The White Whale needs to be white again!

Hello all, its been awhile! Haven't been on here since last summer...the winter was far busier than I wanted and I didn't have any time to work on the boat like I had planned on. Had a couple seats re-done and those are just getting finished up. I SHOULD be in the water right now, but the birth of my 3rd son yesterday hasn't allowed for that :) While I'm off work for a bit helping the wife with the newborn I'm going to try to get the hull cleaned up on the supra. I had a little Turtle rubbing compound left over last year from our old boat and so I tried getting this yellow gunk off. It removed some of it...enough that I think with a good rubbing compound it will look pretty good. Today I purchased an electric buffer and some wool pads and I have a quart of 3M super duty rubbing compound arriving today as well. My plan is to hit it with the super duty and then Finesse It II and a wax. Any thoughts on whether that will work? Is the Finesse It necessary? Also, do I need to avoid hitting the decals with the compound?

In the first picture you can see where I used the Turtle..I didn't go at very aggressively or for very long. Sorry for the crappy pics..had my baby boy in one arm :P

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3914aaea.jpg

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/...ps16cd1fe7.jpg

http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0ff00f1d.jpg

Your method will work but it's going to be hard work.

Get some hull cleaner (or muriatic acid -- same thing but a lot cheaper). Spray on, brush, spray off. That gunk line will be gone and she'll be ready to wax.

Careful with the acid, that will eat right through that vinyl decal which is hard to replace.

The Superduty compound you have is VERY aggressive, it will definitely work as it's almost like sanding with 1500-2000 grit paper. So when you start using it, start easy.

Thanks for the replies, guys! So basically whatever I use, I need to not get it on the decal :) Just go by hand around it I'm assuming then? Have either of you used the 3M Finesse It? I guess maybe if I don't get too many swirl marks from the compound then I could just wax afterwards and not use the Finesse It. I did know the Superduty was very aggressive...I was hoping to not have to sand :)

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Originally Posted by wotan2525

Your method will work but it's going to be hard work.

Get some hull cleaner (or muriatic acid -- same thing but a lot cheaper). Spray on, brush, spray off. That gunk line will be gone and she'll be ready to wax.

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This....toilet bowl cleaner is a cheap option but Haugy is right about the stripe. You'll want to rinse the trailer well too. A brush on a long handle helps.

Compound isn't really what you want to use. You've got grime on the gel. Compound is really suited for removing a fine layer of gel coat. It will do the job but is a lot more work than necessary. Even if you wanted to compound, you really should prepare the surface first by cleaning all of that off.

Meguirs fine cut, ultra polish, swirl remover, wax.

Honestly, let's face it. That hull is ruined, you'll never get it back to pure white. You can wetsand and polish all you want, the hull is toast. I've seen it time after time, that kind of calcification is pretty bad.

I know it sucks to hear that kind of news, especially on that kind of boat. The reality is, it will spread like cancer and destroy your whole boat. It's time to put it down. I know it will be hard, so I'll come and do it for you. Just leave me the keys, and I'll take it off your hands so you don't have to suffer. :D

Haugy the humanitarian to the rescue again! Yeah, the only good use for that boat is as a vinyl stripe donor for Haugy's Salt:) Don't worry I'll take the rest of the wreckage once the stripes are off.

50-50 mix of lysol toilet bowl cleaner/peroxide combo. Apply, let it sit/scrub with brush and rinse.
Read about it being used by several around here on the rivers.

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Originally Posted by haugy

Honestly, let's face it. That hull is ruined, you'll never get it back to pure white. You can wetsand and polish all you want, the hull is toast. I've seen it time after time, that kind of calcification is pretty bad.

I know it sucks to hear that kind of news, especially on that kind of boat. The reality is, it will spread like cancer and destroy your whole boat. It's time to put it down. I know it will be hard, so I'll come and do it for you. Just leave me the keys, and I'll take it off your hands so you don't have to suffer. :D

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Originally Posted by sybrmike

Haugy the humanitarian to the rescue again! Yeah, the only good use for that boat is as a vinyl stripe donor for Haugy's Salt:) Don't worry I'll take the rest of the wreckage once the stripes are off.

