Water spots on hull

[scschubert]

Does anybody know of a good and safe cleaner to use on the hull to clean hard water spots?

[michael hunter]

I use 30% white vinegar 70% water in a sprayer as part of my ramp side clean up. Its cheap and works great.

[Fman]

Meguairs makes a real nice water spot remover, its sprays on and is safe to use and wont harm the gel coat or scratch it. I have had good results with it.

[tg0824SSVGG]

I hvae used vinegar/windex/water - decent results.
I have used Ducky - great results (http://www.duckyproducts.com/)
I currently use Babes spot solver - great results.

Remember - the longer you leave the spots, the harder they are to get off.
I am putting a link to babesboats.com, but I buy from Bakesonline.com - the prices
are about the same, but shipping is less. I bought a "bucket" directly from babes to get
all the little spray bottles - but then I buy gallon refills from bakesonline.

http://babesboats.com/prodSpotSolver.php

http://www.bakesonline.com

Todd

[michael hunter]

TG08
You are right the longer you let them go the worse it is. Our ramp side prosiger takes 45 minutes to an hour. The wife wipes down the interior with Malco and I wipe down the outside including trailer with vinegar. The boat always goes home ready to go out. I find if you wait untill you get home it doesnt get done. Once a month it gets a full detail.

[Skylar18]

The problem with Ducky is it takes off all the wax. Does Vinegar/water and Babes do the same?

[tg0824SSVGG]

If you mix Windex in - I think it does (water/vinegar).

Babes spot solver MIGHT _ I only need to use it after being in the water
for an extended period, like when I go to Lake Powell for a week.

I use Babe's boat bright each and every time I pull the boat, and at least 2 times
a year, I put on a coat of "Nautical Ease" - it's not wax, it's silicone based - and
it DOES NOT come off with any of these products.

This stuff goes on SUPER EASY - and sure makes for a slick, shiny - beautiful surface,
I only wish I had found it years ago.

http://www.nauticalease.com/products/ultimate.htm

Todd

[Skylar18]

Todd,

Do you use wax at all or that product in lieu of wax? I use Starbrite Polish with PTEF which does a pretty good job of keeping Water Spots from forming. We have pretty Hard water here in Austin.

Thanks

[JohnnyH]

ditto on the vinegar and water. I have been using this mix on my boat for about 20 yrs now. I use 50 / 50 vinegar and water. I used to put a shot of windex but i found it would take off some to the wax. I currently have a black and yellow 22ssv and needless to say the black get the water spots so bad its rough on the towel during the wipe down. This vinegar and water works great.

[tg0824SSVGG]

Skylar - no wax - only the Nautical Ease (and Babes Boat Brite every time out) and the Babes Spot Solver rarely.

(every now and then Ducky - which I have leftover - when I am out of SpotSolver)

[ditchsnake]

What Todd says. Boat bright every time boat comes out of the water. He's right about a week at powell. The water is so hard spot solver works great. I dilute it 50/50 with water and it still works great. Doesn't strip as bad either. I also use 3m high preformace paste wax as my hull is also black. Best wax I've found and comes off easy too.
If you mix Windex in - I think it does (water/vinegar).

Babes spot solver MIGHT _ I only need to use it after being in the water
for an extended period, like when I go to Lake Powell for a week.

I use Babe's boat bright each and every time I pull the boat, and at least 2 times
a year, I put on a coat of "Nautical Ease" - it's not wax, it's silicone based - and
it DOES NOT come off with any of these products.

This stuff goes on SUPER EASY - and sure makes for a slick, shiny - beautiful surface,
I only wish I had found it years ago.

http://www.nauticalease.com/products/ultimate.htm

Todd

[haugy]

A good friend of mine who is just as detailed about his boat said this worked real well. I'm probably going to try it. He said it doesn't strip his wax:

http://boatbling.net/products/boat-blings-product/hot-sauce/

I use Collinite wax on the boat. I have a PorterCable Polisher so I can put on a coat of wax in about 30 minutes, and then wipe it off. So the boat gets waxed all the time :) I use fleetwax as well for even speedier coverages.

I normally just wipe off the water spots with a towel as soon as the boat comes out. But on hot days I need some sort of spray assistance. I'm going to try the Hot Sauce.

[tg0824SSVGG]

I have good friends that love the hot sauce, but have never been at a place like Lake Powell -- it may be good where you are, it may not be. BUT his boat is always BEAUTIFUL and shiny.

[ditchsnake]

So what do you guys think of the hot sauce? Says it doesn't strip the wax. I called Babes last year and thery said spot solver doesn't strip wax but even with my mixing it with water 50/50 I think it does strip the wax.

[haugy]

I think I'm going to try it. I've tried a lot of others. My biggest gripe is not only wax stripping, but residual streaking. A couple of things have required me to do two wipe downs just to get the streaks off.

[crystal waters]

I wax with maguires and then use their spot remover as needed throughout the season.
Wipe down the boat after every use.
At seasons end I wash the boat with CLR mixed in water , rinse and towel dry to an amazing shine.
Yes it strips the wax but as I am putting it away for the season I want to put a fresh coat of wax on anyway!