the sides it turned white. Either it ws bleached out or just gone... either way... yellow turned white and completely ruined the paint job.