Did you know that the best sailing lubricant...
comes from the aerospace industry?
Or that the one of the best teak cleaners...
has been used by a world famous tavern?
Check out these five little-know secret tips...
to keep your boat clean and corrosion free!
Remove ugly drips in stages
When teak oil or varnish drips onto your gelcoat, start with a mild solvent like mineral spirits. If you need something stronger, use acetone next. Wear rubber kitchen gloves because latex can dissolve.
Dissolve tar and decals with ease
Creosote, tar and grunge can scar your fenders. And most boaters need to change registration decals every year to comply with Federal law. Put WD-40 or CRC to work to remove stains or loosen stubborn decal adhesive.
Use the "Rocky" of the aerospace industry
Many marine protectants don't last long enough in the harsh environment of salt and spray. Look to the air for the answer. Boeing engineers had to come up with a formula that would protect their aircraft in all conditions--snow, sleet, rain, and shrieking wind...
Enter Boeshield T-9 . This super spray penetrates the pours of metal to give it a protective armor coat that lasts for months and months. Spray it onto boom and mast hardware, engines, electronics, batteries, and steering cables. (http://www.amazon.com/Boeshield-T-9-Premium-Metal-Protection/dp/B001447PEK )
Clean teak with this bartender's favorite
Well known taverns swear by Bar Keepers Friend cleaning powder to give their bar tops a glossy, mirror-like shine. Your teak will love this cleaner. The oxalic acid in the powder will penetrate the pours in the wood to clean and brighten it.
As an alternate, Don Casey recommends a waterless mixture of 75% Wisk detergent and 25% household bleach. Give it a shot of TSP (trisodium phosphate--used by painters as a degreaser/cleaner). Mix it up, lather it on, brush it in, and rinse it off with lots of fresh water.
Try this trick to replace dodger glass
Has your boat dodger glass yellowed or clouded to the point that you feel like your sailing in pea-soup fog? Forget cleaners; most will make the glass worse. If money's tight, you can pump new life into your dodger with this easy do-it-yourself project:
* Remove the dodger from the boat
* Turn it over and flatten the glass
* Sew a new piece of glass over the old glass
* Flip it over so that it's right-side-up
* Cut away the old glass next to the seam line
Sailrite has dodger glass and gives top-notch customer service and support: Dodger Glass for the Do-It-Yourself Sailor.
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Make small cruising boat maintenance projects a bit easier with these five tips. They will help keep your boat in bristol fashion and extend the life of your sailing gear, wood trim, electronics, and small diesel engine.
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Captain John
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