Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

Hi salty dogs, I need hull clean and repair recommendation for my Outrage

1) Before I bought my Outrage it went through a fire. Not much fiberglass damage, but has a lot of carbon black spots on the top surfaces of the hull (probably from the fire department using a fire hose to put out the seat that was one fire). The carbon black is on both the fiberglass and wood. Does anyone know of a cleaner the rid surfaces of carbon black?

2) On the side of the hull I used polishing compound to remove carbon with some success. A brown residue remained that looks similar to cigarette burn on a bathroom sink. I remember there was a bleach chemical for removal those stains, does anyone remember that product?

3) There is some surface pitting on one side (about twenty pencil eraser size pits) and a 12"x12" patch of gel coat has be removed down to fiberglass on the transom. Is there any trick I can use for repair?

Any feed back on technique for repair would as be useful. Thank you

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

1. try aceitone

2. ????

3. do you mean boat pox?.....pitting in the gellcoat? or bubbles in the gellcoat?

grind away the gellcoat and replace....or epoxy and repaint....

if the boat hadnt gone thru a fire you probably could have gone to the manufacturer to have ot fixed for free.......

it is uasually caused by wrong humidity or temps when appling the gellcoat.

the fire may be a cause or caytlist for the out break

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

So far:
"TSP" removed a little
"Acetone" did nothing
"Goof Off for Plastic" so far did the best, but not enough

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

Sorry, but I'd recommend grinding it off if it can't be removed by acetone or goof off.

That means it's a bit more than surface carbon and the chemical composition of the resin has changed... long before that happens I believe damage to composite has weakened it.

So, grind off and resurface.

If the area where it's down to the glass was actually created by the fire, consider removing that section completely and rebuilding... it's never going to be as strong as it originally was unless you do that. If it's a cosmetic area only you're fine just re-glassing it and resurfacing, but be sure you know what's cosmetic.

I hope some expert in boats that were on fire chimes in, but my understanding is that any non trivial fire will damage the glass long before visible damage is done... it weakens significantly.

Erik

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

Fortunately the outer hull was not touched except where the captain seat hit the side on removal. There is just a row of pitting approximately 12" long.

The fire was contained to the chair, but the fire hose blow plastic ash on the deck and on on side. My above thumbnail is the affected side of the boat.

The heat was generated up and scorched the very top of the windshield. Outside of that, the windshield it still in good shape without warping. The fuel tank and all gauges are in tacked except compass and console light. Cooler, gauges, controllers and outboard are installed on another Outrage.

As you can see in the pic, the hull does not have damage, but the spatter hit the rail and deck. I have used a buffer and rubbing compound on the deck and achieved 100% removal under the captains chair. No discoloration.

The sides have many curved surfaces and have a non skid surface. A lot of Goof off and a lot of elbow grease will work, but there is always a trick or other compound. In the eighties there use to be a compound we use to remove cigarette burns from acrylic sinks. I know there must be compounds like that out there.

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

I would try some Starbrite hull cleaner,the Oxicilic acid in it may remove some of the brown stains.
looks like you have a job ahead of you..

Re: Hints: for clean/repair hull after fire damage

I will give Starbrite a try.