# Incredible hull cleaner, dirt cheap and fast.



## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

It's rare that I post in this area of the forum, but I thought this would be very beneficial to everyone.

Last week, I was looking to begin the arduous, annual task of cleaning and waxing my Morgan 33 Out Island hull, which was absolutely filthy from the past winter's harshness and grime. There were streaks of decaying rub rail running down the sides, rust stains from chain plate bolts that for some reason have recently developed a thin film of surface rust, and the usual soot and stuff that tends to accumulate every winter.

Normally, I go to work with various bleach and soap mixtures and a scrub brush, scrub the Hell out of the hull, then compound the worst stains, and finish with a couple coats of marina wax. A three day job at the very least, sometimes longer.

As I prepared the bucket of hot, soapy water, a fellow boater from the marina came up and said "Hey Gary, give this a try - you may be surprised." He handed me a spray bottle of yellow liquid, I sprayed some on a nasty stain near the stern quarter, waited about 10 to 15 seconds, then wiped with a terry cloth towel. The stain vanished, the hull was shiny and as clean as if I had just painted it. Unbelievable. I asked where he got this stuff and was told Dollar General for just $1 a quart. It is called Totally Awesome Cleaner. Bulk LA?s Totally Awesome All-Purpose Cleaner, 20 oz. at DollarTree.com

It took less than 2 hours to do the entire boat, the hull looks better than it has in years, and the next step was to rinse it down with fresh water and allow the hull to thoroughly dry. For added protection from the elements, I'm applying a couple coats of Poli-Glow Amazon.com: Poli Glow Kit Complete: [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rpBn-km%[email protected]@[email protected]@51rpBn-km%2BL This is similar to automotive clear coat, however, it has been formulated for marine use. Another guy at the marina did his boat last year with the product, and it look like a mirror finish throughout the year. And, this spring, he merely washed the boat with dish detergent and hot water, applied a single coat and it again looks incredible. It's a wipe on product that does not require buffing and takes less than an hour to do a 33 foot boat. How slick is that!

Have a great sailing season everyone,

Gary


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## SVTatia (May 7, 2007)

Thanks for the tip, Gary. I am looking for a good cleaner for the same purpose and I'll give it a try.. I hope it is available at the Canadian stores... I'll check them. How many bottles did it take to do your boat?


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## bigdogandy (Jun 21, 2008)

Gary - be careful with the Poli Glow....the PO used it on my boat and it turned into a gummy mess after a couple of years. Apparently the first few years it looks great, as long as you strip the old stuff completely before applying a new coat.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I used one 20 ounce bottle of Totally Awesome Cleaner to clean the entire boat.

I have no experience with the Poli-Glow yet, but I'll let you know how things go.

Gary


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## Dfok (Apr 11, 2010)

I used the polyprep mixed a bit stronger than suggested to clean off my 3 year old poliglo (added a new layer each year), then cleaned the hull with soap and water before reapplying all new poliglo.
Looks great, saved hours if not days. Time is better spent sailing.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Thanks, that's the kind of information I was hoping to hear about Poli-Glow. BTW, I was told that the Totally Awesome Cleaner would also remove Poli-Glow - don't know for sure, but it came from a reliable source.

Gary


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## AirborneSF (Dec 14, 2010)

Are you in the water, or on the hard? Sounds like the way to go, but what about the wash down? Thanks.


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

Good luck with the Poli-Glow. I know a few people that have used it. A few rave reviews and a couple of NEVER AGAIN. If it fails, be prepared for a major job to get it off.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

bigdogandy said:


> Gary - be careful with the Poli Glow....the PO used it on my boat and it turned into a gummy mess after a couple of years. Apparently the first few years it looks great, as long as you strip the old stuff completely before applying a new coat.


If he has already used the stuff, he'll regret it....and soon!


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## grampianvoyager (May 8, 2014)

see here for another experience
Dalloway: Grampian 26 in Progress: Paint Prep


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## Dfok (Apr 11, 2010)

Poliglo comes with directions or instructions for use. If you read the label and apply it correctly it seems to work fine.
There is a polyglo remover available to take it off, certainly no more difficult than compunding wax off the hull.
Big letters on the label say it is for use on fiberglass. Using it on paint probably ain't going to work - but that is not a product problem, that is a user problem.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I just talked with the folks at My Boat Store, which is the prime distributor and information center for Poli-Glow. I specifically asked about using the product over painted surfaces. He said it's not a problem if the paint is a two-part epoxy paint that is more than a few years old. If the paint job is still a bit new, he said there can be a reaction and it is not recommended because the chemicals in the paint continue to leech for quite some time before fully cured. My paint is Emron and 15 years old so it will not be a problem.

