Posted by jerry_magic1 (jerry_magic1@…>)
— ABC <oldbrochan@y…> wrote:
Get in touch with Avon Inflatables at
www.avoninflatables.co.uk - they’re a great bunch of
guys and very helpful
Took your advise. Have not tried it as yet but it looks promising.
Here is the answer I received in case anyone else has a similar problem:
Jerry
Your email inquiry has been forwarded to my desk.
The rowlock support system on your boat is made of cast neoprene.
The neoprene will breakdown with UV exposure.
This can be overcome but the process is messy.
First you need to put on your painting cloths or ones that any staining
will not be an issue! Then you will need to give the rowlock support
and surrounding area a good soap & water bath.
I recommend Soft Scrub or Ajax cleanser, rinse well, repeat and let
dry. This removes the oxidized surface chalk.
Now you need to clean again with Ethyl Acetate or Toluene (if using
toluene you need to read the toxic cautions on the container) using
rags or good quality paper towels. You need to keep wiping with the
solvent until the black color coming off on the paper towels starts to
lessen or lighten in color and content. Let air dry for a minimum of
30 minutes.
At this point the neoprene is clean and ready for recoating with the
product of your choice.
You can use any good inflatable boat wax or polish, 303 protectant is
very good and West Marine’s own protectant is good.
This type of product will need to be reapplied every few months to keep
the “black plague” from reoccurring.
In place of the waxing and re-waxing there are very good coatings that
can be applied just like paint, (please stay away from anything that
uses the words “TOP SIDE PAINT”). Inland Marine makes a good coating
that is marketed as “Liquid Rubber”, MDR has a good inflatable boat
“coating”, Lord Chemicals has the best one marketed as “Chem-Glaze”
but this one is very expensive!
For a job like this I would recommend Liquid Rubber in white. This is a
strong coating and will take a great deal of exposure before there is
any type of chalking. If you apply a product like 303 protectant over
the liquid rubber you will never have to deal with this chalking again.
This same cleaning and wax or coating system will also work on any of
the older boats that have the neoprene rubstrake to eliminate the black
marks from being left behind.
I hope this information answers your question.
Please feel free to contact me directly with any questions you might
have regarding your inflatable boat or any part of the Zodiac Group
product line!
Good luck and Happy Boating!
Best Regards,
Keith Nowell
Technical Support
After Sales Department
Zodiac of North America
knowell@…