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FAQ:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
CAN
SUPERWAX™ (or MH
Superglaze™) SURFACE BE
WASHED OFF BEFORE IT IS SET HARD?
CAN
SIMPLY BRILLIANT SUPERWAX™ OR MIRROR HARD SUPERGLAZE™ SURFACES BE BUFFED
OUT?
HOW
DO I DEAL WITH WITH BLACK STREAKS IN THE SUPERWAX™ FINISH?
ARE THERE WAYS OF PROTECTING AGAINST THEM?
I
AM CONFUSED! WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES/SIMILARITIES & SPECIFIC
USES OF YOUR SURFACE SEALANT/PROTECTANTS (SILKENSEAL, SIMP. BRILLIANT
SUPERWAX, MH SUPERGLAZE, NON-SKID SEALANT)?
YOUR
CLEANSERS SEEM SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER, YET DIFFERENT IN SOME WAYS.
WHAT ARE THE AREAS OF OVERLAP AND DIFFERENCES IN USES AND PROPERTIES?
WHY ARE ISLAND
GIRL® PRODUCTS BETTER THAN THE OTHERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE
AT MOST LOCAL STORES?
WHY ARE YOUR PRODUCTS
EXPENSIVE ?
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS
SAFE TO THE USER AND SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
WHERE CAN I GET
YOU PRODUCTS IN A STORE? . WHY ARE THEY NOT IN THE WEST MARINE
STORE WHERE I USED TO BUY THEM ?
IF YOUR PRODUCTS
ARE SO POTENT, WON'T THEY DAMAGE THE ITEMS TO BE CLEANED? WHAT
ABOUT THE SEAMS OF INFLATABLE DINGHIES?
HOW LONG WILL
THE EFFECTS OF YOUR PRODUCTS LAST ON GELCOAT AND OTHER PLASTICS
HOW MUCH AREA
WILL THE PRODUCTS COVER - HOW COST EFFECTIVE ARE THEY?
WILL YOUR CLEANSERS
REMOVE STAINS? WHAT ABOUT RUST STAINS?
WHAT IS THE SHELF-LIFE
OF YOUR PRODUCTS - WHAT ARE THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR STORAGE?.
WHAT IS THE
BEST WAY TO USE THE PRODUCTS TO REMOVE PAINTED LETTERING FROM
GELCOAT OR FROM AN INFLATABLE DINGHY?
SOME SURFACE
COATINGS ON GELCOAT AND PLASTICS GO YELLOW - WHAT ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCTS?
DO YOUR PRODUCTS
HAVE APPLICATIONS FOR GRAFFITI REMOVAL OR PROTECTION OF THE SURFACE
AGAINST GRAFITTI?
WHAT USES DO
YOUR PRODUCTS HAVE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, HOME OR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT?
HOW DO YOUR
PRODUCTS COMPARE WITH THE ACRYLIC-TYPE "FIBERGLASS RESTORERS"?
Q: CAN SIMPLY THE BRILLIANT
SUPERWAX™ (OR MIRROR HARD
SUPERGLAZE™) SURFACE BE WASHED
OFF BEFORE IT IS SET HARD?
A: NO !
Exposure of the SIMPLY
BRILLIANT™ coating to water before it has hardened
can DULL the surface (through emulsification and loss of some
initially oily gloss enhancers) but it is STILL waterproof (beading water).
The wax certainly has NOT been washed off, and the gelcoat is
still protected!
Procedures detailed
in our
"Online Instruction Book" will prevent slow setting of the Superwax.
Our our latest "high resin" version is particularly
resistant to water dulling, being completely water repellent
within 30 min. If it does rain during application, the
surface is easily repaired by wiping off excess "oiliness"
(microfiber cloth) and applying a coat of SILKENSEAL™
- it's that easy!
Our MIRROR
HARD Superglaze™ has no wax content but
many of the same resins as the Superwax. The main precaution
here is to apply it in a VERY THIN COAT so that the surfaces
is not excessively oily and slow setting..
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Q: CAN SB SUPERWAX™
OR MH SUPERGLAZE™ SURFACES
BE BUFFED OUT?
A: YES, but do not use polishes
or compound.
