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Incredible hull cleaner, dirt cheap and fast.

16K views 53 replies 29 participants last post by  jimrafford 
#1 ·
It's rare that I post in this area of the forum, but I thought this would be very beneficial to everyone.

Last week, I was looking to begin the arduous, annual task of cleaning and waxing my Morgan 33 Out Island hull, which was absolutely filthy from the past winter's harshness and grime. There were streaks of decaying rub rail running down the sides, rust stains from chain plate bolts that for some reason have recently developed a thin film of surface rust, and the usual soot and stuff that tends to accumulate every winter.

Normally, I go to work with various bleach and soap mixtures and a scrub brush, scrub the Hell out of the hull, then compound the worst stains, and finish with a couple coats of marina wax. A three day job at the very least, sometimes longer.

As I prepared the bucket of hot, soapy water, a fellow boater from the marina came up and said "Hey Gary, give this a try - you may be surprised." He handed me a spray bottle of yellow liquid, I sprayed some on a nasty stain near the stern quarter, waited about 10 to 15 seconds, then wiped with a terry cloth towel. The stain vanished, the hull was shiny and as clean as if I had just painted it. Unbelievable. I asked where he got this stuff and was told Dollar General for just $1 a quart. It is called Totally Awesome Cleaner. Bulk LA?s Totally Awesome All-Purpose Cleaner, 20 oz. at DollarTree.com

It took less than 2 hours to do the entire boat, the hull looks better than it has in years, and the next step was to rinse it down with fresh water and allow the hull to thoroughly dry. For added protection from the elements, I'm applying a couple coats of Poli-Glow Amazon.com: Poli Glow Kit Complete: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rpBn-km%2BL.@@AMEPARAM@@51rpBn-km%2BL This is similar to automotive clear coat, however, it has been formulated for marine use. Another guy at the marina did his boat last year with the product, and it look like a mirror finish throughout the year. And, this spring, he merely washed the boat with dish detergent and hot water, applied a single coat and it again looks incredible. It's a wipe on product that does not require buffing and takes less than an hour to do a 33 foot boat. How slick is that!

Have a great sailing season everyone,

Gary :cool:
 
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#3 ·
Gary - be careful with the Poli Glow....the PO used it on my boat and it turned into a gummy mess after a couple of years. Apparently the first few years it looks great, as long as you strip the old stuff completely before applying a new coat.
 
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#9 ·
If he has already used the stuff, he'll regret it....and soon!
 
#11 ·
Poliglo comes with directions or instructions for use. If you read the label and apply it correctly it seems to work fine.
There is a polyglo remover available to take it off, certainly no more difficult than compunding wax off the hull.
Big letters on the label say it is for use on fiberglass. Using it on paint probably ain't going to work - but that is not a product problem, that is a user problem.
 
#13 ·
Well... our boats are fiberglass, why would it not work?
They don't say "use on gel coat only". This is from the Poly Glow web-site:

Poli Glow is a proven concept in boat polish and is 'NOT' a boat wax. It is easily applied. It wipes on without the need for rubbing or buffing. It will not wash off with soap and water. And lasts for over 12 months!

Poli Glow will work on the following: RV's, Boats, Canoes, Motorhomes, Painted Fiberglass, Painted Metals, Rubber and Vinyl Lettering.
.
 
#12 ·
I just talked with the folks at My Boat Store, which is the prime distributor and information center for Poli-Glow. I specifically asked about using the product over painted surfaces. He said it's not a problem if the paint is a two-part epoxy paint that is more than a few years old. If the paint job is still a bit new, he said there can be a reaction and it is not recommended because the chemicals in the paint continue to leech for quite some time before fully cured. My paint is Emron and 15 years old so it will not be a problem.

Gary :cool:
 
#15 ·
I can't think of anything more time consuming and less rewarding than waxing the hull. It usually takes me the better part of 4 hours to apply and buff two coats of wax, and the wax will only look good for a month or two at the most. After getting cooked in the sun and washed off by the rain, you wouldn't know the boat was ever waxed at all after two months of summer sailing. My friend's Poli-Glow finished boat looked great all last year. He used the Poli-Glo remover this spring, and it took less than an hour to strip last year's Poli-Glow from his 30 Catalina Tall. I'm going to give it a shot in the next two weeks and I'll update the post from time to time as to the results.

