HINTS
(3)
Cleaning Agents
Fibreglass & Stainless Steel -
Trust
Trust is a concentrated
solution formulated to remove acid sensitive stains from stainless steel,
fibreglass and painted surfaces in marine and industrial environments. It
is a pink acidic liquid with a slight acrid odour. It is made from Hydrofluoric
Acid (5%), Phosphoric Acid (45%), a non hazardous surficant. and water.
For all but the most stubborn stains the best
economical use is gained by diluting the concentrated solution in the
ratio of about 1:7 with water. The diluted solution can be wiped on the
surface with a piece of clean cloth and, if exposed to sunlight, the surface
will be restored to its natural colour within about 15 minutes. It is
an excellent product and a 5 litre container will be enough to clean a
10 M boat twice a year for at least 10 years.
Precautions need to be taken because of the
acidic nature of Trust - especially when a concentrated solution is to be
used. The skin should be protected and when applying in an enclosed non ventilated
space respiratory protection will also be necessary.
Trust is available from Hammersley
Chemicals (Ph 02 4928 2955)
. Sandpiper
Close, Kooragang Island, NSW, 2304
Automatic Hatch Closing
When on board when the weather is hot and the hatches need to be open for cooling and ventilation they can be set to close when it rains - provided the hatches will drop under their own weight. Simply tie the hatch to a large suger cube. With a seperate line tie the sugar cube to anything close by so that the hatch is held in the desired position. Needless to say don't shield the sugar from the rain.
Antifouling
Before slipping the boat for the antifoul it is a good idea to clean around the hull at the water line first. A good scourer will easily remove slime and, on a day when there is some water turbulence, the washing off process is also much easier. Water temperature permitting the job is also easier when swimming than trying to do it from a dinghy.
New antifoul paints are always on the market. To experiment with the one best suited for your boat in its mooring location paint trial sections below the water line where differing colours will not be normally seen. By using both sides of the keel and rudder at least six different concoctions can be trialled at one time. Of course it will be important to accurately record which paint was painted where. It is also a good idea to record the weather conditions pertaining at the time of the antifoul - especially temperature and humidity.
Remember that antifoul paints of the same brand and specifications do NOT necessarily finish as the same colour - either in the tin or when dry. Furthermore branded identical paints do necessarily give the same protection from year to year - variables like water quality and changed boat fittings come into play even if the chemical composition of the paint was identical.
Writing Material
Always have writing material handy. It could be paper & pencil / pen / biro etc but in a likely wet environment a small whyteboard and appropriate marker might be better. When in trouble there might be a need to write down phone numbers, frequencies etc to help in a rescue. Consider the case of an electrical and or radio failure where a mobile phone becomes the primary method of communication - rescue agencies can attest that it happens quite often.