The shine from a coating of these
products comes from their "flow out" to a wet-look
surface. However, after thorough hardening of the
resins (allowing at least one or two weeks) the surface is so
hard that it can be hand buffed (microfiber cloth, paper towel
or chamois) to a more "classic" look. Buffing out is
really only necessay to remove bits of dirt or small insects
that may have stuck to the surface while it was curing or to
smooth the surface before applying another coat. For a
"wet look" follow by a thin coating of SILKENSEAL™. DO NOT USE POLISHES,
LIQUID WAXES OR RUBBING COMPOUND, SINCE THEIR PARAFFIN SOLVENT
WILL DISSOLVE THE SURFACE AND IMBED THE GRITTY ABRASIVE.
WE DO NOT YET
HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH MACHINE BUFFING OF THESE SURFACES.
Back to top.
Q: HOW DO I DEAL WITH WITH
BLACK STREAKS IN THE SUPERWAX™
FINISH? ARE THERE WAYS OF PROTECTING AGAINST THEM?
A: LIKE THIS!
Black streaks and/or grey
streaks are caused by air pollution (sooty material or boatyard
dust). They are washed by rainwater into rivulets that run down
the side of the boat, leaving streaks.of pollutant soaked into
the surface wax or gelcoat pores. Any of our cleansers
will remove the streaks. On bare chalky/ porous gelcoat (worse
case scenario) use our Cleanser Conditioners (SEA GLOW™
or NEUTRAL CLEAR™) to restore the gelcoat prior to sealing
the surface as described in the "Online
Instruction Book". On waxed surfaces, try ISLAND
GIRL Pink™ mixed with water, progressing to undiluted
IGP Pink for more stubborn streaks. After neutralizing
with water and drying the surface, shine is touched up
by a little SILKENSEAL™ or Superwax. This
procedure also works on transom exhaust soot.
OILY POLLUTANTS
WILL SOAK INTO ANY SURFACE CONTAINING WAX or uncured components.
Consequently
MH Superglaze™
or painted surfaces are less susceptible to streaking and
often gentle rubbing with a dampened microfiber cloth will be
all that is ncessary.
Back to top
Q: I AM CONFUSED1 WHAT ARE THE
DIFFERENCES/SIMILARITIES & SPECIFIC USES OF YOUR SURFACE
SEALANT/PROTECTANTS (SILKENSEAL, MH SUPERGLAZE) SIMP. BRILLIANT
SUPERWAX, NON-SKID SEALANT)?
A: HERE THEY ARE!
SILKENSEAL™
is a water-based emulsion that cures into a thin, very
flexible "plastic skin" that is water-repellant and
can be "silken" or very shiny as required (can be buffed
to a shine). It can be used to seal all soft rubber and plastic
surfaces and can even be used as a water repellent coating on
dark sunbrella! It can also be used on chalky gelcoat as
an "undercoat" for conventional wax or our SIMPLY
BRILLIANT Superwax™ and/or as a "quick shine"
touch up for waxed or painted surfaces.
SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax™
(as now formulated) is a synthetic wax suspended as a microemulsion
in a mixture of fast and slow-setting resins (no water content).
Unlike a conventional wax, it is wiped on as a coating that cures
into a high gloss waterproof film. However, when completely
hard (after several days) it can be buffed if necesary. Although
the film adheres well to underlying surfaces and is somewhat
flexible it is most suitable to seal the surface of fiberglass
gelcoat that has been restored by our Cleanser/Conditionsers
(SEA GLOW ™and/or NEUTRAL CLEAR™).
It can also be used on interior woodwork. The coating thickness
is generally too thick for painted surfaces, which is why we
developed the next product (below):
ISLAND GIRL®'s NON-SKID
SEALANT™
(introduced,
October 2001)
This emulsion of resins is presently
sold only in conjuction with ISLAND GIRL PInk™,
since proper preparation of the deck surface (removal of chalk
etc) is necessary for long lasting results. It is highly
water repellent, and prevents staining by air pollution, and
spills of old engine oil, even Sikkens' Cetol (that is removed
with the area of non-skid sealant by IG Pink™ Specifically
designed for gelcoat non-skid decks, it is also finding use on
other "non-skid" surfaces. We are currently testing on Teak decking.Another
potential use is sealing the surface of VERY POROUS gelcoat,
prior to application of our Superwax™ or MH Superglaze™
.
MIRROR HARD Superglaze™
(our newest
product) contains no
wax, only
resins and is used as
a VERY THIN, shiny coating over smooth NEW GELCOAT or paintwork
(where it also removes light oxidation). It can also be used
on bare metal some flexible plastics and several other
surfaces.
Back to top.