Cheers from an old man,

Gary :cool:
 
#16 ·
Using Poli Glow for years, makes my 28 yr. beige hull look new.
Best results when I strip off and reapply every year or 2.
Big factor for me is that I am not compounding my hull every
year making gel coat more porous (and effectively removing/wearing out gel coat over time)
Biggest downside is, I have to touch up/reapply were bow wave wears off after 300-400 plus mile cruise....10 minutes.
Now if i could only find something for my deck.
 
#17 ·
POLY GLOW

BEFORE you use it, I strongly suggest that you do some THOROUGH research.

I mean THOROUGH.

Use Google, and read across lots of boating forums, including this one, sailboatowners.com and others.

You will be surprised that the easy on doesn't always mean long lasting.

It's your boat, your choice, but I'd sure hate to see you take only ONE guy's word for it, when there are so many varied opinions about it.'

What's your alternate? See Maine Sail's How to Wax your boat article, here on this forum and at sailboatowners, too.

I would not recommend Poly Glow to my worst enemy.
 
#19 ·
I've used Poli Glow for 8 years now and have recommended it to several friends, all with out hesitation and regret. I have done the MaineSail routine on a pervious boat...and it looked great too...but was quite a bit more work. Following the instructions I haven't had an issue with Poli Glow...both in application, or longevity. I did my research, read the horror stories and rolled the dice. I've been very pleased so far with the results...and I get compliments on my boat.
 
#20 ·
Do you have any idea what might be the cause of most people's issues? Applying too thick? I have used for years a product on my cars called Klasse a synthetic product along the lines of Poly Glow, though it is not a no buff formula. There are lots of folks who use it without issue, but others that hate it and had issues with streaking. It is a bear to take off completely but is only an issue before painting. But the biggest issue is putting it on too thick, this causes both streaking and seems to contribute to shorter life.

There are other synthetic products but most will require buffing. I have had good luck with both Conolite (a blend of carnubia and polymers) and Finish Care. Both should give season long performance but will require polishing before application and buffing after.
 
#21 ·
I've used Poliglow for my two older boats (29 and 23 years old), but will not use it for my 1998 Catalina 250. Here's my basic issue with Poliglow:

The instructions say to remove all oxidation or you'll just be sealing in the chalk. So to properly prepare the surface, you need to do substantial sanding, compounding, polishing, and/or buffing. Sure, applying the Poliglow is easy, but the proper surface prep is not any easier than it is prior to waxing.

But once you've done the proper surface prep, you might as well use wax over top, because a properly polished hull will make the waxing a simple wipe on/wipe off procedure. I'm speaking from experience here -- I know for a fact that once you eliminate the surface oxidation properly, even Collinite Fleet #885 (which some claim is terribly difficult to buff) just wipes right off.

So my guess is that the Poliglow supporters take shortcuts by putting it on over oxidized hulls without full surface prep. I think they can get away with this on white hulls. You'll only notice it with deeper colored hulls (and/or your boot stripe) that show chalk if not properly polished.

Those who have difficulty removing Poliglow are probably fighting the fact that without proper surface prep, the Poliglow penetrated into the chalk, effectively binding it to the hull, and making the matrix of Polyglow+chalk even harder to remove when the Poliglow went bad after a few years.

I generally like Poliglow for my smaller boats, because their small, uneven hull shapes are difficult to get a polisher onto. So I used 1200-2000 grit wet sandpaper to remove the oxide, and Poliglow over top with acceptable results. The Poliglow definitely adds a slight yellowing of the surface, but it's a suitable compromise. My C250 has larger smooth areas on the hull that are easily accessible with an electric buffer, so I buffed with Presta Cutting Cream and did Fleet wax over top. It is a superior result (shinier, harder, less yellowing) with about the same effort that a proper surface prep would have required for Poliglow.
 
#22 ·
TakeFive;1867130 said:
The instructions say to remove all oxidation or you'll just be sealing in the chalk. So to properly prepare the surface, you need to do substantial sanding, compounding, polishing, and/or buffing. Sure, applying the Poliglow is easy, but the proper surface prep is not any easier than it is prior to waxing.

But once you've done the proper surface prep, you might as well use wax over top, because a properly polished hull will make the waxing a simple wipe on/wipe off procedure. I'm speaking from experience here -- I know for a fact that once you eliminate the surface oxidation properly, even Collinite Fleet #885 (which some claim is terribly difficult to buff) just wipes right off.
That is a very astute analysis. Thanks, one of the better ones I've read on this recurring subject.
 
