Non-Skid mess

S

Still LauCo

New Member
Sep 20, 2007
408
Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
Boat Info
300 Sundancer 1996
Engines
Twin 5.7L EFI Alpha One Drives
Hey Guys,

I winter store my boat inside. I wheeled and waxed it and was very happy with the outcome.

Today, with the boat in its slip, I gave it a good wash.
I scrubbed the non-skid with Starbrite Nonskid cleaner with PTEF.

After it dried, it left all kinds of green splotches on my gel coat, and after washing with normal boat soap it's not coming off.

My non-skid now looks gray. I can't figure it out!
What a mess, someone is coming to look at the boat tomorrow.
The sun seems to be bleaching it out a little at a time, and cleaner wax takes it off, but that is a ton of re-work!
Here is a cell phone picture. My questions is, has this ever happened to you, if so what caused it? It came out of nowhere and I don't want it to happen again!
 
Some people aren't going to like this answer but get some soft scrub with bleach and it will come perfectly clean. You will have to re-wax almost everything but it will take it off.
 
Wow... I love this response... you've got to admit there is power in numbers. I hope there's a solution that doesn't involve your having to re-wax the entire boat. Best of luck

Presentation said:
Call Starbrite and ask them.

Tell them you can email the photo if needed.

Tell them we are CSR are all waiting for their reply.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks guys, I'm a little sick over this! I will call Starbrite and let you know what they say.
It was weird, when it dried, my jaw just dropped! It's all over the decks!
 
Just a hunch...the Starbrite reacted to what you used for a wax. Did you use a cleaner wax? Did you dilute the Starbrite or use it full strength from the bottle?
 
Not sure of the cause, but I know last year I got bottom paint dust on my deck which turned it Grey. I tried Softscrub and everything else. I got a tip from someone here and it worked like a charm. Ammonia. Poured it on a wet deck and scrubbed it with a wet cloth. Of course whatever you do, I'm sure you will need to rewax everything it touches.
 
wileecoyote said:
Not sure of the cause, but I know last year I got bottom paint dust on my deck which turned it Grey. I tried Softscrub and everything else. I got a tip from someone here and it worked like a charm. Ammonia. Poured it on a wet deck and scrubbed it with a wet cloth. Of course whatever you do, I'm sure you will need to rewax everything it touches.
Click to expand...


Hmmm,

Lau…..any chance you store your boat indoors, uncovered, in a building that would have had bottom paint sanding over the winter and when you washed your boat before your waxing you did not truly wash it top to bottom but only rinsed the area that you were waxing, meaning the non-slip area was not rinsed until you just washed it now?
 
That's an interesting question.
The buidling I'm in has a strict no=sanding policy, but it would be hard to enforce over the winter...

Right before my boat was hauled, I washed, compounded and waxed the top sides. Never touched them after that. I did the hull while it was in storage. I wonder if that's what I'm battling with.
 
Still LauCo said:
By the way, just so people don't think I'm crazy, this is how the boat looked the day I brought it into the slip.
Click to expand...

The boat looks great.

Being crazy is a prerequisite for becoming a boater. Oh, and you must also have a terrible and misguided understanding of the work / reward relationship as well as a non-understanding of the concept of investing, maintenance costs and depreciation.
 
That looks a lot like bottom paint residue after dew, sweating, etc. It is either that or you didn't completely remove the compound before trying to wax. Either way, the solutions is the same. Ammonia and water with a little tire cleaner, Soft Scrub and a lot of scrubbing, or a heavy degreasing detergent will remove it..........but you have to strip the wax or all compound,wax or polish to do it.

Despite the apparent common belief they will fix everything including migraines, and male impotence, Magic Erasers are not the cure for everything. Some times just a lot of elbow grease on the end of a scrub brush is the only way.
 
I just bought some of Starbrite Nonskid cleaner with PTEF. I think I will hold off on using it until I read about the outcome and answer from Starbrite.

:grin:

I hope it turns out to be an easy cleanup for you.
 
Rono007 said:
I just bought some of Starbrite Nonskid cleaner with PTEF. I think I will hold off on using it until I read about the outcome and answer from Starbrite.

:grin:

I hope it turns out to be an easy cleanup for you.
Click to expand...

I was going to avoid saying anything…..but….based on your post it’s obvious if I don’t say something then other people will make the same mistake that Lau made. Sorry Lau, I’m not trying to pick on you, I’m trying to provide information so other members do not make the same mistake.



I have used Starbright nonskid cleaner with PTFE and its good stuff. Go ahead and use it.