Q: YOUR CLEANSERS SEEM
SIMILAR TO EACH OTHER, YET DIFFERENT IN SOME WAYS. WHAT ARE THE
AREAS OF OVERLAP AND DIFFERENCES IN USES AND PROPERTIES?
A: I HOPE THIS IS ADEQUATE
EXPLANATION
ISLAND GIRL Pink™
was our original product and is (in our view) the world's most
versatile remover/cleanser. i.e. it removes (by dissolving)
paint overspray, grafitti, many glues and sealants. It also acts
as a cleanser/detergent with varying properties
and strength, depending upon the degree of water dilution. It is designed to be
rinsed off with water leaving no residue.
By contrast SEA GLOW™
and NEUTRAL CLEAR™Cleanser/conditioners are slightly less versatile as cleansers
but are a little more potent as removers (especially effective
in removing breakdwown products of plastic oxidation). They contain
an anti-aging, suppleness-enhancing conditioner that soaks into
the underlying plastic (e.g. porous gelcoat or hardened vinyl).
This conditioner also protects against oxidation and growth of
mildew or algae. YOU
DO NOT RINSE OFF THESE PRODUCTS WITH WATER (would remove too
much conditioner). INSTEAD YOU JUST WIPE OVER WITH A WATER-SOAKED
PAPER TOWEL, THEN TOWEL DRY. YOU FINALLY SEAL THE SURFACE
(using our sealant/protectants - choise depends upon material
being sealed) TO KEEP THE CONDITIONER DOWN IN THE PLASTIC.
SEA GLOW™ has the additional unique advantage
of restoring and preserving luminous brightness of white or colored
plastics, while further protecting against UV color fade.
Back to top.
Q: WHY ARE
ISLAND GIRL®
PRODUCTS BETTER THAN THE OTHERS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT MOST LOCAL
STORES?
A: There are many reasons,
of which the main ones are:
1. They are scientifically
designed to be more versatile and effective than other available
products. Therefore...
2. Just the few Island
Girl Products that make up our "system" replace most
of the cleaning section at your local store! By constrast, other manufacturers often
put the same ingredient in differently labelled cans to make
you buy several products.
3. They will work where other
products cannot work or do only a partially satisfactory job.
WE ARE THE ONLY MANUFACTURER
DARING TO HOLD "CONTESTS" AT BOAT SHOWS AGAINST ANY
EXISTING PRODUCTS FROM ANY SIZE OF COMPANY! THIS IS IN ADDITION
TO A FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE THAT THE PRODUCTS PERFORM AS ADVERTIZED
(i.e. far better than other products).
Back to top.
Q: WHY ARE
YOUR PRODUCTS EXPENSIVE?
A: BECAUSE THE INGREDIENTS
ARE EXPENSIVE
1. Most manufacturers base
their "cleaners and polishes" on petroleum distillates
and have smaller bottle sizes. Alternatively, they use a very
powerful (but neurotoxic" glycol ether ("EM"),
caustic (KOH), then add detergent and dilute with water. In each
case the product in the bottle often costs less than the bottle
itself! Would you pay almost $100.00 per gallon for gasoline
or water?
By contrast, our cleaning products
contain only the merest traces of water and have multiple
ingredients, some of which are VERY EXPENSIVE (14 different ingredients
in SEA GLOW™ Cleanser/Conditioner). Ingredients of our SIMPLY BRILLIANT
Superwax™ and new NON-SKID SEALANT
and MIRROR HARD Superglaze™ products are even more expenseive.
2. The real test is how much
can you get done, and how many different jobs with (say) $10
or $20 of product, how long it takes you and how long the effects
last (TIME IS MONEY!).
WE KNOW THAT OUR PRODUCTS BEAT
ALL OTHERS IN OVERALL COST EFFECTIVENESS AND THE EFFECTS ARE LONGER LASTING!
Back to top.
Q.
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS SAFE TO THE USER AND SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
A: YES and
YES!
1. In choosing
the ingredients of for our products I weigh both effectiveness
and lack of toxicity. While a mouthful of most cleaners
would be fatal if swallowed, it might take more than a whole
bottle of ours! There is some potential for mild and reversible
eye irritation with the cleaners and sealants. We also very clearly
post that fact that CHILDREN SHOULD BE KEPT AWAY FROM THE
PRODUCTS. Unlike petroleum or concentrated d-limonene-based
cleaners our cleaners are not highly flammable (e.g. try putting
IG Pink™
on a lit match - it will go out). but are combustible (if strongly
heated and/or vapors accumulate). Paper and cardboard are also
classed as "combustible". Our products do not
contain neurotoxic "EM" glycol ether or caustic components.
