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 Post subject: Clean up 1980 H16 hulls
PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 12:21 pm 
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Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:31 am
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Location: Michigan
I have some 1980 16 hulls I'm trying to cleanup. ( They sat under pine trees uncovered for a few years ) I already took them to the car wash, and scrubbed them down with car washing soap, and pressure washed them. It took the heavy stuff off, but there still is sap stains to deal with. I did a search and found that people used Bar Keepers Friend, and am considering using it, just not sure it will cut it enough. Is there anything, I can use to "eat" or "a bit more aggressive" to take the sap/stains off, say like muratic acid ( without damage to decals ) I also thought about using clorox cleanup, full strength, but bleach does tend to discolor stuff. I will machine polish them after I repair areas that have surface damage on the bottoms, but want to clean up real good first. Any Advice from others that have had to deal with this?........................( Note to Self: You don't park/store your boat under any trees, in the summer or winter. Its not a good idea to store your parts there either. )

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 3:18 pm 
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Location: Minneapolis (Apple Valley), Minnesota
I was in a similar situation with a H16 I bought last year for my son. Having sat under trees unused the white hulls where a blackish/grey. Power washing, toilette bowl cleaner, soft scub with bleach only got them to a dingy grey. Based on others' comments I purchased a bottle of oxalic acid (which is the active ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend) mixed it with hot water and went at the hulls again wearing of course high rubber gloves. You only need a couple of pounds of oxalic acid to do both hulls a couple times and it is a lot cheaper than buying all the cans of BKF.

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1989 H18 w/SX wings #14565 (purchased new, sold 2000)
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:08 pm 
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I used Gas to take pine sap off my off road truck hood and roof from being parked under them behind the house all winter/spring.
I have no idea what it might do to the hulls, but the occasional spill in my jet ski around the gas fill never has hurt it.
Test a small spot first if at all.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:45 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada
You can use aceton on gelcoat. Unless your h16 was repainted with some other paint, the original paint is gelcoat. Aceton is guaranteed to remove the sap.

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PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:57 pm 
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Location: Minneapolis (Apple Valley), Minnesota
another option for tree sap from someone else was using paint thinner or mineral spirits, not quite as aggressive as acetone. I have had a few times that the gel coat got slightly soft/sticky after I wiped down a gel coated surface as a refinishing prep with acetone....it might have been the type or age of gel coat that caused that reaction but I use acetone as a cleaning prep prior to refinishing but I test the surface first.

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2001 H18 w/SX wings & spinnaker #16740 (purchased new)
1989 H18 w/SX wings #14565 (purchased new, sold 2000)
Would buy another if Hobie would build it.


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PostPosted: Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:11 pm 
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Try "Goo-Gone". It's citrus based...


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PostPosted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:20 am 
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Location: Detroit, MI
Acetone, Goo-Gone and other solvents will remove the sap residue, but will do nothing to remove the stains caused by tannins in the sap/leaf residue.

To remove the stains, you need to bleach them out with oxalic acid (C2H2O4) and not laundry bleach - sodium hypochlorite (NaClO).

Oxalic acid is the active ingredient in Barkeeper's Friend, Zud and a number of other commercially available cleansers. On hard to clean areas, mix up a paste, spread it on and let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing off with lots of water.

Once you've cleaned the hulls thoroughly, seal the pores in the gel coat with a high-quality wax made for fiberglass.


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 10:11 am 
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Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:31 am
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Location: Michigan
Thank You for the responses,
I went out last night, while chasing down parts for other stuff, found and bought a couple of 12oz cans of Bar Keepers Friend. I'm going to give that a go. Although the Bar Keepers Friend in 12oz form was cheap enough. I would like to find oxalic acid in a larger package, say 1-5 lbs. but not having much luck finding a local source. I'll seach out ZUD, and see what I can find

Gas, Diesel fuel, acetone, mineral spirits, Goo Gone, Bleach, etc., I have used them on other stuff, with good results. but I really did'nt think they would be effective in this circumstance.

So far as muratic acid, I"d just soon only use that as a last resort, even with gloves, resporator and goggles its pretty nasty stuff to work with.

Thanks again, to everyone that responded. Anyone know of a source for Oxalic acid in bigger bulk form, please share. I have other stuff to clean up in the future.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 11:00 am 
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Location: Minneapolis (Apple Valley), Minnesota
Oxalic acid - Amazon - 5lbs 14.75 free shipping...a local chemical supply company may have as well. Used often to bleach wood decks prior to staining
...

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2001 H18 w/SX wings & spinnaker #16740 (purchased new)
1989 H18 w/SX wings #14565 (purchased new, sold 2000)
Would buy another if Hobie would build it.


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