Gary


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## SVTatia (May 7, 2007)

Dfok said:


> Poliglo comes with directions or instructions for use. If you read the label and apply it correctly it seems to work fine.
> There is a polyglo remover available to take it off, certainly no more difficult than compunding wax off the hull.
> Big letters on the label say it is for use on fiberglass. Using it on paint probably ain't going to work - but that is not a product problem, that is a user problem.


Well... our boats are fiberglass, why would it not work?
They don't say "use on gel coat only". This is from the Poly Glow web-site:

Poli Glow is a proven concept in boat polish and is 'NOT' a boat wax. It is easily applied. It wipes on without the need for rubbing or buffing. It will not wash off with soap and water. And lasts for over 12 months!

Poli Glow will work on the following: RV's, Boats, Canoes, Motorhomes, *Painted Fiberglass*, Painted Metals, Rubber and Vinyl Lettering.
.


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## Golfdad91 (Jan 30, 2014)

Poli Glow demands alot of attention when recoating. It is time consuming.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I can't think of anything more time consuming and less rewarding than waxing the hull. It usually takes me the better part of 4 hours to apply and buff two coats of wax, and the wax will only look good for a month or two at the most. After getting cooked in the sun and washed off by the rain, you wouldn't know the boat was ever waxed at all after two months of summer sailing. My friend's Poli-Glow finished boat looked great all last year. He used the Poli-Glo remover this spring, and it took less than an hour to strip last year's Poli-Glow from his 30 Catalina Tall. I'm going to give it a shot in the next two weeks and I'll update the post from time to time as to the results.

Cheers from an old man,

Gary


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## HUGOSALT (Jun 15, 2004)

Using Poli Glow for years, makes my 28 yr. beige hull look new.
Best results when I strip off and reapply every year or 2.
Big factor for me is that I am not compounding my hull every
year making gel coat more porous (and effectively removing/wearing out gel coat over time)
Biggest downside is, I have to touch up/reapply were bow wave wears off after 300-400 plus mile cruise....10 minutes.
Now if i could only find something for my deck.


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## Stu Jackson (Jul 28, 2001)

POLY GLOW

BEFORE you use it, I strongly suggest that you do some THOROUGH research.

I mean THOROUGH.

Use Google, and read across lots of boating forums, including this one, sailboatowners.com and others.

You will be surprised that the easy on doesn't always mean long lasting.

It's your boat, your choice, but I'd sure hate to see you take only ONE guy's word for it, when there are so many varied opinions about it.'

What's your alternate? See Maine Sail's How to Wax your boat article, here on this forum and at sailboatowners, too.

I would not recommend Poly Glow to my worst enemy.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

wet sand from rough to fine...then rubbing compound and call it a day...


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## RedHorizon (May 13, 2012)

I've used Poli Glow for 8 years now and have recommended it to several friends, all with out hesitation and regret. I have done the MaineSail routine on a pervious boat...and it looked great too...but was quite a bit more work. Following the instructions I haven't had an issue with Poli Glow...both in application, or longevity. I did my research, read the horror stories and rolled the dice. I've been very pleased so far with the results...and I get compliments on my boat.


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

RedHorizon said:


> I've used Poli Glow for 8 years now and have recommended it to several friends, all with out hesitation and regret. I have done the MaineSail routine on a pervious boat...and it looked great too...but was quite a bit more work. Following the instructions I haven't had an issue with Poli Glow...both in application, or longevity. I did my research, read the horror stories and rolled the dice. I've been very pleased so far with the results...and I get compliments on my boat.


Do you have any idea what might be the cause of most people's issues? Applying too thick? I have used for years a product on my cars called Klasse a synthetic product along the lines of Poly Glow, though it is not a no buff formula. There are lots of folks who use it without issue, but others that hate it and had issues with streaking. It is a bear to take off completely but is only an issue before painting. But the biggest issue is putting it on too thick, this causes both streaking and seems to contribute to shorter life.

