How to remove chalk on boot stripe?

chuck711 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-18-2008

What's the best way to remove chalk on boot stripe? I think it's from the gelcoat oxidation......... Looks terrible!

Faster · #2 (**permalink**) 02-18-2008

Short term cure is Flood's Penetrol - makes it look like new for precisely 39 1/2 days

- but I don't recommend it because it's almost pure silicon and is the devil to get off if you ever decide to paint instead. (and you can't paint over it)

The Poliglow treatment will get you looking great for a full season, but if you buy a kit it's enough to do the whole boat at least once... so if it's just the bootstripe you're concerned with that might be a bit much (~ $100)

Another option would be to mask it, sand it and repaint it with a decent bootstripe paint. An added bonus here is you can change the colour easily and "update" your look for very little money and a bit of effort.

Finally vinyl tape can be applied over it if you'd rather do that. This is a bit tough to get looking right, because the width of most boot stripes varies considerably as it goes into the counter area.

None of these treatments can be done properly or neatly with the boat in the water, of course.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

Faster--

What are you sniffing??? Penetrol isn't silicone based... it's an oil-based finish. If you're going to buy it, get it at the hardware store, since it'll be a lot less money there than it will at the chandelry. The MSDS for Penetrol is here.

Faster · #4 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Faster--

What are you sniffing??? Penetrol isn't silicone based... it's an oil-based finish. If you're going to buy it, get it at the hardware store, since it'll be a lot less money there than it will at the chandelry. The MSDS for Penetrol is here.

OOps.. guess I should have put the lid on the old can.....

I was told that years ago when we had to solvent wash my brothers boat many many times to get rid of what we were told was silicon residue.... my bad for taking their word.

In any event I didn't recommend its use - its temporary at best and a future hindrance to painting in any case.

sandsailor · #5 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

what is a bootstripe???

sailingdog · #6 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

LOL... I'd imagine that the solvent used to clean up silicone would probably remove Penetrol... but that doesn't mean they're the same thing.

I grew up working in the paint business... and the Penetrol that the marine store sells is basically the exact same stuff as the hardware store variety, except for price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faster

OOps.. guess I should have put the lid on the old can.....

I was told that years ago when we had to solvent wash my brothers boat many many times to get rid of what we were told was silicon residue.... my bad for taking their word.

In any event I didn't recommend its use - its temporary at best and a future hindrance to painting in any case.

sailingfool · #7 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

First try some cleaner/wax, if that doesn't bring back the color, then try a compounding, use a pad on a random orbital sander - Turtle Wax sells a nice one at auto stores.

If either of these bring the color back, apply a good paste wax next. If the color fades much before the end of the season, paint the boottop next year. Don't even think about tape.

hellosailor · #8 (**permalink**) 02-19-2008

"but I don't recommend it because it's almost pure silicon and is the devil to get off if you ever decide to paint instead."
3M's PrepWash or PrepSolv or any similar product will take off silicones, waxes, oils, the whole range of them. Available in gallon jugs from auto paint and auto body suppliers. Costs more than plain "mineral spirits" but there's a reason the pros buy it anyway.

Chalk is chalk, if it is on the bootstripe it has been washing down from the topsides, and you really need to work on them first. AFAIK none of the miracle cures is a real answer to chalking, that means the gelcoat has already begun degrading. You can polish off the degraded part and wax/seal what's left (if there is enough) or...break down, compound it and paint it. That'll get you another decade before the paint (excuse me, "coating") needs to be renewed.

But the miracle products? Nuh-uh, miracles aren't sold in bottles. Clean it, wax it or seal it with a non-abrasive material (Collinite Fleet Wax or Insulator Wax are both totally non-abrasive, unlike most polished and waxes, from what I'm told) and then save the pennies for the big paint job.

sailaway21 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-20-2008

Clean up the whole hull with either rubbing compound or polishing compound, depending on how oxidized it is, and then go over it with Poly-glo. $60 will do a thirty foot boat and will last at least a full year. It'll take you about 30-45 minutes to apply the Poly-glo.

The rest of your hull is probably chalky as well, due to breakdown of the gel-coat. The dark boot stripe, which is the contrasting band of color at the boat's waterline, shows the oxidation more because it's a darker color. I had to use #800 wet/dry paper on mine to clean it up as the rubbing compound wouldn't touch it. Since then, I spend about an hour and a half a year keeping my hull looking nice and shiny.

Wkboarder222 · #10 (**permalink**) 02-20-2008

i have the same problem. ive been thinking about repainting my sailboat, because previous owner for some reason decided to paint the whole hull in light blue bottom paint. now it looks faded and terrible, if you rub you hand on the side you will get light blue chulky paint on you. should i paint over it? if so, what type of paint?