Gray on decks, wax or not

[deniseO30]

I'm sure this is common just about everywhere. My decks and all my non skid get this gray film that needs be scrubbed off at least twice a season. I've never waxed the decks assuming mold will just feed on the wax as well. It's not that big a deal to scrub but I wonder if there is a way to keep it at bay? It's about the same as those plastic chairs we buy so cheap but get black and gray in a few weeks.

[Faster]

I've not tried it yet, but apparently Woody Wax is effective on non skid without making it slippery.

I think a waxed surface discourages particle adhesion and so should also discourage mold too. As for getting rid of the speckles, I find a medium to low pressure pressure washer does the trick nicely.

[svHyLyte]

We give the yacht's decks and topsides a wash one a week or so using buckets of water mixed with a couple of caps full of Zip Car Wash/Wax followed by a fresh water rinse. There seems to be enough wax effect in the material to inhibit grime--in our case from diesel engine exhaust from powerboats up-wind of our slip--sticking to the top sides. Our neighbor's Jenneua 42 always looked decidedly grayer than our boat until he began following the practice as well. (Having a teenager handy for the scrubbing chore is a decided advantage for this effort.)

FWIW...

[SVCarolena]

Denise - are you talking about gray mold/mildew spots or someting else? If the mold/mildew, we started using tilex mold and mildew remover a couple years ago. It takes about a half bottle sprayed on the decks to do our 30ft. boat. It is the only thing that keeps it from coming back. We used to wash with boat soap, which would leave the boat looking good for about two weeks. With the Tilex, we are able to go about half the season before using it again. The Tilex is safe for fiberglass shower surrounds, so I assume it is also safe for the boat (no problems reported). I'm assuming it actually kills the spores rather than wash the surface. We wet down the deck, apply a light spray of the Tilex, rub lightly with the deck brush, let it sit for a few minutes (spray again if it starts to dry), then a light scrub and rinse. After a cleaning with Tilex, subsequent washes are with regular boat soap until the spots return later in the season. We also use Woody Wax - it is very expensive, but only take a little bit sprayed on a deck brush to cover all the nonskid. And make sure you use Tilex Mold and Mildew, not the soap scum remover.

[deniseO30]

SV, yes! Tilex it is! the sliding hatch over the companion way gets the mold spots. the rest gets a gray mildew like coating and the vertical areas get lots of black mold. I"ve always scrubbed or power washed it but your right the grunge comes back quick!

[hellosailor]

Denise-
Could you be getting diesel exhaust from a highway, or are you in air airport flight pattern where aircraft soot comes down on you?
Any wax, even a non-skid wax, could trap more of that stuff. Using a silicone polish might trap less of it, but that's likely to be slippery.
And of course using nothing lets the gelcoat oxidize.

Could just be you need to try some different waxes, applied as sparingly as you can, and scrub the decks twice a year.

[sailingdog]

Denise—

In addition to using Tilex to kill off the mold, you might want to use the 3M mold prevention spray to help prevent it from returning.

[zz4gta]

Another vote for Tilex Mold and Mildew. Use it twice a season. hose down the storage area under the cockpit, let sit for 10 minutes, rinse. It's awesome.

[Ulladh]

Denise
Bristol is less industrial than my end of the Delaware below the airport, but you may be getting grud from the Falls Township industrial area up river, and the Wastemanagement facility.
I use "Totally Awsome" cleaner from the dollar store and a stiff brush for the stuff that comes of aircraft landing and taking off, the refineries on both sides of the river and a coal fired power plant nearby. The boat does not stay clean but is good for a week or so.
This cleaner is also good for wet sanding, just remember to rinse.

[Gorilla]

Simple Green works great for this chore and is bio-degradeable, not sure if Tilex is as "eco-friendly" or if that is a consideration for you.