There are other synthetic products but most will require buffing. I have had good luck with both Conolite (a blend of carnubia and polymers) and Finish Care. Both should give season long performance but will require polishing before application and buffing after.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

I've used Poliglow for my two older boats (29 and 23 years old), but will not use it for my 1998 Catalina 250. Here's my basic issue with Poliglow:

The instructions say to remove all oxidation or you'll just be sealing in the chalk. So to properly prepare the surface, you need to do substantial sanding, compounding, polishing, and/or buffing. Sure, applying the Poliglow is easy, but the proper surface prep is not any easier than it is prior to waxing.

But once you've done the proper surface prep, you might as well use wax over top, because a properly polished hull will make the waxing a simple wipe on/wipe off procedure. I'm speaking from experience here -- I know for a fact that once you eliminate the surface oxidation properly, even Collinite Fleet #885 (which some claim is terribly difficult to buff) just wipes right off.

So my guess is that the Poliglow supporters take shortcuts by putting it on over oxidized hulls without full surface prep. I think they can get away with this on white hulls. You'll only notice it with deeper colored hulls (and/or your boot stripe) that show chalk if not properly polished.

Those who have difficulty removing Poliglow are probably fighting the fact that without proper surface prep, the Poliglow penetrated into the chalk, effectively binding it to the hull, and making the matrix of Polyglow+chalk even harder to remove when the Poliglow went bad after a few years.

I generally like Poliglow for my smaller boats, because their small, uneven hull shapes are difficult to get a polisher onto. So I used 1200-2000 grit wet sandpaper to remove the oxide, and Poliglow over top with acceptable results. The Poliglow definitely adds a slight yellowing of the surface, but it's a suitable compromise. My C250 has larger smooth areas on the hull that are easily accessible with an electric buffer, so I buffed with Presta Cutting Cream and did Fleet wax over top. It is a superior result (shinier, harder, less yellowing) with about the same effort that a proper surface prep would have required for Poliglow.


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## Stu Jackson (Jul 28, 2001)

TakeFive;1867130 said:


> The instructions say to remove all oxidation or you'll just be sealing in the chalk. So to properly prepare the surface, you need to do substantial sanding, compounding, polishing, and/or buffing. Sure, applying the Poliglow is easy, but the proper surface prep is not any easier than it is prior to waxing.
> 
> But* once you've done* the proper surface prep, *you might as well use wax over top*, because a properly polished hull will make the waxing a simple wipe on/wipe off procedure. I'm speaking from experience here -- I know for a fact that once you eliminate the surface oxidation properly, even Collinite Fleet #885 (which some claim is terribly difficult to buff) just wipes right off.


That is a very astute analysis. Thanks, one of the better ones I've read on this recurring subject.


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## HUGOSALT (Jun 15, 2004)

I think all here have agreed, proper prep before applying
wax or poli glow on your hull is needed. 
Chauk/oxidatation under poliglow or wax is just going to be shiny
chauk/oxidation.
Gary,
When applying Poli glow, the 1st 2 coats does not show, I put
6 or 7 regularly, each coat dries within minutes in warm temps.
and I don't pay any mind if I have overlaped more in one area than another. (all blend in nicely) Takes less than 2 hours on my 30 fter.
Often times users become unhappy when recoating in following years, sometimes because coating over and sealing in dirt.
As indicated in my prev. post, my best results are when I remove
completely and reapply every year or 2.
Thinking TakeFive has come very close to why some become unhappy with with poli glow...when removing if one does not make 
sure to change/rinse rags and properly rinse hull...removed poli glow will reharden and dry on hull and after investing the time
removing and reapplying new...some will blame the poli glow
rather then do over. 
It is always great, agree or disagree, that members share their personal experiences so we all can weigh and decide what makes sense for our situation, not so great if/when they share their 2nd or
3rd hand or internet experience.
Hugo


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## RedHorizon (May 13, 2012)

miatapaul said:


> Do you have any idea what might be the cause of most people's issues? Applying too thick? I have used for years a product on my cars called Klasse a synthetic product along the lines of Poly Glow, though it is not a no buff formula. There are lots of folks who use it without issue, but others that hate it and had issues with streaking. It is a bear to take off completely but is only an issue before painting. But the biggest issue is putting it on too thick, this causes both streaking and seems to contribute to shorter life.
> 
> There are other synthetic products but most will require buffing. I have had good luck with both Conolite (a blend of carnubia and polymers) and Finish Care. Both should give season long performance but will require polishing before application and buffing after.


