I've found muriatic acid to be the best cleaner at local hardware store and cheap compared to boat cleaners...paint it on w a paint brush generously. ..scrub a bit w brush...rinse w clean water..repeat if necessary. Well ventilated area a must...rubber gloves (of heavy house cleaning variety) safety goggles....

 

Use as little abrasive as possible so one does not scratch the boot strip. Other wise you'll see the scratches highlighted the next time you wax the haul.

I use a natural sponge and high pressure hose..or if I dive on the boat..sponge and glove to generally clean the top sides. Some 'professional' divers that I've observed use a supposed soft bristle/nylon brush..but that in itself will scratch the boot strip..

 

Presuming that the "green" is a bit of slime, use a soft Scotch scrubbing pad with a bit of 409 with bleach gel and a bit of elbow grease. The rest of the bottom can be pressure washed.

 

Abraham- my boatyard on Lake Erie uses the "Works" toilet bowl cleaner and and a scrub brush. Rinse it off as soon as you scrub. The Works can be usually found at the Dollar store for about a buck. The Works® :: Toilet Bowl Cleaner

 

Soft scrub with bleach. I raised my water line many years ago to stop that issue. The vinyl marine striping tape works great. Its been over 20 years and still looks great.

Maintenance - Boat Graphics & Lettering - Striping Tapes at West Marine

 

Delta_t, any pointers on moving the stripe up? I plan on it next year. I'm sure I can figure it out but any pointers from someone who has already done this would be appreciated.

 

Every cruiser I know has had to raise the waterline about 6". Several have done it in increments, but most just bite the bullet and go for it. We are in the yard now, doing just that!
Muriatic acid will eat through your skin, eyes or any other body part it touches, plus the fumes are extremely toxic; I would suggest NOT using it if you are not familiar with the stuff. On & Off hull cleaner will do a great job, but you need to use caution as it contains a few dangerous acids; just read the instructions. It also is great for cleaning seawater refer and a/c lines.

 

My original strip was painted on. I suggest you note where the scum line you have now is located and move it up 6" above that. Use a heat gun or a razor blade scraper to remove old line. Tape off, with painter tape, the top edge of the new water line location to protect your boot and sand with 220 grit paper everything from the tape you just installed down to the old paint, until there is no gloss and feather the old bottom paint a good 6" down from the top edge to make smooth. Clean sanding dust off with tack cloth or paint thinner. Surface must be dry and dust free. You will now be installing the new stripe. You can remove the tape you installed for sanding, edge of the tape will be torn up some from sanding. Be carful not to over sand the tape and scratch the boot jell coat or you can leave it on and uses as a guide for installing the new. Either way, if you remove the sanding tape you will still see the dull sanded surface. Now you have two methods to apply the new line. One way is dry and the other is using soapy water. I did mine dry. I just laid the tape on starting at one end and working to the other end. Make sure you have enough tape to do one hole side without having to have a seam. My boat is double ended and I have a sharp curve strip in the stern, that is why I did dry, so I could stretch the vinyl to get it to curve. Now be careful when handling the tape as to not over stretch it and distort it, use a light touch and don't stretch it at all. I use one finger in the middle of the tape to apply with light pressure st just lay it on. This way you can remove it, kind of back up if it is not located just were you want it. You will go back over the tape with a hard plastic, like a credit card to smooth it out and get it to stick. Once applied run your fingers down the middle of the tape adding more pressure and then working your fingers to the outside edges. then take credit card or those hotel cards would work fine and use it as a squeegee to stick the vinyl and work air bubbles out. If you have an air bubble you can't get out, use a pin to ***** the spot then squeegee the air out. Dry is the hard method.

Now the soapy water method...if you have a simple, fairly straight water line. This method works for all vinyl signs, numbers, decals, etc... If in doubt ask at any sign company. Use a small amount of dish soap in water. Well wet the area the vinyl will be applied with the soapy water. You may want someone working ahead of you wetting surface while you apply the tape to the soapy surface. You can now slide the tape around to get it lined up, as long as the soapy water is still wet. You will have lots of time to work it. Would be best done out of the sun. Now squeegee the line and the water and air out . It will dry in a few hours. Let dry for at least 24 hrs before doing any bottom paint.

At the bow where the Port and Starboard water lines meet, (my boat at the stern as well), you will have a seam. To make a perfect matching seam let the first line you apply run long, around the corner so to speak. then install the other side line and let it overlap the first line, and around the corner. now take a small straight edge, or free hand it, it does not matter. Cut with a razor blade through both lines, now peal back the tape and remove the excess from both lines.

For the bottom paint...
Use painters tape on the new water line to protect the new line from paint. After you apply the painters tape rub the bottom edge of the painters tape with the plastic card or I like using the round edge of a socket, and press that edge down hard. This will give you the best seal and keep paint from bleeding behind the tape and on the new line. You may want to use a barrier coat to prime first then bottom paint...done.

Painter tape must never be in the sun or left on for more then 24 hrs. All tapes become permanent over time. The Vinyl tape will take time to become permanent. before you use pressure to bond the tape, using a light touch the tape can be can be lifted and moved.

Good luck. Ask if I was not clear on any part of this.

 

Thanks for the excellent and detailed advice. I will be doing some decals soon and the waterline is not far behind.

 

You just go however many inches and snap a line or what. My boat has a funky curve the the back end as well. My biggest concern is laying that new line. Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Really what I'm saying is do you just measure up 6 inches from the waterline in several locations and follow those marks, i.e., how do you make sure the line is level?

 

I use a product called FSP I get it from my local chandler. Its a blue gel product and I find it works great. Just brush it on with an old soft 3" paint brush and let it sit for a few mins and the using the brush to scrub it off while I rinse with fresh water.
Does well for the slime and rust stains and dirt in general.
Anthony

 

I second the toilet bowl cleaner...it is a fraction of the price of a "marine" product and works just fine

 

To mark the new water line location, assuming your boats sits level (port to starboard) use the existing scum line top edge as the existing actual water level. Or use your existing line to measure off of. To raise it 6" up from that point, you can use a pencil and measure up 7" and mark every 12" along the the boot. Or cut a piece of cardboard 7" (make template) use that instead of having to measure 100 times. Then take 1" painters tape and apply the tape. Applying the painters tape is good practice for the vinyl application. The painters tape is easy to apply and very forgiving. Like any tape, don't press in on too hard and it will can be easily lifted off and adjusted. When you have it where you want it, them apply pressure, then use a hard object to press the edges to get the best seal. You can also bend tapes to make a radius, not a tight radius. It depends on the width and type of the tape as to how tight a radius. Vinyl will bend easier that painters tape. Warmer vinyl will bend easier then cold... You will get the idea fast, and if not get help.

 

I've used household cleaner, just water and a scotch pad, sometimes just sanded lightly (which you'll need to do anyway to recoat). It depends on how dirty it is and whether you've been in oily, scummy water for a while. If it's oily residue, some solvent like gas on a rag works or maybe some acetone LIGHTLY applied to a rag so you don't dissolve the existing paint. I need to repaint my waterline this year. Have been using Perfection but I don't like the way it holds up.

 

My local marina sold me a product called "Zing". Seems to do a nice job, and I use it annually.

Here's a link: Zing Ahead | Boat Hull Cleaner | Marine Cleaner | Aluminum Pontoon Boat Cleaner

 

On Off works for me. This what mine looked like when it came out this year.

ELEPHANTS CHILD: BEST LITTLE BOATYARD IN THE CARIBBEAN

Gahh can't link to the pic you will need to follow the link.