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Wow guys..I really appreciate your honesty here and leveling with me. We've had a good run, we really have. Makes me tear up right now actually thinking about the 1 summer we got to spend with this beautiful craft. I guess whoever shows up first can have the keys...I can't tell you how thankful I am for having someone that can put her out of her misery for me. I kind of feel like I should get SOMETHING just for having to think about and deal with this trauma. $18K sounds about right I think. Cash would be great..thanks fellas.

:D

OK so wool buffer covers are better for compound I think I've heard, but foam are better for wax, correct? I think I will try the acid/toilet bowl cleaner/baking soda method first and if that doesn't get it all, resort to compound and such. But I definitely want to wax it either way.

think about what you typed, acid/toilet bowel cleaner/baking soda method.....would you really put that slurry of acids and bases with unspecified abrasives on your boat no matter what someone else has said? Not me. Stick with compound and wax.

Haha after I said that I realized that might be confusing.. I just meant I was going to try the "hull cleaner" method before the compound. :) I'm going to use a 20% hydrochloric acid toilet bowl cleaner by itself first and see how that does.

how about clr mixed with water?
The lake I run on leaves calcium spots over time and each fall must acid wash my boat with CLR
I mix about 30 clr and 70 water.
sponge it on and about 2 mins later hose it thoroughly including trailer etc,
Boat comes out gleaming and ready for waxing with no decal damage.

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Originally Posted by Dandamanf15

I guess whoever shows up first can have the keys... $18K sounds about right I think. Cash would be great..thanks fellas.

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I'll be there in 5 hours. Send the bill to my accountant....JetLink. Thanks

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Originally Posted by haugy

I'll be there in 5 hours. Send the bill to my accountant....JetLink. Thanks

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In 5 hours, you'll be 4.75 hours too late my friend! Better luck next time Captain Ahab!

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Originally Posted by ngavdba

Funny, I did just the opposite last year. I used three different foam pads that went from hard to soft starting the compound to polish layers. Buffed and polished with the wool. Turned out great!
I don't envy your job, but be very careful with your graphics if you plan on keeping them.

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Haha! I got some wool ones to use with the compound so I will go ahead and give them a shot with the wax :)




I starting removing the gunk yesterday. I used "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner. Dispensed it straight from the bottle and then painted it on with a paintbrush. Didn't dispense any close the graphics, just used the brush to get really close to them. It's working GREAT! Wore thick rubber gloves and eye protection and very glad I did...it is quite potent. Also put plastic down on the trailer to protect it. Will post pics when I'm finished.

The only part I have left is the part right up against the bunks on the trailer. I'm trying to figure out the best way to get the boat high enough out of the trailer to reach those areas...what have you guys done in the past? I have a full size car jack, but fully extended, it only gets within a foot of the boat. Build up a platform of wood to put the jack on? Form some kind of spacer for between the jack and the boat?? :confused:

I have used a car/truck scissor jack that comes with a vehicle for those road side emergencies. Put a towel down, put it on a flat section of trailer/cross bar, put 2x4 on top and jack it up (don't forget to undo transom straps). Not a lot of weight to lift, and the scissor gets it low profile.

Newbie here. Cool info, guys. I have an old '87 ts6m that I purchased late last season, and the hull could use a little TLC. There were some orange and red stripes (stickers) that've worn mostly off, and I'd like to remove them completely. Any suggestions on what to use? Afterwards, I'm going to give the hull the treatment discussed here, staying away from the big, black 'Supra' decals. Oh, any suggestions on wax afterwards? I'm looking to sell this boat about mid-season and get another Supra...something a bit bigger (with open hull).

Here's a pic of the boat I purchased:

Attachment 12111


Thanks in advance!

Heat gun and razor blade. Don't use the blade to scrape it off but to lift a corner then stick it on the blade and use it to lift it off.

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Originally Posted by CornRickey

Heat gun and razor blade. Don't use the blade to scrape it off but to lift a corner then stick it on the blade and use it to lift it off.

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Thanks for the reply. Gonna be a pain in the behind....there are tons of little flakes of the decal, so lifting it as you suggest will only remove tiny bits of it. Do you know of any kind of blade material that might be safe that I could use more as a scraper with that heat gun?

3M Decal remover wheel. It's like a giant pink eraser and will take all the remaining residue off. Then rubbing compound, polish and wax. It will look brand new!