Will aircraft pollution affect Poliglow or other deck surfaces?
Ernie Bivona asked:
We have used Poli glow on the hull and in the cockpit area and no matter what happens, we get a scum on the cockpit surfaces where people’s clothing and body parts do not rub them clean (the boat is moored on the flight path to LaGuardia Airport and local lore suggests it is the airplane pollutants affecting the surface). We are trying different waxes this year to experiment so how different is this from a Carnauba wax aside from the non-slip properties?
Answer:
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Local lore may be correct. Poly Glow is a water based acrylic polymer and it will be degraded by petrochemical solvents or exhaust and unburned jet fuel that may rain down on your boat from the passing planes. You may also have difficulties with Carnauba wax in your location. In addition to yellowing your gelcoat when the sun gets at it, it remains greasy or oily which holds dirt, dust and pollutants, such as aircraft exhaust, against the gelcoat which can cause streaking and discoloration, usually an overall grey color. It will also transfer to clothing. Many boat manufacturers now recommend against using Carnauba wax on their boats for these reasons. I suggest using a synthetic polish like Premium Boat Shine. It does not contain Carnauba and gives you a diamond hard, anti-static finish that is far more resistant to the pollutants in your area. It also gives you better protection against UV from the sun and will not transfer onto clothing.
Thanks for your question,
Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar