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Fiber glass top

Posted: Jun 14th, '09, 11:23
by Capt Dick Dean
We have a Bahia Mar with a fiber glass top over the helm and engines. The top is 20 yrs old and has crazing in a few spots. And in some places the crazing is such that the gel coat is lifting off. Do I sand this with 220 paper and then fill in the voids?

On another topic .... does white vinegar clean up a full tuna tower?

The boat is under a massive clean up and we need some advice. Thanks!

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 08:59
by Dug
Woody Wax will help your tower.... the metal anyway.

Dug

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 09:22
by Rawleigh
Dick: I would at least gouge or grind out any crazed or loose spots thoroughly. Prime with straight epoxy, then fill with thickened epoxy. It may well re-craze on you if you don't grind off all of the gelcoat though.

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 10:10
by John F.
I haven't used Woody Wax, but have found that the occasional soap and water wash followed by a Corrosion X wipedown work pretty well on my pipework--best part is that it only takes a few minutes.

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 11:32
by Rawleigh
Dick: On the tower, use Marine Clean from POR15 (www.por15.com) full strength and agitate with a fine Skotchbrite pad. It will take all of the corrosion off. Wash off and coat with CX on a rag. This is the easiest way possible to remove corrosion from aluminum or chromed bronze. Corrosion will melt right off (almost). It is a strong alkaline cleaner, so be sure to wear gloves and wash well afterwards (both you and the tower).

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 14:01
by TailhookTom
Rawleigh:

Will that also remove anodizing? A friend just did a beautiful job on his full tower but the consequences were that the anodizing was removed. His tower was so pitted and so ugly (on a 31 Rampage) that it made sense and came out spectacular. He ended up coating it with Woody Wax and it looks brand new.

Tom

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 14:37
by Tom
Dick, I use a medium bronze wool saturated with Woody Wax on my metal when the gunga is bad. Otherwise a fine wool or rag with Woody Wax. Last year I did some redneck testing of the Corrosion X and Woody Wax. The Woody Wax did a superior job and lasted a whole lot longer than the red can CX.

I spent a good bit of this past Saturday redoing mine and I've got a lot. Cleaned up nice and easy.

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 16:06
by Rawleigh
Tom: I don't think it removes the anodizing, but I'm no scientist either!

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 16:59
by Capt Dick Dean
Thanks, guys. Now we have a plan. I will try each on a small area of the tower and see how it comes out.

For the top, I will grind it down and do it right.

Thanks again.

Posted: Jun 15th, '09, 19:20
by Ironman
I did the same test Woody wax won..apply every 6 mos.
Wayne