What if Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub Doesn’t Work?

Skipper September 5, 2006 Ask The Skipper

Nabeel Alsalam asked:

I really like the Aurora family of products. I have most of them in my arsenal. However, I have two 20+ year old and neglected Boston Whalers that I’m trying to restore. There are some really nasty stains that have not gone away after I worked them with Boat Clean Plus & Boat Scrub. One appears to be a rust stain. It got lighter, but is still there. Others are dark colored (black) stains in what might be damaged areas of the gelcoat. What is the next step I can take to attack these stains? What do you think of FSR (Fiberglass Stain Remover)? I was thinking of trying that and then “sealing” it with Boat Shine.

Thanks for your help.

Answer:
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Restoring older boats can be a real challenge. Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub, used in a 50/50 solution has been known to remove stains that nothing else would touch. These products are now used and recommended by boat manufactures for removing really tough stains and scuffs. They find that it is highly effective and minimizes any damage to the fiberglass.

The stains and damage to your gelcoat may be indelible and require refinishing, however before you resort to that try applying Waterline Stain Remover to the areas to see if that will do the trick. The stains could be caused by organic growth (mold, mildew, etc.) and may be very deep set in the pores of the fiberglass. This type of stain can not be removed by conventional cleaners, or even compounding. If this fails, you could try wet sanding and compounding, if you’re sure that the stains are rust and organic growth and providing you have a sufficient layer of gelcoat left. The worst that could happen is that you remove all of the gelcoat and have to refinish anyway.

Other possible causes of the stains, if they are localized, is patching of old damage. Gelcoat and epoxy, even if color matched when the repair is done, will age differently than the original gelcoat and may appear as a stain years later. The stains could be lighter or darker than the surrounding areas and may have a rust or grayish tinge to them, depending on the pigments and dyes used to color them. If this is the case, your options are refinishing with gelcoat or paint, living with the stains, or if you have the skill and the rest of the gelcoat is in good condition, you can grind out the old patches and apply a new ones, that matches the current color of your boat. When done properly, you can’t tell there is a patch.

Waterline Stain Remover was tested by Practical Sailor and Powerboat Reports against seven other products, including FSR, and was rated best at removing tough waterline stains. At the end of the test, they used Waterline Stain Remover to finish the job that the other cleaners failed at.

After you use Waterline Stain Remover, go over those areas with Boat Clean Plus and Boat Scrub to remove any residue, neutralize any residual cleaner, deoxidize the surface and bring out the shine. Premium Boat Shine will then seal the pores and maintain the shine that you were able to restore.

Thanks for you question,

Captain Aurora