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Inflatable needs cleaning

Started by Grime, February 06, 2011, 09:09:31 AM

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Grime

I purchased a 9 foot inflatable the other day. The registration numbers are coming off and I need to redo them. What is the best thing to use to clean the boat so that the new numbers will stick?
David and Lisa
S/V Miss Sadie
Watkins 27

KenR

Cleaning would be based on what material the inflatable is made of. The most common cleaning solvents are:

PVC - MEK
Hypalon - Toluene

Note: Both are very effective at surface preparation for applying adhesives but must be used with caution, especially proper ventilation.
What could possibly go wrong???
s/v Blown Away
1984 Sovereign 28
Southwest Florida

Grime

Thanks Ken,

Methyl Ethyl Ketone I'll have to check it out
David and Lisa
S/V Miss Sadie
Watkins 27

Shipscarver

There is an interesting article in "DIY BOAT OWNER," Issue 3, 2010.  This article, "Tender Care," written by live aboard Capt. Frank Mummery, covers prep work, cleaning, and painting a tender.
"The great secret that all old people share
is that you really haven't changed . . .
Your body changes, but you don't change at all.
And that, of course, causes great confusion." . . . Doris Lessing

Shipscarver - Cape Dory 27

Captain Smollett

I've not used it myself, but a fellow here in the marina last fall swore by this stuff:



Bixler's Elixer Three Part Inflatable Boat Cleaner

I've also read of people using diluted Tidy bowl toilet cleaner (but I cannot say yea or nay on this being either effective or safe for the material).

S/V Gaelic Sea
Alberg 30
North Carolina

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.  -Mark Twain

lecker68

on my inflatable I am using plexiglas plate to stick the numbers to and fasten to a line on the vessel my reasoning for this is numbers are going to fail premature with deflating and inflating.
1980 Chrysler C-26
S/V My Getaway
Fair winds and Great sailing