PowerWashing the bottom

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BoatCrazy

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I took my center console out of the water for Irene. Its currently on my trailer and I am going to power wash it tomorrow because it has grime on in..

Is there a pre wash spray I can put on the bottom to help it clean easier?

anything recommended?
 
Mostly, it depends on what kind of crud you are attempting to remove.

Personally, I would spray it w/ dilute muriatic acid ( 1:1 w/ water in a garden sprayer ).

Note that it is always best to do this immediately after removing the boat from the water, before the crud begins to dry out. Dried crud is much more difficult to remove than "still wet and drippy".

As always, use protection. Muriatic is nasty stuff and you do not want it to contact anything important ( like skin, eyes etc )

As for results? YMMV. caveat emptor. "as seen on TV", etc

--edit--

The above assumes a "naked" fiberglass bottom. All bets are off it the bottom is painted. Fro beginners, muratic does a wonderful job of etching copper...
 
Bill thanks for the heads up. I ususally dont use anything on the bottom other then a basic cleaner like spray nine, and then power wash. I NEVER haul during the season to clean the bottom. Usually I clean the bottom at the end of the season, and let it sit over winter and then wash again and repaint..Im looking to get the bottom clean so the bottom is blue and not a gross green yellowish color...

On and Off is only good for the scum line. I dont know if it could be used on the hull bottom. Also, Ive heard the WORKS toilet cleaner works well too...
 
fwiw: In the local environment, an un-protected bottom can gather a crop of neophyte barnacles in just a few days. If you leave it for a week or two, you got problems. Every location has it's own issues...

Sounds to me like you got "slimed". I am unfamiliar with the cure, however.

Our sub-tropical sometimes brackish, sometimes salt, occasionally fresh environment seems to cover a lot of ground, and everything grows FAST. Aggressive attack ( or bottom painting ) seems to be the only response.
 
What sort of bottom paint you have on it?
If it's hard copper paint, I think after a few days out of water it loses its effectiveness.
Only Ablative can be hauled and relaunched.
 
Once you power wash the two year ablative paint you will have one year ablative paint. You just wore off layers of protection.
 
I try to powerwash the bottom of my boat as soon as it comes out of the water while it's still wet. It comes clean with just the powerwasher when I do it that way.
The bottom doesn't get a lot of crud on it. The running gear is a different story. That takes a little time ot do but the stuff still comes off easier when it first comes out of the water.
After I finish powerwashing I get the cruddy brown stuff at the waterline off by brushing on some On & Off with a cheap throwaway paint brush. I use the brush itself to agitate any stubborn spots and then just rinse it thoroughly with water. I don't use the powerwasher for that rinse because it isn't needed and I don't want that stuff splashing back at me with the high pressure.
 
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