How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

[Thalasso]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

10 years ago I used to moor my boat in a lake and after 2 weeks it would develop the brown line then after a whole season it would be pretty gross. I found a solution called On/Off that worked extremely well. I don't know if they still make it though since it was very strong. The only drawback to it was it reacted to galvanised metal and turned it brown so you would need to protect your trailer with a drop clothe. I put it on with a foam brush and the brown just melted off.
Todd

It's made by Mary Kate. It tells you not to use on aluminum.

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

lysol toilet bowl cleaner, the one withOUT bleach, blue and white bottle with the bent neck. HAS to be lysol, no generic. Spray it on with a garden sprayer on a dry hull and watch it work. Takes about 5 mins to see it turn back to white without any scrubbing. I just distributed it more evenly with a big foam mop, then just wash away. Dont do it on your lawn and cover the trailer if it is galvanized, it will stain the trailer- really, it works

 

[TyeeMan]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

The back of my boat and mainly the light grey (Volvo) outdrive had brown tea colored stain from boating in tamarac stained water. I tried what seemed like everything. A guy at a local Nap auto parts store throws me a bottle of Wizzerd Turbo Cut compound. I don't know if I would call it a rubbing compound per say cuz it doesn't really have any grit that you can feel. Holy man did that work!! I ended up doing the whole boat with it! I also employed one of those Mothers buffing cones to get in the small places, makes for less effort too.
After that I followed up with a couple of coats of a Start Brite wax, , I think it contained, , , not PTFE, , but some additive with a mojority of those letters. Haven't had a problem since.

 

[KFS]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

We purchased a marina stored boat and it was yellowed at the waterline.

The Marina said they could sell us a product called On and Off Or Off and On or something like that. It's like an acid. We ended up just paying them to whiten it for us. Best $100+ we could have spent. They took it off our trailer so the whole underside was nicely whitened.

Now the trick is to wipe it IMMEDIATELY upon pulling it from the water. Not 5, 10, or 15 minutes later - immediately. Pull it out and pull over and wipe it off with a towel. Getting that lake water off before it dries appears to be key.

 

[OllieC]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

I'll vouch for that - Starbrite Non-Slip Deck cleaner is fantastic.

 

[OllieC]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

I have used only one starbrite product so far - and was flaborgasted by it. (Non-slip deck cleaner) I used it on stuff that plenty of other basic cleaners wouildn't do anything to - and also some dock rashes. Both worked wonders with minimal elbow grease.

I would bet their hull cleaner would be even better for your appl. However are you dealing with rusty water or grease/exhaust? that could help decide your solution i would think.

What I said previous - I'll vouch for Starbrite!!!

 

[Vankaye]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

Sno-bol Toilet bowl cleaner from any grocery store (usually less than 2 bucks a bottle)
Mix it 50/50 with water and spray-on then hose off. No scrubbing.

 

[Brewman61]

Re: How do I get the brown stain off transom and waterline?

I use a mix of 50/50 muriatic acid and water. Boat sits in water pretty much 24 X 7 from May thru Early October. Mix it in one of those spritz squirt bottles, and rinse the crap out of it. Very little it won't take off and at about $3/gallon, muriatic is as cheap as it gets.
Follow common sense safety practices, add acid to water, don't inhale the fumes, protect yourself etc.........