#23 ·
I think all here have agreed, proper prep before applying
wax or poli glow on your hull is needed.
Chauk/oxidatation under poliglow or wax is just going to be shiny
chauk/oxidation.
Gary,
When applying Poli glow, the 1st 2 coats does not show, I put
6 or 7 regularly, each coat dries within minutes in warm temps.
and I don't pay any mind if I have overlaped more in one area than another. (all blend in nicely) Takes less than 2 hours on my 30 fter.
Often times users become unhappy when recoating in following years, sometimes because coating over and sealing in dirt.
As indicated in my prev. post, my best results are when I remove
completely and reapply every year or 2.
Thinking TakeFive has come very close to why some become unhappy with with poli glow...when removing if one does not make
sure to change/rinse rags and properly rinse hull...removed poli glow will reharden and dry on hull and after investing the time
removing and reapplying new...some will blame the poli glow
rather then do over.
It is always great, agree or disagree, that members share their personal experiences so we all can weigh and decide what makes sense for our situation, not so great if/when they share their 2nd or
3rd hand or internet experience.
Hugo
 
#25 ·
I seems that all the comments, analysis and failures stated so far are related to gel-coated boats.
Their website state that it can be used on painted fibreglass. My hull is painted, paint does not oxide (but fades a bit). So if I clean thoroughly and apply Poly glow I may have a better chance of success than on a gel-coated boat, yes?
 
#27 ·
...My hull is painted, paint does not oxide (but fades a bit)...
If true, then why are there hundreds of polishes and compounds available for automotive finishes, including the Preta products that I use on my boat? :confused:
 
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#29 ·
FWIW, this year I am trying Prism Polish and it's partner sealant, Mirage. My hull is off-white gelcoat, 30 years old...chalky/oxidised gelcoat is my main problem. I was hesitant at first - I used it as a metal polish, worked well - but Prism polish seems to do a great job restoring the shine to tired gelcoat, for little work. Mirage also looks good, but with sealants only time will tell, so I am more cautious about endorsing it.

I am trying this route because the compounding and waxing process does give a spectacular shine - but equally is a spectacular amount of work; fleetwax works great, but needs to be put on one small area at a time, and polished/buffed before moving on...and keeping that shine requires redoing it in 6 months time!

I know, we all have our favorite polishes and sealants (waxes)- like many others I am experimenting to find the right balance between effort and shine. I am keeping an open mind, so this thread is interesting...

(usual disclaimer: sailor with not-so-shiny boat, not employee, troll, etc)
 
#30 ·
If you have that much oxidation, you should consider wet sanding. I did a 1995 ski nautique this year and it came out looking brand new.

I did 400, 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit. Then I did a nice compound with 3m compound. Then mequires heavy duty oxidation remover. Then I use zymol paste wax.

If you don't have enough gel coat left to wet sand, then it is time to paint with a 2 part poly.
 
#32 ·
It is available at the Dollar Tree, for get this a dollar! They sell the 20 oz bottle and a 32 ounce refill. There are places selling it on Amazon for almost $8, but at least they offer free shipping. I have used it in the past, I would recommend good gloves as it is nasty smelling. I would not use it on anything that might be damaged.
 
#34 ·
The 32-ounce refill bottle sells for $3 at Dollar General, while the 20-ounce bottle sells for just $1. I didn't notice any odor whatsoever, cleaned the entire hull with no side effects to the boat or me, also cleaned off the nasty bird droppings on the deck today - did a fantastic job on the bird poo. I still have not got around to using the Poli-Glow yet, mainly because I spent 6 hours masking the deck in preparation for painting today. The Poli-Glow will have to wait till I get the decks finished, which may take until next weekend. I'm an old codger and don't have the stamina to work more than 8 hours a day anymore. Gettin' old ain't fer wimps and sissies! :)

Cheers,

Gary :cool:
 
#36 ·
I have been using Totally Awesome (LA ) for a huge variety of things on boats and homes for years. The key to the product is to use it at the right concentration. It seldom needs to be used at anywhere near 50/50 mix. It will cut the usual heating oil winter haze off boats in the spring at roughly 1 cup to 3 gallons water. I often use it to prep the boat before painting and have found if used on teak after a moderate wash with oxalic acid it will restore color to the wood as well as any "teak brightener" two part formula around. It was originally developed for spray washing systems in particular so really is quite strong straight from the bottle.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
 
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