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Vinegar/water wipedown, what do you use


hawaiianstyln

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For soooo many years I've always used 20% Vinegar / 80% water in quirt bottles to wipe the boat down.  Can the vinegar do any long term damage to the gelcoat?  What do you use?  I'm very meticulous, the boat has to shine before we leave the launch at the end of the day.  I've always refused to spend $15-$18 per bottle on the other (boat babe, etc..) spotless products, but maybe I should be?  Let me ask this stupid question, why not use Windex.  Windex is much cheaper than the those spotless products they sell and possible less potent than vinegar...??  In Hawaii, we never dealt with it because we would wash the boat down with Salt away and then chamois the water off

Thoughts?

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No, it just strips the wax and anything else on the gelcoat, keep wiping and it eventually gets everything even if you left it in water fir a week with no wax like I just did, wish I would have waxed snd it would have just wiped off with water and elbow grease 

great stuff to fix an issue but not prevent an issue 

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I just wipe mine down well wet. I use a shame.  I am on year 11 and just last week I even had a guy running A MC say your boat looks like new.

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My group has always used vinegar or just plain wipe down. Last year we switched to Boat Bling and for one of the boats it made a huge difference.  He would always get a brown scum line that would go away. Now it is never there, or wipes off very easy now.

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If it was only in for the day and there wasn't heavy buildup of lake grime I would use a quick detailer. Chemical Guys P40 is $35 for 128oz.  That would last a few seasons I would think.  If there is a scum line I am curious if the magic eraser is safe to use.  I tried it on mine and it wiped algae right off that was on there from being in the water for a few weeks.

Edited by riot138
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My in laws used to be shaklee distributors... I use a sprayer with a few drops of basic-h and water.    It is a VERY mild detergent, but it will take the scum line off without stripping the wax.   About every 2nd or third time out I use Boat Juice, and it looks and feels like I just waxed it again.

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32 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Eagle 1 wax as you dry.  Vinegar strips wax

just read up about the "eagle 1 as-U-dry", not a bad price either.  I thought most of those spray waxes required the boat to be dry but this stuff you spray on as soon as you pull the boat.  Not bad.

Edited by hawaiianstyln
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I don't mind the vinegar but I'm tired of smelling like a salt&vinegar chip the entire ride home.  Makes me want to eat a bag of those yummy evil chips.

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Since last year I have been mixing 1/4 Eagle wax as you dry 1/4 vinegar and 1/2 water in a spray bottle. Works great and did not even have to wax the boat this year. I found that solution posted somewhere.

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I use Turtle Wax 1 Step Wax and Dry ($4 at Wally World) and a waffle weave towel at the boat ramp. A couple of times we’ve been in a hurry and I’ve had to pull away wet and dry at the house (20 minutes delay) still does a good job getting back to a high gloss shine with no scum line, but requires a lot more elbow grease than just doing it right out of the water. I’ve also heard to use it on the bunks after you launch to give them that “liquid roller” feel at pickup.

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good to know...  As for the bunks, I have taught my crew to always dunk the entire bunks then slightly pull the trailer out of the water.  Less stress for when I pull up on the bunks if some aren't wet or underwater as I glide up.

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I use Hot Sauce with a microfiber.  I buy it by the gallon and it seems to last a long time.  Barely need any to wipe down the boat quickly.  I buy it on sale.

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6 minutes ago, onwi said:

I use Hot Sauce with a microfiber.  I buy it by the gallon and it seems to last a long time.  Barely need any to wipe down the boat quickly.  I buy it on sale.

Same here

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I am pretty sure this is the same at Boat Bling Hotsauce.  You can buy it by the quart for pretty good sale if you call them or once you buy and get on their email list.  It is the best I have used.  The home brew wax/vinegar and water combos are actually not that bad, and I used something like that when I was less invested in the boat.  I think this works better, but if money  were super tight, I would do home brewed.  

http://pacificprodux.com/zip-mist-wipe-dp-532-01/

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I did the vinegar thing last year and the boat would only shine after you did it but then it got dirty a lot quicker... Had to get a detail wax job and it brought it back to life I asked the guy and he said the vinegar just takes the wax off don't do that just use a quick wax to wipe her down . I've been using the 303 quick wax for quick wipe downs and the boat stays a lot cleaner this year,... A few 15 to $20 bottles a season to keep it Shining! 

