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Awlgrip care

Quiet Magic

Member II
Well with the sailing season just around the corner, I would like to know what some of you think would be the best way to clean an awlgrip paint job. I read an article in cruising world that said you should use a "light detergent" with water. My question is what would a good light detergent (Brand names)? And what would be a good way to do some touch up paint on some scrachted areas of the hull?
 

Emerald

Moderator
Hi,

I am going to respond with what may sound with like a line, but stay in the "system". There is a whole line of products made by Awlgrip for cleaning and maintaining your Awlgrip, and they work well, easy to use, and they are reasonably priced. To start, use the Awlwash, and then follow with the Awlcare. Awlgrip is not a conventional paint, and doesn't want to be buffed or waxed.

Here is a link to one of Awlgrip's pages on how to care for the finish:

http://www.awlgrip.com/awlgrip_pages/application_guide_info.htm#18

And for the record, I am a big fan of looking for alternatives outside of "boat" when it comes to things like cleaners, polishes etc. What I found when I started talking with folks with some very long term experience painting and maintaining Awlgrip was a consensus to use the Awlgrip products.


-David
Independence 31
Emerald
 

stbdtack

Member III
Awlwash is available at West. If they dont have it on the shelf ask them to order it. I agree with David, I'm skeptical about miracle products but Awlwash works great. I suspect it would work just as well on imron. It might seem a little pricey but you only mix a small amount with water.
 

Quiet Magic

Member II
scratches

Ok, new Awlgrip question: Does the company provide a product to take care of scratches in the paint that go all the way into the original orange paint job.
I have a whole crap load of scratches on the bow from loading on the trailer and a couple around the water line (had an incedent with the trailer winch strap breaking and boat falling of the trailer back into the water, could have been worse). Sometimes I really wish the paint job on our boat wasn't so damn expensive.
 

Mike Thomas

Member II
Steve,

Good luck!

My last boat was painted and I swore that I would never own a painted boat again. Well that didn't work out and my E-29 has Awlgrip. Everyone said "it's not paint it's Awlgrip" The big problem with Awlgrip is there is no way to repair it. You can't buff it out and the touch up is just that at best, a touch up. So if it's real bad get out the wallet and re-finish it. I have the Midnight Blue Awlgrip so the small scratches show up and I live with them. When my racing buddies panic (because of my awesome course presence and scary sailing skills) and leave big scars on her, I fill them with Bondo, blend as best I can and paint with a matching top coat.

So I say again, I will never buy another painted boat! The problem is I love my E-29 so much that I’ll never buy another boat period. So I’m saving up for a paint job and looking for better racing buddies.

Mike T
 

rwthomas1

Sustaining Partner
Thats interesting. A guy at my club with a Niagara 35 boinked a dock piling last year and did a pretty good boo-boo in his flag blue Awlgrip. The guy that painted it originally did the touch up, had to shoot paint, and it came out almost perfect. Only in the right light, at the right angle can you see there was a repair. RT
 

Cory B

Sustaining Member
Cleaning Painted Boat

Our previous boat was painted (dark green) with a sprayed 2 part paint, NOT awlgrip. We used "Maguire" auto paint cleaning products. We usually only used their mildest polish, and always did things by hand, never with a machine. The polish really restored the shine. The paint still looked good when we sold it, 12 years after it was painted.

- Cory
 
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