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We will be in this situation next week as ours is coming out for some TLC so this is all good information, especially the Brick Acid, id have been in a chandlers next week looking for cleaning products at inflated prices if Id not read this thread as I would never have known a patio cleaner would be ok to use on GRP.  Smiths at Oulton Broad it is then! 

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Brick Acid 5L smiths oulton broad £3.80.

I will be putting it to the test this weekend,  I am thinking of applying it with a hand pump spray bottle on a mist spray rather than a brush (because im lazy) obviously its going to run off quicker than if it were brushed on so im hoping its still effective doing it this way. 

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4 hours ago, dnks34 said:

Brick Acid 5L smiths oulton broad £3.80.

I will be putting it to the test this weekend,  I am thinking of applying it with a hand pump spray bottle on a mist spray rather than a brush (because im lazy) obviously its going to run off quicker than if it were brushed on so im hoping its still effective doing it this way. 

To my way of thinking using a paint brush help work the acid into the grim and also helps remove it. Try both ways and tell us all who is right!!

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The brick acid is effective but if anyone intends using it I strongly recommend a full face shield and cover all exposed skin and wear rubber gloves!

It takes the brown staining at the waterline straight out with a wipe over after spraying the acid on.  Any green scum or scale requires a bit more agitation if its been there a long time but it definately loosens it and with 2 or 3 sprays with the acid it can be scrubbed off fairly easily after that. 

Good stuff but rinse off immediately if it gets on your skin....make sure you rinse it off the boat thoroughly also. 

Right now to read about antifouling.........

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Thanks for that, Danial. I do have eye protection but I hadn't considered full-face protection, where can I get such, please?

Did you use a small bottle spray or a gun?

Norfolk Marine were doing an offer on antifouling a month ago........... Alternatively there was a place near the back of Lake Lothing's Marina which sells good stuff at a reasonable price, I'm sure that Peter will know where I mean!

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Ive just ordered a face shield from ebay for when i go back up next week to do the other half, for a few quid more than screwfix! Dam!

I used a small hand held pump sprayer (about 2L B&M stores) to apply the acid and due to not being close enough to a tap we used an 8 litre garden sprayer for rinsing which was sufficient but a hose would have been easier.  It was a windy day so the acid blew back in my face a few times, i did have goggles and rubber gloves on with all exposed skin covered apart from my face, it starts to make your skin tingle very quickly but immediately rinsing my face with water from the 8L sprayer stopped the effects, next time I WILL be wearing a face shield! 

As i said its excellent on any brown staining (ours had been building up 4 years!) so that tells how easy it got them out.  The bottom itself will take a few goes but it does loosen things up and make what will always be a difficult and unpleasant job just that little bit easier. 

I will probably go for the hempel broads antifoul unless anyone can recommend anything else. 

Its not something ive got involved with before and my yard was going to do the task for us but as we are going to so much effort preparing the surface we may aswel do it ourselves this time.  

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1 minute ago, JennyMorgan said:

Sorry, Dnks, forgot to tell you, a brush is better than a spray when the wind is blowing towards you! 

With the "Wind" as it is here just now, you could stand 20ft away to apply it as long as facing the right direction! :naughty:

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2 hours ago, dnks34 said:

The wind was changing direction left right and centre yesterday...one minute i was upwind the next my face was on fire!!!  

Dont know why it didnt occur to me it would be safer brushing it on JM!  Sharpest tool and shed spring to mind !!

Blond, grey or ginger?

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Ive got some grp magic gel which sounds like a similar product to your Y10 Strowagwr but on these stains it wasnt a lot of use really.  The acid acted almost instantly on them and it was worth the learning curve applying it! 

JM, possibly a touch of all three!  

I have read about mixing the acid up with wallpaper paste to form a gel but as chemistry isnt one of my strengths i dismissed that as an option in fear of purple plumes of noxious smoke eminating from my garage !! 

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54 minutes ago, dnks34 said:

Ive got some grp magic gel which sounds like a similar product to your Y10 Strowagwr but on these stains it wasnt a lot of use really.  The acid acted almost instantly on them and it was worth the learning curve applying it! ......

I tried googling "grp magic gel" but couldn't find anything that sounded like a GRP cleaner, so I'm wondering if it is indeed like Y10.

I've never had it fail to remove any of my waterline stains, and I once lent it to a neighboring boat owner who said he'd tried everything else with no luck, and was startled with how easily the Y10 worked.

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8 hours ago, dnks34 said:

It does indeed sound very similar, but I think it's a little unfair to condemn Y10 on the basis of someones experiences with a similar product by a completely different manufacturer.

One thing about Y10, is that it must be left to soak in for about 15 minutes, unlike liquid acids like brick cleaner or oxalic.

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