I'll never go back to vinegar unless I have to clean something off... I'm a quick wax for Lifer now.. 

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Chemical Guys Waterless Car Wash and Wax. It's SUPER inexpensive if you buy the concentrate and mix it in a bottle. It's got a lot of carnuba wax in it. I've seen it separate at the bottom of the bottle.

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8 minutes ago, The Hulk said:

I did the vinegar thing last year and the boat would only shine after you did it but then it got dirty a lot quicker... Had to get a detail wax job and it brought it back to life I asked the guy and he said the vinegar just takes the wax off don't do that just use a quick wax to wipe her down . I've been using the 303 quick wax for quick wipe downs and the boat stays a lot cleaner this year,... A few 15 to $20 bottles a season to keep it Shining! 

I'll never go back to vinegar unless I have to clean something off... I'm a quick wax for Lifer now.. 

If the 303 Quick wax is as good as their Aerospace Protectant that I have been using on upholstery for 15 years is, I'll have to to give it try.

Edited by Brodie
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I just bought it on whim whith' some other 303 products when I was at the marina.. I was using some Meguiars but I like the 303 a little better I think.. maybe because it has a boat on it.. ha. I'll have to compare them side-by-side I had my 303 out the other day and it was a little bit more liquidy which I liked for spreading around but it could have just been hot from the Sun.. it seems like it's going further than the McGuire's did but I can't say for sure maybe the bottles bigger or maybe I haven't needed to wipe down as much this year because I've been using the wax...  I'll have to compare thrm again under the same situation.. I'm a fan of the 303 products for the multi purpose cleaner in the fabric guard and aerospace protectant so guess I couldn't go wrong with the wax I'll probably stick with it... 

Edited by The Hulk
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Vinegar won't do long-term damage to the gelcoat, no, so you're safe.
However the Hulk is correct, it does take wax/sealant away with it every time you use it. Probably after about 2-3 wipedowns you don't have much wax left.

There was a guy I was talking to that didn't believe me. So, I did a video earlier this season where I did three coats of wax in a spot. (Let them cure in between) then did a tape line down the middle. Sprayed 50/50 water/vinegar and then wiped it dry. Then hit both sides with water.

You can see the water bead up and run off on the left as it should, and you can see it bead up, then kind of plane out and drain more slowly on the right where I used vinegar. I might try to find a way to upload it here, so you can see. It's not like this drastic "as seen on TV" stuff, it's subtle. But you can tell the difference between the two.

Vinegar is acidic, which is why it's good at getting out water spots, to begin with. Unfortunately, it takes other stuff with it as well. 

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After using the vinegar last year some of my blue flakes and black areas looked entirely dull.. in fact that's what prompted me to take it to a detail shop I was actually worried that something was wrong with a gel coat.. I was like. look at these areas something wrong with gel? The detail guy laughed and said no that's basically where the water is power washing your boat every time you drive it and that he will use a great wax and make it shine again.. told him I was using 30% vinegar roughly and water and he cringed and he goes that's your problem don't do that ever again just use a quick wax in between and it will keep the water spots off way better... He looked at me and said hey when you're boats wax the water rolls right off correct? I said yep... Then he replies so quit taking the wax off! Although probably not good for his business.. 

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15 minutes ago, Brodie said:

If the 303 Quick wax is as good as their Aerospace Protectant that I have been using on upholstery for 15 years is, I'll have to to give it try.

The 303 quickwax is terrible.  I got 4 bottles for free and I buy the eagle one stuff.  The quickwax doesn't work with the boat wet and doesn't really leave much wax even when it is dr.

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+1 on the Turtle wax and dry. Works great! I keep separate wipe down towels in the truck. Be careful if you start to sweat when wiping down and you wipe you face/eyes. I had to pull over my eyes were burning so bad I couldn't see.

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