The boat thread

What is everybody using for mildew destruction on seats and gelcoat?

I really should get things re-upholstered, but I need an early season solution. I could just spray bleach on everything, but that's harsh.

Also, how are you guys waxing and polishing?

Wax above the chines, not below.

I use a medium-cut polish on a wool bonnet for most gelcoat chalk.  Waxing will keep it looking nice, but wax on the hull can actually slow you down.  You want the water to sheet on the hull to make a boundary layer, just like you don't want a smooth surface on your head porting job.

Star-Brite makes a good mildew stain remover.  It won't work on the really bad stuff, but it's great to kill last year's mildew from being in storage.

Oh, yeah. Lots of us probably already know about this channel, but it is a storehouse of wealth about fiberglass repair, painting, mixing resins and other boat repair/restoration topics. 

He's very grassroots in approach, too.

Boatworks Today

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:

Wax above the chines, not below.

Us saltwater guys have to contend with bottom paint below the chines. It's a whole different mess.

Anyone have a good waterproof silicone-type (but doesn't have to be silicone) sealant? 

I need to seal some bolts that go through the hull of one of my boats, but they aren't permanent so I don't need the Permatex 5200 indestructible stuff.

Pick up some Awesome at the Dollar Store.

Our new to us boat - a 2000 ProSport 21SNF.     Seats like a pontoon (12 person) while retaining a V-hull and 150hp.   It just has a few chips in the gel coat to repair.

Just a note - Awesome works but is just as harsh as bleach. That product is only caustic soda and water with a little surfactant. It works on a lot of stuff but can be really hard on things like vinyl or aluminum. Or skin. 

I posted pic this in the hotlinks thread because I couldn't find this one. 

Dug the old boat out of the garage this weekend after moving a pile of crap around it. I fired the motor for the first time in well over a year and washed the dust and pollen off. Man, I tell you, that old Evinrude is a beast. The premix has been in those tanks at least 18 months, maybe 24. Hasn't fired in 12-18 months. After priming it well that beast lit off in about 3 seconds and settled right down to a smooth idle. Well, as smooth as it gets anyway, the thing sounds like an open header V8 with a miss when running on muffs. We were hoping to get out on the local lake Saturday but the weather is looking iffy. First trip to the coast is memorial day so I need to run it some before that. 

You guys said you wanted to see more vintage hydroplanes right? Here's another local rig. Didn't have gps on it but they told me it will do 80mph. 

Mr_Asa said:

Anyone have a good waterproof silicone-type (but doesn't have to be silicone) sealant? 

I need to seal some bolts that go through the hull of one of my boats, but they aren't permanent so I don't need the Permatex 5200 indestructible stuff.

Bueller?  Bueller?

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Above the waterline? If so 3M4200, which you can take apart unlike 5200 which is forever.  

1SlowVW said:

 

You guys said you wanted to see more vintage hydroplanes right? Here's another local rig. Didn't have gps on it but they told me it will do 80mph. 

That looks really similar to the boat in the rafters of my garage... wholly E36 M3, 80MPH?   Not sure I’m up for that but i bet it’d still be a hoot with 25 HP. 

11GTCS said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Above the waterline? If so 3M4200, which you can take apart unlike 5200 which is forever.  

Agreed. I use 4200 on stuff below the line too, but my boat is never in the water more than about 3 days straight. It lives on a trailer.  Other option for deck hardware above the line is butyl tape, very popular in the sailboat world

Just had to rewire and re-light the trailer. One LED light is only about 25% functional, and the conductors in the wire had literally turned to powder in 3 years. Like..in the run of uninterrupted wiring, not just near a joint.  Wire that cheap should be criminal. Dang PO. 

Heads up for a new Federal boating law!

In case you haven't heard, the federal law requiring use of kill switch tethers if installed went into effect April 1st. If your state didn't require them previously, now they will.

I think it's worded so the law requires you to use them if you have them installed, and requires all boats made after 2019 to have them. If the boat's older and you don't have one you are not required to install one.

11GTCS said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Above the waterline? If so 3M4200, which you can take apart unlike 5200 which is forever.  

A mix of above and below.  Mostly below 

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Does your boat live in the water?  Ultraclyde says he uses 4200 below the waterline on his trailer boat. If you’re just sealing around the bolts I think you’re good regardless.  

Well posting images from a mobile device is a bit more tricky now. That's an early Reynolds 33 that is 16ft wide. Reynolds moved to a more narrow 14ft beam that garnered a reputation for capsizing. My father acquired this a couple years ago. Comfortable and fast boat.

I've owned multiple boats, but I'm saving money by owning a sports car instead. I still have the canoe that I bought when I was 19, that's not going away. 
 

I finally got a trolling motor, depth finder, GPS and bait well all set up for it. This is from the sea trial with the trolling motor. Then I bought my first Miata. It hasn't been in the water since. I'll get back to it. 
 

11GTCS said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Does your boat live in the water?  Ultraclyde says he uses 4200 below the waterline on his trailer boat. If you’re just sealing around the bolts I think you’re good regardless.  

Nope, she's on a trailer 99.9999% of the time

I'll order some 4200 then

11GTCS said:

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Above the waterline? If so 3M4200, which you can take apart unlike 5200 which is forever.  

yea. 4200 is the stuff to get.  5200 is the stuff not to get on your hootis

I keep running out of zinc chromate.  Stupid cancer causing chemicals.

Clutchsmoke, what cat is that?  I've got a real soft spot (hard spot?) for a Stiletto ever since I saw a guy skiing behind one.

In reply to 914Driver : 

clutchsmoke said:

Well posting images from a mobile device is a bit more tricky now. That's an early Reynolds 33 that is 16ft wide. Reynolds moved to a more narrow 14ft beam that garnered a reputation for capsizing. My father acquired this a couple years ago. Comfortable and fast boat.

From the post just under his picture.

I used my kayak (it counts) to go fishing around the lower Cape Fear yesterday. Here's the sky at the end of the day heading back into Federal Point. Most boats may cost you money, but it's about the *experience,* not the bottom line.