Surface prep, over application, and possibly temp at application or not letting the layers dry fully. The Poli Glow cleaner does a decent job of removing oxidation IF you scrub well with the white scotch brite pad that comes with it and rinse well. My hull is cream colored and I found it easy to remove the oxidation without wet sanding. Over application would mean just slopping it on in too thick coats or letting it run...the trick is to wipe it on in very thin overlapping layers...you just need the surface to be covered, nothing more...and the supplied applicators work well for this once you get the hang of it. You also need to rinse the applicator during use if you notice any dried or gummy build up. If you didn't let the layers dry sufficiently between coats...you'll make a mess. I put a coat on the entire boat (30'), and once I'm back around to where I started...the previous coat is dry to the touch. The temp and humidity outside could be a factor...but I can't speak to that as I've generally applied it when the temps were 60 or above without extreme humidity.


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## SVTatia (May 7, 2007)

I seems that all the comments, analysis and failures stated so far are related to gel-coated boats.
Their website state that it can be used on painted fibreglass. My hull is painted, paint does not oxide (but fades a bit). So if I clean thoroughly and apply Poly glow I may have a better chance of success than on a gel-coated boat, yes?


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## jzk (Feb 25, 2008)

I would second that caution.



travlineasy said:


> I used one 20 ounce bottle of Totally Awesome Cleaner to clean the entire boat.
> 
> I have no experience with the Poli-Glow yet, but I'll let you know how things go.
> 
> Gary


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

SVTatia said:


> ...My hull is painted, paint does not oxide (but fades a bit)...


If true, then why are there hundreds of polishes and compounds available for automotive finishes, including the Preta products that I use on my boat?


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

Well, the weatherman is calling for a warm, sunny and I hope to get some painting done on my deck and cockpit, plus Poli-Glow the hull. I'll keep you folks posted. 

(fingers crossed) 

Gary


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## paul323 (Mar 13, 2010)

FWIW, this year I am trying Prism Polish and it's partner sealant, Mirage. My hull is off-white gelcoat, 30 years old...chalky/oxidised gelcoat is my main problem. I was hesitant at first - I used it as a metal polish, worked well - but Prism polish seems to do a great job restoring the shine to tired gelcoat, for little work. Mirage also looks good, but with sealants only time will tell, so I am more cautious about endorsing it.

I am trying this route because the compounding and waxing process does give a spectacular shine - but equally is a spectacular amount of work; fleetwax works great, but needs to be put on one small area at a time, and polished/buffed before moving on...and keeping that shine requires redoing it in 6 months time!

I know, we all have our favorite polishes and sealants (waxes)- like many others I am experimenting to find the right balance between effort and shine. I am keeping an open mind, so this thread is interesting...

(usual disclaimer: sailor with not-so-shiny boat, not employee, troll, etc)


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## jzk (Feb 25, 2008)

If you have that much oxidation, you should consider wet sanding. I did a 1995 ski nautique this year and it came out looking brand new.

I did 400, 600, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit. Then I did a nice compound with 3m compound. Then mequires heavy duty oxidation remover. Then I use zymol paste wax.

If you don't have enough gel coat left to wet sand, then it is time to paint with a 2 part poly.



paul323 said:


> FWIW, this year I am trying Prism Polish and it's partner sealant, Mirage. My hull is off-white gelcoat, 30 years old...chalky/oxidised gelcoat is my main problem. I was hesitant at first - I used it as a metal polish, worked well - but Prism polish seems to do a great job restoring the shine to tired gelcoat, for little work. Mirage also looks good, but with sealants only time will tell, so I am more cautious about endorsing it.
> 
> I am trying this route because the compounding and waxing process does give a spectacular shine - but equally is a spectacular amount of work; fleetwax works great, but needs to be put on one small area at a time, and polished/buffed before moving on...and keeping that shine requires redoing it in 6 months time!
> 
> ...


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## kjango (Apr 18, 2008)

Hey Gary....can that Totally Awesome cleaner stuff be bought in local stores anywhere ???


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

kjango said:


> Hey Gary....can that Totally Awesome cleaner stuff be bought in local stores anywhere ???


