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Author Topic:   Knocking back algae on a gelcoat hull

Frank O posted 08-09-2014 02:02 PM ET (US)
My 1995 Outrage 21 lives in the water in a slip liner, and has never had bottom paint.
I'm mulling the idea of moving the boat to another marina here in the Los Angeles area for a couple of months to enable easier access to some dive sites I'd like to get to. I'd just as soon not mess with trying to move the slip liner.
I don't mind jumping in the water with Scotchbrite on a regular basis to keep algae from getting too much of a toehold on the hull. I'm just trying to figure out how often I'd have to do that. I realize algae growth probably depends on water temperature, sunlight and other factors. But everything else being equal, do you think I could get away with scrubbing the hull every couple of weeks? Or would it probably need some work every week?

contender posted 08-09-2014 08:01 PM ET (US)
Another way to help is get in your boat and take it for a ride, but like you said it all depends on the condidtion of the water to promote the growth rate
MattInSanDiego posted 08-11-2014 10:02 AM ET (US)
I think the hull will need to be cleaned a minimum of once a week. A scum line will appear on day three or four and hard scrubbing will be required by day seven. Gelcoat damage will happen after day seven.
tedious posted 08-12-2014 08:01 AM ET (US)
There's no real way to predict - local conditions matter a lot. A fresh coat of wax will help both impede growth, and make cleaning easier. I'd be inclined to use a brush rather than sanding away the gelcoat with Scotchbrite.
Tim
Fishing Magician posted 08-14-2014 10:14 PM ET (US)
A product called "FSR" works wonders on gel coat stains. Algae stains disappear in about 15 seconds. Love this stuff.
Fishing Magician posted 08-14-2014 10:19 PM ET (US)
A product called "FSR" works wonders on gel coat stains. Algae stains disappear in about 15 seconds. Love this stuff.
MattInSanDiego posted 09-23-2014 03:02 PM ET (US)
Hey Frank, how often did you need to clean the hull?
Jamesgt727 posted 09-24-2014 09:24 AM ET (US)
In my teens, I was a dock-hand at the Tierra Verde Hi&Dry, my trick was to pull the boats out of the water, spray high concentrated chlorine bleach on the hull, let it dry, scrub it with a hard brush, then compound and polish with a power wheel. Then I would hand apply "apple wax polish" but I cant seem to find it online any where. This method kept the boat hulls super clean and did not allow growth to stick to the hull for up to a month in Tampa Bay waters. I did this for all of my weekend warrior or go-fast boat customers that traveled the resorts down the coast.

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Author	Topic: Knocking back algae on a gelcoat hull
Frank O	posted 08-09-2014 02:02 PM ET (US) My 1995 Outrage 21 lives in the water in a slip liner, and has never had bottom paint. I'm mulling the idea of moving the boat to another marina here in the Los Angeles area for a couple of months to enable easier access to some dive sites I'd like to get to. I'd just as soon not mess with trying to move the slip liner. I don't mind jumping in the water with Scotchbrite on a regular basis to keep algae from getting too much of a toehold on the hull. I'm just trying to figure out how often I'd have to do that. I realize algae growth probably depends on water temperature, sunlight and other factors. But everything else being equal, do you think I could get away with scrubbing the hull every couple of weeks? Or would it probably need some work every week?
contender	posted 08-09-2014 08:01 PM ET (US) Another way to help is get in your boat and take it for a ride, but like you said it all depends on the condidtion of the water to promote the growth rate
MattInSanDiego	posted 08-11-2014 10:02 AM ET (US) I think the hull will need to be cleaned a minimum of once a week. A scum line will appear on day three or four and hard scrubbing will be required by day seven. Gelcoat damage will happen after day seven.
tedious	posted 08-12-2014 08:01 AM ET (US) There's no real way to predict - local conditions matter a lot. A fresh coat of wax will help both impede growth, and make cleaning easier. I'd be inclined to use a brush rather than sanding away the gelcoat with Scotchbrite. Tim
Fishing Magician	posted 08-14-2014 10:14 PM ET (US) A product called "FSR" works wonders on gel coat stains. Algae stains disappear in about 15 seconds. Love this stuff.
Fishing Magician	posted 08-14-2014 10:19 PM ET (US) A product called "FSR" works wonders on gel coat stains. Algae stains disappear in about 15 seconds. Love this stuff.
MattInSanDiego	posted 09-23-2014 03:02 PM ET (US) Hey Frank, how often did you need to clean the hull?
Jamesgt727	posted 09-24-2014 09:24 AM ET (US) In my teens, I was a dock-hand at the Tierra Verde Hi&Dry, my trick was to pull the boats out of the water, spray high concentrated chlorine bleach on the hull, let it dry, scrub it with a hard brush, then compound and polish with a power wheel. Then I would hand apply "apple wax polish" but I cant seem to find it online any where. This method kept the boat hulls super clean and did not allow growth to stick to the hull for up to a month in Tampa Bay waters. I did this for all of my weekend warrior or go-fast boat customers that traveled the resorts down the coast.