Fiber glass top

[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!

[Dug]

Woody Wax will help your tower.... the metal anyway.

Dug

[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.

[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.

[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).

[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

[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.

[Rawleigh]

Tom: I don't think it removes the anodizing, but I'm no scientist either!

[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.

[Ironman]

I did the same test Woody wax won..apply every 6 mos.
Wayne