After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

sherwindu wrote:
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


I definitely would not use a product like Zud, because it is abrasive
and will scratch the finish. Tidy Bowl might be good, but I would be
concerned with it staining your bottom paint blue. I have always use a
product called "On and Off Hull and Bottom Cleaner". I think it has
muriatic acid, but really am not sure. I have purchased it at West
Marine and my marina's store, so I think it is readily available at all
Marine Supply Stores.

JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html



I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.

Sno-Bowl works great, and was recommended by a popular (successful)
local fiberglass man.


"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin

We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.


What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.

Canuck57 wrote:
"Gene Kearns" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 28 Oct 2007 00:44:21 -0500, sherwindu penned the following
well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I noticed
that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but this
band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub like
hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy Bowl
as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that Muratic
Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my fiberglass
hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this river
junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get everything
off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom paint,
as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin
We have the same problem here in the rivers and the AICW.... I have
constantly fought this battle and won.

First of all, I would caution against using any powdered cleaners.
They are all abrasive, to some extent, and I suspect do more harm than
good.

Gelcoat is porous. Sorry, but that is just the way it is. Your cleaner
is going to have to go where the stain is and chemically remove it.
The only way to actually do this is acid.... and it might be
hydrochloric (muriatic), oxalic, phosphoric, oxalic, sulfuric or a
mixture, including detergents or surfactants. Read that, "I gotta wear
eye and skin protection!" Thus, also, you have the reason the toilet
bowl cleaners can be used.... they are acid. They can be bought
cheaper that the boutique cleaner blends offered in most chandleries.

This is one easily obtainable boat product with which I have had good
results:
http://tinyurl.com/24gcep

NOTICE: that any acid based cleaner is NOT good for your trailer.....
especially if it is aluminum. It will stain and etch the metal.

ALSO NOTICE: (at least in my experience) any acid cleaner is going to
screw up your bottom paint. I use a black ablative paint and it
doesn't really stain, so I use tape and plastic to mask off my bottom
paint. If your paint cannot be washed clean.... I think you are in for
scrubbing and a touch-up.


What about waxing it before going out? Any thoughts on this? Is there a
easy treatment that makes it come off easy?

I know it doesn't get it off once on, but maybe an ounce of prevention is
better than the cure.



Absolutely nothing works better than applying Zaino Brothers polish on
the boat every season. It is so easy to apply and remove you can do it
twice a season. Just don't apply any where someone will walk, it is a
slick as teflon.

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub
like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html


I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.




ps - after I sent the post, I wondered if Bar Keepers recommended it for
fiberglass boats. Bar Keepers recommend rubbing with the grain, which
to me is a red flag about being abrasive.

While they didn't actual recommend using the product on fiberglass,
"They said " Bar Keepers Friend has been used successfully to clean
fiberglass boats, bathtubs, and showers--especially where water stains
are a problem. Do not use hard rubbing."

If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
JimH wrote:
"sherwindu" wrote in message
...
After pulling my boat from the Root River in Racine Wisconsin, I
noticed that
there
was an ugly band of black gunk at the waterline, especially at the
upstream side
of
the boat when it was in the slip. A power wash got the mud off, but
this band
of
gunk stayed on. I had the same problem last year, and had to rub
like hell with

all kinds of cleaners to get it off. Someone recommended using Tidy
Bowl as a
cleaner, possibly because it contains Muratic Acid. I know that
Muratic Acid is

used to clean and etch concrete, so I was wary to use it on my
fiberglass hull.
Was I correct about this? Is there a better way to clean off this
river junk?
I
have used Zud and other similar products, but they don't get
everything off and
require a lot of elbow grease. Some of this gunk is on the bottom
paint, as
well,
so I have to be careful not to dissolve that.

Sherwin


Bar Keepers Friend
http://yhst-55367440605114.stores.ya...barkefrpo.html


I would not use Bar Keepers friend or any of the other abrasive cleaners
on fiberglass, while it is a mild abrasive, I would be concerned it
would just make it harder to remove the gunk next year.




ps - after I sent the post, I wondered if Bar Keepers recommended it for
fiberglass boats. Bar Keepers recommend rubbing with the grain, which
to me is a red flag about being abrasive.

While they didn't actual recommend using the product on fiberglass,
"They said " Bar Keepers Friend has been used successfully to clean
fiberglass boats, bathtubs, and showers--especially where water stains
are a problem. Do not use hard rubbing."

I would try to use a non abrasive product that did not warn about
rubbing with the grain, and to rub gently.

If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Gently? Try no rubbing at all. Just put a paste of it on there and let the
acid do the work. If you rub it you'll just be putting more scratches into
the gelcoat. Making it easier for the gunk to attach to it again next
season.

Your best bet is to stay on top of this during the season. Just use a
soft/medium brush on it. Shur-hold makes an attachment with bend in it that
makes this less hassle. If you're in the water you can use one of those
suction cup handles to give you a hand hold to really get a good scrub.

-Bill Kearney

Bill Kearney wrote:
If you decide to go route, do it very gently.

Gently? Try no rubbing at all. Just put a paste of it on there and let the
acid do the work. If you rub it you'll just be putting more scratches into
the gelcoat. Making it easier for the gunk to attach to it again next
season.

Your best bet is to stay on top of this during the season. Just use a
soft/medium brush on it. Shur-hold makes an attachment with bend in it that
makes this less hassle. If you're in the water you can use one of those
suction cup handles to give you a hand hold to really get a good scrub.

-Bill Kearney



I use a brush with a liquid oxalic acid solution. Removes those stains
for me. The most annoying stains I seem to encounter on the hull are
those left behind by the tannin in the water.