Darkness in metal flake

[Dsomzie]

I have some darkness at the waterline in the flake on my boat
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210409/a960c26468290ad13a44c5d8729f0dd8.jpg
There is no texture change in the gel coat. Tried to compound a test area no luck.

Any one have any tips for getting that out??


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[Turbinesurgeon]

Does this boat sit in the water a lot? Or is the water you operate the boat in dirty? I drove my boat in the St Croix River once which has a lot of minerals in it. Apparently not cleaning the boat left a nasty scum line. Being white gel coat it was very apparent. Nothing would remove it till I got this stuff. If it’s a nasty scum line this stuff will get it off but you have to use it exactly as instructed.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/davis-instruments--fsr-fiberglass-stain-remover-16-oz--108753?recordNum=5


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[Dsomzie]

It usually sits in the water. When you run your hand over it there is no difference in the gel coat texture. Ive cleaned it and compounded the area and nothing. Maybe ill have to give that stuff a try.


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[Turbinesurgeon]

It usually sits in the water. When you run your hand over it there is no difference in the gel coat texture. Ive cleaned it and compounded the area and nothing. Maybe ill have to give that stuff a try.


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The stain on my boat didn’t have any discernible depth to it. It looked like it was iron that stained it. That compound also gets off exhaust stains too.


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[russellsmojo]

Does this boat sit in the water a lot? Or is the water you operate the boat in dirty? I drove my boat in the St Croix River once which has a lot of minerals in it. Apparently not cleaning the boat left a nasty scum line. Being white gel coat it was very apparent. Nothing would remove it till I got this stuff. If it’s a nasty scum line this stuff will get it off but you have to use it exactly as instructed.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/davis-instruments--fsr-fiberglass-stain-remover-16-oz--108753?recordNum=5


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Thanks for sharing. I have a similar spot on black
Metal flake. Will give it a try.


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[Dsomzie]

Update: went to west marine today and grabbed that fiberglass stain remover and some on and off as recommended by the guy there. Tried a test spot, Nothing worked. Tired to wet sand with 800, 1500, than hit it with compound, nothing... not sure what to do.


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[haknslash]

Must be some funky water you store your boat in. I’ve heard of people using muriatic acid to clean off barnacles and tough grime on fiberglass boats. Yours doesn’t seem like you’d need something like that since there is no growth but clearly something is staining the surfaces below the water line.

https://www.boats.net/blog/tips-for-using-muriatic-acid-on-fiberglass-hull

[larry_arizona]

Is it possible UV fading?


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[Dsomzie]

I left this out as well, its only on the metal flake on the port side of the boat. Very strange.


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[haknslash]

I left this out as well, its only on the metal flake on the port side of the boat. Very strange.


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Hmm is there anything maybe reflective that is shining on that section of your slip? Very strange indeed.

[Chuds]

Do you park it up against a dock on the port side, along the line of the others maybe UV and it is just shaded enough to avoid the sun fading and if the other side was open to the water it would still allow UV rays through and might be enough to not have a hard line that a dock shade might cause?

[larry_arizona]

Which color is correct? The dark or the light?

Perhaps polish the light to see if it gets darker?

I still think it’s UV fade.


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[haknslash]

Hmm Larry may be into something. Perhaps the dark area is what is being protected or shaded from UV light and everything else has actually lightened from UV fading.

OP, do you cover your boat while it’s moored in the slip? If so is there darker areas where the cover lays?

[Dsomzie]

The port side is what sits against the dock and is shaded most of the time in the water. It sounds like that’s definitely what it is when its parked on the trailer the port side is normally facing away from the sun as well! The cover only covers to the rub rail as well. Maybe my best bet is to let the port side sit in the sun for a while.


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