[Rhodes22-list] Pressuring washing a boat

Sat Jun 15 12:27:36 EDT 2024

I have a mooring in Boston Harbor and I've used ablative paint for many
years. Depending on the type and amount of growth on the bottom when I haul
out, I might use a long brush, pressure from a garden hose, or a pressure
washer at distance. If there's lots of hard growth (barnacles etc) then
scraping might be the best option. The people who tend to use non-ablative
bottom paint at my boat club are power boaters who typically travel at
faster speeds than sailboats and racers who want the least resistance on
their hull and will sometimes clean their hull before a race.

When cleaning the deck, cockpit, cabin top etc. I try to keep the pressure
low because gel coat tends to become porous over time and I worry about
driving the dirt into the gel coat.

Mark

Boston, MA
2000 R22 *When and If*

On Sat, Jun 15, 2024 at 11:35 AM Ed McNamara <edmc18 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I learned a new word recently. When I had my boat hull blisters repaired
> and new bottom paint applied I was asked if I wanted to use Ablative paint.
> When it was explained that the paint sheds layers in order to stay clean I
> said "Hell no"! You see, that explained why twice a year, when I brought my
> boat to the driveway for maintenance and cleaning, which included pressure
> washing the hull, including the bottom paint, I had streams of blue paint
> washing down the driveway. It probably also went a long way in explaining
> why the bottom blistered! I now have a good strong bottom paint that will
> not shed. As a lake sailor there is probably much less need for Ablative
> paint anyway. My advice then is if you do have Ablative Bottom paint you
> might want to avoid pressure washing that portion of your hull.
>
> Eddie Mac
> s/v Scholar (1988/2001)
>
> On Tue, Jun 11, 2024 at 6:16 PM Frank Goldsmith <goldsmith.cf at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Thanks for this. I have Ego batteries for other electric power tools, but
> > I’ll check these out.  I don’t know if Ego makes a battery-powered power
> > washer (easy enough for me to research).
> >
> > Frank
> >
> >
> > > On Jun 11, 2024, at 4:51 PM, Ric Stott <ric at stottarchitecture.com>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > I bought a cheap one from China which is on the boat so I don’t know
> the
> > name of it, but here is a link to a comparison of the best.
> > > Dewalt and Ryobi are very good, so if you have those batteries, it
> might
> > be the best choice.
> > > I was suckered in on an Instagram add and bought it before I realized
> > there are many better options - I think I paid well under $100 for it and
> > it wrks pretty well.
> > > Mine is a rechargeable unit so I’ll have to charge it on the boat with
> > my 12v DC
> > > Best
> > > Ric
> > >
> >
> https://www.bestproductsreviews.com/battery-operated-pressure-washers?targetid=&matchtype=&device=c&campaignid=18760692132&creative=&adgroupid=&feeditemid=&loc_physical_ms=9004570&loc_interest_ms=&network=x&devicemodel=&placement=&keyword=$&target=&aceid=&adposition=&trackid=us_all_top_1_1&mId=407-132-4411&trackOld=true&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMNCKHTjAPnpZg_RqVTG3FX-I3lRT-RN1sSV915xALvLUrXJ79_l7RhoC8rIQAvD_BwE
> > 
> > > Our 10 Best Battery Operated Pressure Washers in the US - June 2024
> > > bestproductsreviews.com
> > >
> > > Richard F. Stott, AIA, LEED AP
> > > ric at stottarchitecture.com
> > > O -631-283-1777
> > > C- 516-965-3164
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> On Jun 11, 2024, at 4:36 PM, Larry Gioia via Rhodes22-list <
> > rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> > >>
> > >> I got a relatively cheap Westinghouse electric pressure washer on
> > Amazon early this year for my Rhodes near Tampa, wow does it work well.
> I
> > use the wider spray nozzle for lower pressure. Take heed of Peter’s
> comment
> > and don’t spray close to hatches - I got some spray inside, I’ll be more
> > careful next time. Worked so well I brought it up to Lake George for my
> > other Rhodes. That one reaalllyyyy needed it.
> > >>
> > >> Larry
> > >>
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> > >>> On Jun 11, 2024, at 2:32 PM, Frank Goldsmith <goldsmith.cf at gmail.com
> >
> > wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks, David.
> > >>>
> > >>>> On Jun 11, 2024, at 2:13 PM, DAVID BERG via Rhodes22-list <
> > rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Frank,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> I use the power washer in spring and fall in the driveway. It is
> good
> > for stripping the growth off the bottom. I usually have a bucket with
> some
> > water with boat soap to apply and scrub stubborn areas on the deck. If
> you
> > used wax on your topsides, the other soaps might strip it off.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> David Berg
> > >>>> Minneapolis, MN
> > >>>> s/v Blue Loon (1996/2003)
> > >>>>
> > >>>> -----Original Message-----
> > >>>> From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf
> > Of Frank Goldsmith
> > >>>> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2024 5:29 PM
> > >>>> To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> > >>>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Pressuring washing a boat
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Thanks, Peter.  That was my hope, that it would brighten up the
> > deck.  Do you use any kind of cleanser in the power washer?
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Frank
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>>> On Jun 10, 2024, at 6:24 PM, Peter Nyberg <peter at sunnybeeches.com
> >
> > wrote:
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> I do this every spring.  It really brightens up the white deck.  If
> > you spray close to hatches, water will get inside.
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Peter Nyberg
> > >>>>> Coventry, CT
> > >>>>> s/v Silverheels (1988/2016)
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> [ Sent From rhodes22.net ]
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>> On 2024-06-10, at 17:12:02 EDT, Frank Goldsmith wrote:
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> The other day at our club I noticed a boat tied up at the work
> dock
> > >>>>>> with the owners using a pressure-washer to clean it (we have hoses
> > >>>>>> and electric cords that extend down to the dock, although I think
> > >>>>>> they were using a gas-powered washer).  Anyone else try that?
> Seems
> > >>>>>> it would save a lot of elbow grease, although of course one has to
> > be
> > >>>>>> careful to use an appropriate nozzle setting on the power washer.
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Frank
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>> Frank Goldsmith
> > >>>>>> S/V Mary Bess (Rhodes 22 1985/2001)
> > >>>>>> Fairview, NC
> > >>>>>> Lake Keowee, SC
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>>
> > >>>
> > >
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