It is available at the Dollar Tree, for get this a dollar! They sell the 20 oz bottle and a 32 ounce refill. There are places selling it on Amazon for almost $8, but at least they offer free shipping. I have used it in the past, I would recommend good gloves as it is nasty smelling. I would not use it on anything that might be damaged.


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## NCC320 (Dec 23, 2008)

miatapaul said:


> It is available at the Dollar Tree, for get this a dollar! They sell the 20 oz bottle and a 32 ounce refill. There are places selling it on Amazon for almost $8, but at least they offer free shipping. I have used it in the past, I would recommend good gloves as it is nasty smelling. I would not use it on anything that might be damaged.


Totally Awesome is available at Dollar General also. It works really good on spider droppings.

Mitapaul, your caution about doing damage......have you experienced a downside with this cleaner? I've used it on fiberglass decks of my Catalina 320 and have not noticed any problems, but I surely don't want to cause any and would like to hear more on your experience. Also, the comment about smell. I didn't notice a bad smell....I wonder if you got some that had aged out...it's supposed to be biodegradable, and the $1 price seems out of line. Maybe it's so cheap because it's been around for a long time and they want to turn over the stock. I think I paid in the range of $3 for the 32 oz. bottle, still a bargain and it really does a good job of cleaning. I just hope there are no long term issues. Until I hear specific reasons not to do it, I plan to keep using it.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

The 32-ounce refill bottle sells for $3 at Dollar General, while the 20-ounce bottle sells for just $1. I didn't notice any odor whatsoever, cleaned the entire hull with no side effects to the boat or me, also cleaned off the nasty bird droppings on the deck today - did a fantastic job on the bird poo. I still have not got around to using the Poli-Glow yet, mainly because I spent 6 hours masking the deck in preparation for painting today. The Poli-Glow will have to wait till I get the decks finished, which may take until next weekend. I'm an old codger and don't have the stamina to work more than 8 hours a day anymore. Gettin' old ain't fer wimps and sissies! 

Cheers,

Gary


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

NCC320 said:


> Totally Awesome is available at Dollar General also. It works really good on spider droppings.
> 
> Mitapaul, your caution about doing damage......have you experienced a downside with this cleaner? I've used it on fiberglass decks of my Catalina 320 and have not noticed any problems, but I surely don't want to cause any and would like to hear more on your experience. Also, the comment about smell. I didn't notice a bad smell....I wonder if you got some that had aged out...it's supposed to be biodegradable, and the $1 price seems out of line. Maybe it's so cheap because it's been around for a long time and they want to turn over the stock. I think I paid in the range of $3 for the 32 oz. bottle, still a bargain and it really does a good job of cleaning. I just hope there are no long term issues. Until I hear specific reasons not to do it, I plan to keep using it.


I have seen it ruin some towels that it was used with. It says it contains no bleach but it sure acted like it did. Perhaps they have changed the formula.


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## oysterman23 (Jul 22, 2011)

I have been using Totally Awesome (LA ) for a huge variety of things on boats and homes for years. The key to the product is to use it at the right concentration. It seldom needs to be used at anywhere near 50/50 mix. It will cut the usual heating oil winter haze off boats in the spring at roughly 1 cup to 3 gallons water. I often use it to prep the boat before painting and have found if used on teak after a moderate wash with oxalic acid it will restore color to the wood as well as any "teak brightener" two part formula around. It was originally developed for spray washing systems in particular so really is quite strong straight from the bottle. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk


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## ericb760 (Apr 11, 2012)

I spent two dollars on two bottles. This stuff is incredible. It took off a thin sheen of mold, and when used with a 220 grit sanding block, took off over forty years of chalking, fender rash, streaks, and rust. I did half the boat in less than thirty minutes. My cockpit looks amazing, too! 

Thank you for making this thread and turning us all on to a cheap, and amazing, cleaner!


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## dacap06 (Feb 2, 2008)

Thank you Gary! You have done us all a service pointing out LA's cleaner. I bought some at Dollar Tree today and then used it full strength to clean Tranquility Base four times faster. I applied it with a cheapie sponge mop I also bought at Dollar Tree followed by plenty of rinsing to remove residue. I had to scrub a few spots and stains but not many. 2/3 of a 32 Oz bottle of "Totally Awesome" was all I needed to do the entire boat. 