If a boat next to Lau’s boat sanded the bottom when his boat was in storage then the bottom paint dust landed on Lau’s non-skid then Lau did not wash it off, instead he moved the boat outside and let morning dew come on the boat, activating the ablative properties in then bottom paint dust then the dew dried, allowing the bottom paint dust to dry the issue would not be Starbright at all, it would be the facility allowing (or not allowing but it happened anyway) the situation to occur and Lau not washing it off before the wet / dry cycle occured.

All would have been OK even with the bottom paint dust if the boat was removed from the building and washed from top to bottom before morning dew activated the bottom paint dust and then it was allowed to dry.

Here is what I don’t understand. Why spend all that time waxing the sides of the boat then after the boats sides are waxed using the deck cleaner on the top non-skid area.

The issue is Star brite non-skin deck cleaner with PTFE (and all similar products as far as I know) strip wax.

Even if the product simply rinses over the smooth yet porous surface below, the wax / polish / poly what ever you are using to protect the surface from harmful UV rays will be removed. You will need to re-wax / re-protect the hull side surface below.

Here is the proper way to do it:

Wash the boat. Rinse well. Use a product like Star brite non-skin deck cleaner with PTFE, an excellent product, then polish & protect your hull sides after they are bone dry as needed.

If you do not believe me, call Star brite toll free 1-800-327-8583 and ask for “Don.” I did and confirmed the above. After you use non-skid deck cleaner you need to wax the smooth area below.



Doing it the other way is like putting on your paints then your underwear.
 
Last edited:
fwebster said:
That looks a lot like bottom paint residue after dew, sweating, etc. It is either that or you didn't completely remove the compound before trying to wax. Either way, the solutions is the same. Ammonia and water with a little tire cleaner, Soft Scrub and a lot of scrubbing, or a heavy degreasing detergent will remove it..........but you have to strip the wax or all compound,wax or polish to do it.

Despite the apparent common belief they will fix everything including migraines, and male impotence, Magic Erasers are not the cure for everything. Some times just a lot of elbow grease on the end of a scrub brush is the only way.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Frank. I guess I should START with re-cleaning all of the canvas before I tackle the decks and sides... That way, the entire boat will be free of what I have to assume is bottom paint dust.

Pres- Good to know on the Starbrite Non-Skid cleaner. When I reviewed it, I was interested in the PTEF "stuff" to potentially keep the non-skid cleaner, and easier to clean off... Sounds like I had some of the process backwards, and now it sounds like I have definitive weekend plans of re-waxing!:smt021
 
Simple Green.
Dilute it with water (2-1 for bad stains and weaker for interior stuff)... spray it on and let it sit for a few seconds then hose or wipe it off... or use it in a wash bucket. The stuff works great!
url
 
Presentation said:
Here is what I don’t understand. Why spend all that time waxing the sides of the boat then after the boats sides are waxed using the deck cleaner on the top non-skid area.

The issue is Star brite non-skin deck cleaner with PTFE (and all similar products as far as I know) strip wax.

Even if the product simply rinses over the smooth yet porous surface below, the wax / polish / poly what ever you are using to protect the surface from harmful UV rays will be removed. You will need to re-wax / re-protect the hull side surface below.
Click to expand...
That stinks! Did the contact at Starbrite mention if it would also remove another polish with PTEF in it like Starbrite marine polish? This is the first year using their polish but I've always used the non skid cleaner AFTER waxing the hull. I've been doing it backwards for the last 7 years and my wax (Meguires Flagship) always looked great and beaded water all season long. :huh:
 
Bridog said:
That stinks! Did the contact at Starbrite mention if it would also remove another polish with PTEF in it like Starbrite marine polish? This is the first year using their polish but I've always used the non skid cleaner AFTER waxing the hull. I've been doing it backwards for the last 7 years and my wax (Meguires Flagship) always looked great and beaded water all season long. :huh:
Click to expand...


I did not ask about that specific brand of polish but understood the answer to be a general one, clean deck, wait for sides to dry then polish / wax sides.

Just one curious question. You are about the same latitude as us. You can go a entire season with applying McGuire’s Flagship only one time?

When I do that I get a lot of oxidation and I’m not using the cleaner wax, I’m using the standard product that should last longer. I’m also very careful to not use detergent cleaners when I wash the boat until my next detailing.

Are you in a covered slip? I go uncovered. It just feels more natural. Wait, are we still talking about boats? :smt043
 
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Presentation...

I just read your deatiled post on Starbrite and the way to use it for best results. Thanks for the info as it was very helpful. I don't bottom paint, but it was useful info.

Here's my question. I had my boat washed/detailed and waxed. It now in the slip at the marina (fresh water). Can I use the Starbright nonskid cleaner with PTFE on my gunwales, swim platform and platform steps while it's in the slip? Do I really need to rewax underneath if I clean my non-skid with it?

I am going to use it shortly before I apply my custom SeaDek on these areas and really do not want to have to rewax.

Thanks in advance.
 
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