Cleaning non-skid sections of gel coat

[mjtyszki]

I am working on restoring the original color and shine to my Grady and I am curious what others have done to restore the non-skid sections of the gel coat... My fear is that if I compound or polish too much that I will wear down the non-skid portions and make them smooth; definitely not something I want to do. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[richie rich]

if your non-skid area is the printed diamond shape from the factory, the gel coat in that area should be the same as the rest of the boat. They just use a release coated pattern to make the shape. Normal polishing should be OK...Sanding on the otherhand will wear it down for sure.

 

[mjtyszki]

The area that I am referring to specifically is the rough surface on the top of the gunnels; it looks more like sandpaper texture itself. This area seems like a harsh compounding will wear it smooth. I should have clarified that earlier, my apologies.

Thanks

 

[CJBROWN]

Scrub it with a stiff bristle brush and simple-green, rinse with lots of water.
A regular scrub brush is fine.

You don't need to buff or wax the non-skid.

 

[Stonewall]

I use either Soft Scrub or Bar Keepers Friend. Both work well. Wet down the area, scrub it in, let it set for 5 mins or so then rinse it off.

 

[richie rich]

yeah, simple green or any one of the boat cleaning products will work.....I think Startbright makes one that specifically gets rid of old stains as well, but I forget the name....it allows you to remove stains without harsh agents or abrasives.......the non-skid on the gunnels is just a texture powder added into the gel coat or paint....since it sits on top of the finish, it will wear down if you use too much of a cleaner like comet or ajax.....but normal cleaners like 3M polish or fiberglass restorer should be OK.

 

[1st grady]

I wax mine after cleaning in order to make it easier to clean after fishing. I just picked up some Sure Step form Jamestown Dist. that is supposed to apply some shine but is not slippry. I will post results later.

 

[Amigo]

I have done that area with a power buffer and 3M Finnesse It. Then a wax. No problem. Great results.

 

[busterblue]

Wood cleaner -oxalic acid

West sells it as "on n off" but you can get it at the hardware store as wood or deck cleaner. Look for the stuff that is oxalic acid. Don't get it on your aluminum.

 

[seasick]

I have found that a rag works much better than a brush. I don't know why but it does by a wide margin. It does take a lot of elbow grease. I start with boat soap and then move up in strength as needed. In some spots, Bar Keepers. In others I need black streak remover or compound. The key to a good job is waxing the deck after it is clean. I use Woody wax with good results but you have to follow the instructions exactly as specified.
A lot of the grime on my deck comes from the parking lot. I have a rough surfaced floor mat on my slip to wipe my shoes before boarding and if it is wet out and the ground is damp, I hose off my shoes first to rinse off the dirt.

 

[Grady Again]

Cleaning non skid gelcoat

I use Mr. Clean Magic Erasers to clean. You will not believe how easy it is to do and how good a job it does. :lol: