what soaps do you use

redlightning

Can I get some suggestions on what soaps and cleaners to use on the boat?

Shower/Shampoo/Cleaning/Dishsoap

Don't want to dump a bunch of crap in the lake.

laureniac1

Meguiers Boat soap (the pink stuff) works great! Lake friendly and also works great on my white Ford F-150!

youstolemybeer

Dollar store toilet cleaner and a sponge.

Black_Diamond

You can find eco friendly soaps for body/hair. Try looking at camping stores. 

Handymans342

Johnsons baby shampoo. Works great on the dogs too

Black_Diamond

I use the IMAR boat wash. Works great and approved for Stamoid and Strataglas. 

270FVFamily

We get all natural/organic dish soap etc from any natural foods market.  A can of disinfectant wipes are great for cleaning up the lounge areas w/o spraying anything or keeping dirty rags around.  We got a cheap Black and Decker automobile vacuum for the carpets, has lots of attachments for the tight areas, is small and has a long plugin cord.

Handymans342

Do you notice that the wipes leave a residue?

MarkB

Starbrite with PTEF. It cleans easy and leaves a Teflon coating that protects your gel coat and makes it shine.

270FVFamily

No residue Handymans342, we use those Clorox Disinfecting Wipes in the canister, get about 80 for $4 and they last a few months. We even use them at the dock to wipe all the dirt and bugs off the sides, too.

Handymans342

I use those too but I see residue on every other surface other than white

Michael T

Speaking of residue I read a post that many technicians are no longer using any product with PTFE  on gel coat as it can be absorbed unevenly by the gel coat and create "splotchy" areas that will never absorb wax evenly again. Allegedly this happens worse on darker hulls like the dark blues and black gel coats.

I have had three Rinkers with black hulls. My first choice is to wash them off frequently with softened water. If I can't river water is next best. Never city water unless through a water softener and with NO soap - except for areas where there is bird or spider poop.

For better cleaning, once in a while I use a mild soap. Gel coat guys have recommended Johnson's No More Tears as there are no harsh strippers in it. Never use dishwasher soap.

Then to protect my hulls I wash them with softened water, hand dry them with soft towels before water spots can dry, hand apply Meguiar's Flagship (carnuba) Wax then hand buff it off.

After a few days I run cold soft water over the hull to set the wax and hand dry it again with soft towels.

My first black hull is now 5 years old. It looks brand new. I think gtyee who has my 2013 black Rinker EC 310 will say it looks new too (if the guy who bought it from me followed my instructions) and you all saw how my 2014 EC 360 looked when I posted the pictures this Fall.

So far following the advice I have been given by the 'old pros" has worked for me. .....Spring is coming! Boating time!

Handymans342

You won't have to worry about that work soon MT

Michael T

Remember Steve, I've only mentioned it on this forum and to a few friends. I think it will take a broker's wider listing to sell it and I won't even start that until some time this summer, so I'll be washing and prepping....and I don't mind that. Time spent doing anything on the boat is fun to me!

BTW I just ordered an extra clear bowl with gasket and an extra fine mesh strainer insert for that new Forespar T 150 strainer that I installed on the generator last Fall - just in case :-)  It never ends, right?

06Rinker270

@Michael T  , What garden hose filter do you use to get softened water?

Does anyone use salt off?  

Michael T

The first product I purchased was a simple carbon based filter called a KDF in-line water filter. It removed sediments and particulate very well from the water. I bought it at West Marine for about $30. Its part number was 13915129. I have used it for 3 years and it still works fine. It will filter up to 3000 gallons.

A few months after purchasing that I purchased a ON The Go water filter, the smaller size. It cost about $300 but was very easy to transport and you can back flush it with regular table salt so you save money there. It provided absolutely soft water with none of the white mineral spots you see from untreated water. Not cheap, but it sure made cleaning and waxing the boat a lot easier. I got it at West Marine too, part number 12926457. The good thing about it was that I could wash the boat down with out using soaps or if it was REALLY dirty a very mild soap like Johnson's No More Tears (for babies) and not strip-off my wax. Also if I was in a hurry and didn't have time to towel the boat off there were very few water spots.

06Rinker270

Thanks for the info MT.  Did the KDF get rid of the water spots as well?  

Michael T

It did a very good job. I'd say 70%. As well we noticed an immediate improvement in the taste of the water. When purchasing a carbon filter I'd run it for about 10 minutes before connecting it to the boat just in case there was any manufacturing residue in the unit. a 10 minute flush should take care of that.

'We decided to get the water softener as much to protect the boat's taps, toilet and pumps from marina crud and the over use of chlorine at some places we stop. For that purpose the water softener has been extra helpful.

06Rinker270

So you use the filter on the hose but also put a softener in the fresh water tank?  Like to make it extra soft for transom shower which I use to wish off the boat from time to time 

Michael T

I connect the KDF in-line filter to the shore water outlet, the water softener to that THEN the hose to the boat's water inlet. We also use the hose from the water softener to fill the boat's fresh water holding tank. We get ZERO scum/crud in our taps, toilet, sinks, tanks and water lines and the Admiral and her friends say washing dishes and their hair is amazing. I'll find a picture of the set-up and post it for clarification. I know it's not cheap but the difference is totally amazing - for everything. I think it's worth the price alone for protecting all of the boat's water systems.

06Rinker270

Ah gotcha there's the filter and then there's the water softener.  Appreciate it MT.

Michael T

So here's the set-up from dockside outlet to the boat's transom water inlet:

dockside water outlet, KDF charcoal particulate/heavymetals filter, On The Go standard sized water softener, drinking rated water hose (blue stripe), Jabsco in-line pressure reducer (45 psi max.), connected to boat's water inlet on the transom. 

Why, you ask, do I not put the water pressure reducer right on the dockside water outlet?

Because the KDF carbon filter and the On The Go water softener both reduce the water pressure by a few psi. By putting the water pressure reducer at the "end of the line" ....scr*wed right onto the boat's transom inlet I ensure that there is plenty of water pressure to go through both the filter and softener and if there's still more than 45 psi the Jabsco drops it. I'd be happy with 35 psi but 45 is fine!

BTW as you probably know you if you open one of the picture attached below  - you can click on different areas of the picture to enlarge for a closer look at individual aspects of the system. I'm nor sure if you can enlarge parts of the picture shown - it seems to change?

Hope this helps. MT

06Rinker270

Great photo and great explanation.  Thank you!