Son of a Gun!
As anyone in the tropics will tell you, the sun kills everything down here! Plastics that are exposed to the elements are particularly vulnerable. Just the other day I had a clothespin, that was purchased not all that long ago, virtually crumble in my hands. I was able to snap it into tiny pieces as easily as I could snap a small twig. It was the sun that made it that brittle. Fortunately we’re not talking about an expensive item there. But what if we were?
You may have read about how Rebecca has sewn covers for the jerry cans that we keep on deck, and also for our Honda 2000 generator. Obviously that will protect them. But it dawned on me the other day that, because we apply sunscreen to ourselves to protect our bodies from the damaging rays, there must be products available that would do the same for plastics. And of course there are, plenty of them.
I have no opinion on the particular spray that I picked up at the local grocery store here, other than it was about half the price of the Armor All spray, which is why I chose it. I will say that it made the Honda look all shiny and new after I applied it today though. I’ll let you know my longterm experience with it down the road.
Rebecca and I, along with our friends on Earthling, are setting sail this morning, bound for Barbuda. We have no idea about the Wi-Fi availability there so if there is a break in the daily-posting schedule, DON’T FREAK OUT, please! We’ll be back, I promise, and we’ll bring plenty of cool pics and stories with us!
There is a pretty good product called 303 UV Aerospace Protectant. Like you mentioned though it is not cost effective like Son of a gun. 303 is $.99 an once in a spray bottle, $16.00. We bought a gallon, which lasted 6 years, and it was $.53 an ounce, $68.00. I use it on our SeaDoo 18ft ski boat. It has a big sun platform, and lots of seating. I apply it with a small sponge, and it seems to have extended the live of the vinyl. I apply it once or twice a season. It will be a must have on our boat.
I’ll keep my eyes open for that stuff.
Hi guys,
Looked up the 303 UV Protector, huge following on this product and seems to do the job. Apparently CT retails this product( or similar product) under the name of Autoglym! Do not know the pricing though. Keep cool and protected!
We miss CT!
Safe travels ZTC and we don’t need to mention to have fun do we LOL!! Question for Rebecca (I’m assuming LOL), what kind of sewing machine (??) did you bring with you ?? Comments, thoughts, advice ??
I can’t think of the exact model off the top of my head but if you do a search on here (search box is to the right) you’ll find several posts on the subject. We are happy with the machine we purchased and it has been useful on multiple occasions.
How do y’all manage to post everyday? We’re just starting out in Florida and have a hard time getting wi-fi on the boat. Please, do tell your secrets of boat-net 🙂
Just for you:
http://www.zerotocruising.com/how-do-you-get-internet-access/
🙂
This sun/uv degradation was a regular topic when I lived in Kenya, on the equator. The general concensus then was that it did little harm to the fibreglass and gel coat. Though coloured finishes faded badly. But that almost any hard plastics suffered and become brittle. Worryingly, this included through hull fittings just above the waterline. PVC on some dinghies was bad too.
Is this still the general perception? What does your magic spray claim to do, provide a uv filter and barrier, or restore the characteristics of the plastic?
Mike
“…reducing ultraviolet light, while bringing out the color, restoring luster and shine. Protects against abrasion. Reduces static electricity to help reduce dust and dirt attraction.”
Great info. I had never even thought of anything like that. We use Canvas protector, and and glass protector, but not plastic. You’ll have to let us know how it goes!
Dani
I’m not sure why I hadn’t heard of it either!
“”We have no idea about the Wi-Fi availability there so if there is a break in the daily-posting schedule,””
Your Honor, I OBJECT !
lol
When you guys cruise to different islands…Is there a rule you guys follow for how long you will stay maximum or minimum? What determines how long you will stay at each destination?
No rules. We decide based upon how much we like the place although costs and customs/immigration may play a factor in our decision.