Cleaning non-skid sections of gel coat

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mjtyszki

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