Once clean, I put on another 3 coats of poly glow. I am happy to say the cleaner are compatible. Even better, the cleaner stripped off less of last year's Poly Glow than Poly Strip does. I started at 1 and finished at 5:30 PM -- way faster than my usual two days.

My gel coat is too far gone and too thin to sand down and buff to a shine (believe me, I tried without the sanding part, and it didn't help). Poly glow is a way to make the remaining gel coat look good so I don't have to paint it. Poly Glow lasts about 6 months as opposed to 2 -3 for wax, and can be washed with practically anything. I completely stripped 4 years of Poly Glow accumulation a couple of years ago, and the old chalky gel coat was just like it was. 6 coats of Poly Glow later, it looked like new Gel coat again.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

I've also had success with Poliglow, but only on the topsides. On deck it seems to discolour rapidly on contact with body oils, sunscreens etc. Hard to beat the ease of application, however I'm pretty sure that the normal cut/polish/wax is probably overall better. 

We have fairly bold painted hull stripes (Brightsides)and the Poliglow has protected that from fading and fender rub by the look of it. Overall pleased with it. We've also used the dollar store Totally Awesome product with good results, but it's not at EVERY dollar store.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

travlineasy said:


> Last week, I was looking to begin the arduous, annual task of cleaning and waxing my Morgan 33 Out Island hull, which was absolutely filthy from the past winter's harshness and grime. There were streaks of decaying rub rail running down the sides, rust stains from chain plate bolts that for some reason have recently developed a thin film of surface rust, and the usual soot and stuff that tends to accumulate every winter.
> 
> Gary


I can't believe no one else caught this, "rust stains from chaiplate bolts".
By the time you see surface corrosion on the outside of stainless steel there has likely been significant loss of metal on the inside. Time to pull plates and bolts for closer inspection.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Here is the MSDS that says what's in it. Any chemists out there know if one should approach any of the ingredients with caution?

http://apps.wku.edu/sds/uploads/docs/8095.pdf


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## dacap06 (Feb 2, 2008)

Faster said:


> I've also had success with Poliglow, but only on the topsides.


Oh, agreed, Faster! I use it on vertical and near-vertical surfaces only. I do topsides, the vertical surfaces in the cockpit, and the sides of the cabin. It quickly deteriorated on smooth parts of the deck. In two months on the deck it looked awful and I stripped it off that part of the boat.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I pulled some of the chain plate bolts and they looked like new. However, there was a thin film of surface rust on the back side of the chain plate, which wiped right off with CRC.

Gary


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## jzk (Feb 25, 2008)

I tried this cleaner yesterday on our tri-tune which was covered in black mold. Cleaned right up. Did great on cushions.


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## SVTatia (May 7, 2007)

TakeFive said:


> If true, then why are there hundreds of polishes and compounds available for automotive finishes, including the Preta products that I use on my boat?


Auto paints are a different beast.
There are cautions everywhere not to polish/buff linear polyurethane (such as mine), as it will burn the protectant top film and eventually destroy the paint.

*Gary*, I bought & tried the LA Totally Awesome cleaner and it really works great. Thanks for the hint.


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## utchuckd (Apr 4, 2010)

I tried the LA cleaner this weekend and it seems to do a good job, but I still get a little better results from a magic eraser, especially now that they have handles for them.

Full disclosure: 1. These are the only 2 things I've used so far to clean my boat. 2. It's about way overdue for some compounding and polishing so that may be a factor.


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

I just pulled the tarp off so I tried this. It works, but for me it wasn't like a miracle cleaner. It was just okay. I really need to pressure wash my boat.


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## christian.hess (Sep 18, 2013)

SVTatia said:


> Auto paints are a different beast.
> There are cautions everywhere not to polish/buff linear polyurethane (such as mine), as it will burn the protectant top film and eventually destroy the paint.
> 
> *Gary*, I bought & tried the LA Totally Awesome cleaner and it really works great. Thanks for the hint.


nothing like seing 2 year old brand new cars with destroyed paints and clear coats cause the owner was an avid "polisher"


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Sal Paradise said:


> I just pulled the tarp off so I tried this. It works, but for me it wasn't like a miracle cleaner. It was just okay. I really need to pressure wash my boat.


I was wondering if you were in yet. Got to go out with you this summer!


