Re: [A/S] bathtub refinish?

["Tom Patterson" <tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I belong to a sailing e-mail list, and there has been a thread going the last several days dealing with hull cleaners (fiberglass).  Here are a couple of comments.  Maybe something like this could be used on the bathtub ?

    Hi all,
            funny this should come up now as I was over at the neighbors today to 
    view a new product he was using on his hull! We both own collector cars and 
    are BIG fans of Meguiar's products. They have just introduced a cleaner 
    DE-oxidizer that is for Jell coats! He had medium oxidation and it was 
    working great with hand and orbital methods. I cannot recommend Meguiar's 
    stuff highly enough. His hull looked new after working it over!
    Regards. Garry

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    Months ago there was a thread about what to do with the oxidized
    black spaces on a Mac.  Someone mentioned the product 'Marine
    Penetrol'.

    Having never heard of it, or used any, I went to West Marine and
    bought some.  I decided to do a little 'controlled experiment' on
    my Bayliner.  The old Bayliner, which is dark Navy Blue and
    White, was badly oxidized, particularly the Navy Blue on the
    transom.

    I put the Marine Penetrol on 1/2 of the transom, and left the
    other half untouched.  Now when I say badly oxidized, I mean the
    blue was almost chalk white!  It took a lot of elbow grease, but
    the half with the Marine Penetrol, regained a deep blue luster.
    I would not say that it looks like 'new' gelcoat however.  Its
    more like the difference between a 'gloss' finish and a 'semi
    gloss' finish, if you were using a house paint.   However, the
    blue did look very nice on that half the transom.

    I did this right before Memorial day.  Last weekend I looked at
    the transom and the half with the Marine Penetrol still looks
    deep blue, while the other half only got more chalky looking!!!

    However, I do have this disclaimer.  The Bayliner was not in the
    salt water a lot this summer, owing to a very hectic work
    schedule and family health problems.  Had it been in the water
    weekly, I'm sure that a second application may have been in order
    by now.  But, you may want to give it a try.  Now that my
    'experiment is over, momma wants me to get out there and put this
    stuff on the rest of the boat!!! <sigh>

    Rick Moyer - San Diego


-Tom
mailto:tom@tompatterson.com 
Website: http://www.tompatterson.com