What to use to clean Grady with....

[gradywhite248]

I have a few question for the detail experts.

What is the best cleaner / wax to use on the gell coat of my 248 Voyager?

What is the best cleaner to use on the aluminum windshield retainers and other aluminum parts. Starting to get small corrision?

And last what to use on the Stainless items.
Thanks for the help
Steve Hippert

 

[Fishtales]

Everybody seems to have their favorites. Here are mine:
1.) For the fiberglass I like the Collinite 920 cleaner and the Meguiar's Marine Wax in the black bottle. I've used a variable speed buffer and the lighter orbital. I cannot tell the difference, so I use the 10" orbital on the hull. Just much easier for me.
2.) For the curtains, I like the 303 Protectant from 3M for the white and the Meguiar's plastic cleaner (they make a polish too if needed, usually don't use) followed by Plexus.
3.) I use Noxon or Brasso on the various metals. Does a nice job on just about all of them.
4.) For the hardtop and nonslip areas can't beat Woody Wax. Can also use on the piping.
5.) I keep Mr. Clean magic erasers and Soft Scrub with bleach for the decks after a hard day of fishing and dirt/blood.
6.) I like the Zep Mold and Mildew cleaner for the bilge, spray on and hose off and right out the garboard plug hole in the spring when on blocks. This also works well down below in the cabin on any mildew and also on the unfinished edge on the lids and hard top where the mold likes to hide.
7.) General cleaning at the dock, hard to beat Simple Green and a foamer. The foamer is key. A little scrub with a very soft brush on the topside and wash it all away.

 

[mboyatt]

Just to add to this list, I always have a can of acetone on hand. Will take blemishes/stains off of your hull and topside safely. For rust on the fiberglass, I use Barkeepers Fried with very good results (rinse thoroughly). I also keep FSR (fiberglass stain remover) on hand for stains I can't get with the acetone. For removing oxidation from the hull, I would suggest 3m products (compound of various grits). 3m compounds and some wet sanding (in reverse order) made my 1994 hull look showroom new - I kid you not. Like the above post, I wax with Meguiars marine wax. For general wash down I use Star Brite boat soap. Probably pay way too much for this stuff, but it rinses easily and isn't bad for the environment. If your rub rail is looking shabby, the acetone will restore it. Scrub the heck out of it with a rag soaked with acetone until it's back to the Grady blue-ish color. Then rub it down with Back to Black (kind of like ArmorAll) and you will be good to go. Did mine 2 years ago and still looking new. I just rub it down with back to black every couple of months.

 

[seasick]

All good suggestions with a comment or two.
Magic Eraser can rub through gel coat. Go easy.
Acetone works well on both the vinyl ( Grady actually recommends it) and on the rubber rub rail.

Woody wax (great on decks) works well on metal as long as it isn't too corroded. Flitz works wonders but takes a lot of elbow grease.

When cleaning the hull, start out with the least abrasive product; Boat soap and water first then try some wax.
If the gel coat needs a bit stronger treatment move up to a fiberglass cleaner. I like Colonite. After that, the next more abrasive products in 'abrasive' order are rubbing polish, compound in various grades and finally wet/dry sandpaper (also in many grades of coarseness.

Enjoy and safe boating