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Once a year cleaning question

Rich Andrews

Well-known member
Well its that time of year when I clean the airboat. The bugs on the rudder are making it difficult to steer. Last year I used some purple stuff and it discolored some of the powder coat. What does anyone suggest?

Also, who makes a good wax to apply to powder coated rigging/Rudders?
Thanks in advance.
 
Rich,
Watchin tv and saw on ship shape they were using a product called "Flitz" or fritz or something. it was a metal polish and a special rag head you ues in yuor drill.
cleans aluminum fiberglass stainless.
Was Not a commercial. get it at Boats US or marine store.

Joel
 
I've always liked Simple Green, but Swampjet was telling me last week that Zep from Home Depot is even better. Spray it on, let it sit for a few min. and then rinse it off.

olf
 
It won't, and it's non-corrosive. Good stuff.

Here's something else it's good for. If you're a person who is subject to Poison Ivy, the next time you're clearing brush and such keep a 5 gal. pail of cold water on hand with 2 cups of Simple Green in it.
Every 20 min. or so go over and splash some of it over your arms and face and then just let it air dry ..... don't wipe it off.
Bingo ... No Poison Ivy.

olf
 
Itake my boat to the car wash self serve thosethings are wonderful 3hr job turns to ten minutes plus sprayon wax
 
I have used the Zep cleaner from Home Depot the orange cleaner is fantastic and they have an Industreal grade spray bottel to put it in that is awesome I have been using it for two years and it still works great this is how I keep the Trailer Queen as Brian Edwards call's it looking so good after three years just spray the boat down with water first spray on the cleaner let it sit for a few minutes and the just wash it off with water high presure is better and it's clean.
 
I knew this would get good, I am still wondering about the vinegar thing on a galvanized trailer. I'm waiting for some old Fla craker to chime in on some conkoction he had back in the day. Maybe Brewster has a story of a hog who pissed on his boat while he was off on a jump and came back to see his aluminum shinning in the horizon.
BTW, I rubbed a little bit of gear oil on the faded spots and they look as good as ever.
 
Yea Rich, Olf and Sniper got it right, orange cleaner by Zep at Home Depot is the best and won't discolor the alum. I buy the gallon jug and then put it in a pumpup sprayer. just spray the boat down, rudders, engine, oil cooler or radiator, hull, everything. about the time you get done applying , hit the heavy areas (rudders) with a brush and the bugs seem to melt off. Use a high pressure nozzle or better yet pressure washer (be careful around the cooler/radiator) and BAM it's clean! Then get your favorite wax and "wax on... wax off" :lol: !!!!

Bob
 
If ya got some stained areas where it simply won't was off, try some snow bowl toilet cleaner. Let it foam for just a minute and flush with lots of clean soapy water. Snow Bowl toilet cleaner has the same phosphoric acid that Alumabright has. Don't let it sit too long though. It will be bright where cleaned but can be buffed back to normal smoothe finish with Mothers or Flitz.

If ya search around I had a thread on cleaning a while back. Never mind that, here it is :)

http://www.southernairboat.com/phpBB2/v ... lumabright


Scotty
 
I always used 409 cleaner. It got all the gunk I got on em off. NEVER and I mean NEVER use Armorall !

Armorall is as bad on airboat seats as it is on car steering wheels ! I have some personal experiences with Armorall on the airboat seat. as I was kneecrawling back through the black mud to the airboat and picking up my coffee pot, one burner propane stove and all my sugar n coffee. Black mud will make ya hate Armorall !

I even thought of after cleaning the seatcovers I'd use some of that powdered rawsin like the baseball players use on their batting gloves ! When that boat comes to a halt in its own length or less it takes a lot ta keep my big butt in the seat ! Been mad enough before I even thought of makeing a pair of jeans with 3M contact adhesive on them LOL ! Be my luck one yall would come round the corner and see me out in the mudd with jus my BVDs and mah jeans sittin in the seat of the boat. Im certain that would make its own heading here on the forum if not the photo gallery !

Scotty :oops:
 
Here's another, the seats on my boat are cordura camo pattern..they have faded over time, is there a way to put a stain on to darken the fabric again? When they are wet they look great, but after they dry kind of faded?
 
I use purple power on the seats,rudder,hull all over the boat. But I do clean my boat after every trip to the marsh. I can't stand to start my day in the marsh with a drity boat.
 
I agree with you Rich, sometimes it may take several days to recover from a ride before even thinking of the cleaning process. :drunken: Gator hunts compound the problem even more. :shock: If I could only figure a way to get the designated driver to be the designated cleaner.... :?:
 
Well Unclebubba it like getting the yard mowed....my kids love mowing someone else's yard but act like it's pure torture to mow mine! Same thing with the airboat cleaning....work like heck on someone else's but won't touch mine! :shock:
 
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