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## Sal Paradise (Sep 14, 2012)

I paid the dockmaster, so my slip is ready. Need to do some serious cleaning and check everything. What about you? 

If you come up with your boat you can probably dock overnight on the inside of the outer dock for free.


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## mstern (May 26, 2002)

Boy, you guys have a lot more time than me. I rubbed down my '79 Oday with Formula 202 with paper towel; takes the dirt, wax, compound, etc. right off. Then I put on two coats of a high quality marine wax. Sometimes I use 3M, sometimes Mother's. I'm blanking on what I used this year, but it was on sale at Defender's Spring Sale so I thought I'd give it a try. The boat looks good; not great, but good. Nothing short of an enormous amount of compounding/polishing/buffing and waxing will bring back that showroom glow, and I just don't care that much. I'm good with "good". It takes me about 4 or 5 hours to wash and wax the boat, and to put one new coat of bottom paint on. I'm just trying to keep her afloat and make her look good. We're not entering any shows.

And I've tried that Dollar Store cleaner. It worked, but I didn't think it was anything to write home about.


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## jzk (Feb 25, 2008)

This year I added 3m compound to the sailboat buffing procedure. And, I wetsanded the ski nautique then did the three step buffing procedure that I did on the sailboat.

For the ski nautique, I wetsanded with 400 through 2000 grit paper. I only did the 400 on the purple and green parts and the top of the bow as that is where the brunt of the oxidation was.

Then I used 3m rubbing compound with a rotary buffer. Then meguires heavy duty oxidation remover to get out any micro scratches left by the compound.

Then I used zymol past wax. The blue stuff. Man was it excellent. If you leave it too long, it is very difficult to buff off. That, at least, makes me feel like it has good adhesion. I wonder if other waxes I have used adhere at all.

Not sure I would pay $50 for the Zymol, but I had some, so I tried it. For the colors on the ski nautique, it was really excellent. It really seemed like the gel coat sucked it in.



mstern said:


> Boy, you guys have a lot more time than me. I rubbed down my '79 Oday with Formula 202 with paper towel; takes the dirt, wax, compound, etc. right off. Then I put on two coats of a high quality marine wax. Sometimes I use 3M, sometimes Mother's. I'm blanking on what I used this year, but it was on sale at Defender's Spring Sale so I thought I'd give it a try. The boat looks good; not great, but good. Nothing short of an enormous amount of compounding/polishing/buffing and waxing will bring back that showroom glow, and I just don't care that much. I'm good with "good". It takes me about 4 or 5 hours to wash and wax the boat, and to put one new coat of bottom paint on. I'm just trying to keep her afloat and make her look good. We're not entering any shows.
> 
> And I've tried that Dollar Store cleaner. It worked, but I didn't think it was anything to write home about.


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## travlin-easy (Dec 24, 2010)

I just got home from the boat, spent just over two hours applying Poli-Glow to the hull and following the instructions to the letter, the results are astounding. I applied just three coats instead of the recommended 4, but I couldn't believe my eyes. The hull looks brand new, out of the showroom finish. Absolutely incredible looking. If this stuff holds up the way the manufacturer claims, my old Morgan 33 O.I. will NEVER see another coat of wax as long as I own it. 

Back in the days when I used wax and an electric buffer, it was an all day job of damned hard work to make the hull shine. And, that shine only lasted about 3 months at best. Using the kit supplied applicator mitt, the Poli-Glow wiped on just as if you were wiping on a coat of varnish, but the difference is, it dried in less than 2 minutes and the second and third coats could then be applied. This, if it holds up, is the most amazing finish product to come along in decades.

Oh, and I applied it over a 15-year old paint job of epoxy paint after cleaning with Awesome cleaner, the thoroughly rinsing with my electric power washer.

I'll keep you posted as to the longevity,

Gary


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## jimrafford (Jan 7, 2011)

after reading this post I ordered a case of "totaly awsome cleaner" to give it a try. I finished the work to replace the strut and running gear this past week and the boat was launched at 7:30 this morning. Todays project was washing the topsides after sitting in a dusty parking lot for a month. My decks and cockpit were a mess from me tearing the back half of the boat apart including diesel stains and work boot marks every where.
Thought the cleaning would take most of the day.
To my amazement I sprayed the cleaner on the deck and wiped everything off w/ a sponge. Rinse w/ the hose and done in a hour. This stuff is amazing.
Jim


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