2. There is a
difference between "biodegradable" and "biosafe".
Snake venom is biodegradable! Our products are primarilly designed
to be biosafe (low toxicity to animal and marine life
rather than designed to be highly "biodegradable".
Highly biodegradable material can actually harm the environment
and encourable mildew/algae growth of cleaned surfaces! (remember
that phosphates encouraged overgrowth of algae in teh great lakes).
3. The mildew/algae
inhibitors in our cleaners could be a problem IF
THEY WERE PRESENT IN LARGE ENOUGH AMOUNTS. The amounts we
use are just enough to accumulate in the plastic and prevent
mildew/algae staining, not enough to be toxic to the user.
However,
washing hands and/or using gloves is always a good idea to avoid
accumulation on the skin.
Sealing the surface (e.g. SILKENSEAL™)
keeps all these components down in the plastic and away from
people.
4. Our SIMPLY
BRILLIANT Superwax™
and new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™ are not quite
so inoccuous, They do have combustible components. They
can also cause eye irritation and some people may have
senstive skin - don't
rub your eyes !
The most recent version produces some fumes on hot surfaces and
the same goes for our new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™.
As with most product, it is a good idea to protect your eyes,
use gloves/ wash your hands and use good ventilation.!
Back to top.
Q:
WHERE CAN I GET YOU PRODUCTS IN A STORE? WHY ARE THEY NOT
IN THE WEST MARINE STORE WHERE I USED TO BUY THEM?
A: BUY
IT FROM US
AT GREAT DISCOUNTS ON OUR MAIL ORDER KITS. SINCE WE HAVE NOW
MOVED TO HAWAII- NO SALES TAX FOR MAINLAND CUSTOMERS!
You can see
a list of approx 100 dealers and detailers who have this product
by CLICKING
HERE.
West Marine was
a privately owned company that used to have customer satisfaction
as their main ethos. Consequently, they had a great "Manager
Buy" system in which individual store managers could sell
items that were regionally specific/popular or as a means of
adding variety and trying out products prior to centralized buying.
With no sales force (only Dr. Willis) ISLAND GIRL®
was very successful in demonstrating to many managers the
superiority of our products. The phenomenal sales in several
stores (Palo Alto, San Pedro, San Diego, Long Beach) also produced
a "snowball effect" in which a good proportion
of West Marine stores carried our products. We invested
many thousands of dollars and much effort supporting the product
through print advertizing, in store demos etc with the obvious
goal of getting them to distribute for us.
Since going public
(1997) , West Marine bought E&B Marine and became overstretched
and over- inventoried (check out their lousy stock prices!).
Perhaps understandably they have used their monopoly status to
reduce excess inventory and deal only with major suppliers or
deal only with major distributors (who take a 40-50% cut).
They have essentially dropped their Manager Buy system,
at least where maintenance products are concerned and are concentrating
on their "own brands" (which are nowhere near as good).
To obtain centralized
distribution, they now demand purchase of catalog and shelf
space (extra for end caps etc.). This unilateral and sudden decision
severely impacted ISLAND GIRL®
and several other makers of speciality products that were rated
as superior. In 2000, they ostensibly returned to Manager Buys,
but absolutely discourage them. Only one West Marine Store (Palo
Alto) now insist on carrying our cleaning products and they still
sell strongly. WM's management are not allowing purchase
of our newer products and, frankly, we do not want them to carry
them, because we would rather sell direct or through stores that
have remained loyal throughout. Most Boat/US stores have carried
our inflatable cleaning kits from June 2001.
You can still
buy our products at TAP Plastics and at the limited number of
independent marine stores remaining (less than half a dozen
in the whole of California?) . The rest have essentially been
driven out of business by the aggressive business practices of
West Marine (who also are major wholesalers) and other discount
chain stores.
If you want to
buy through a retail store, we strongly recommend going to our
"Detailers
and Dealers"
page for listings.
In California,
we especially recommend TAP PLASTICS , TINKER MARINE, SVENDSEN's andDOWNWIND MARINE.
FOR THE REASONS
GIVEN ABOVE, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON DIRECT SALES TO THE PUBLIC VIA
THE INTERNET AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO BEING DRIVEN OUT OF BUSINESS. Remember, chain stores
want 40-60% profit margins on cleaners and like to deal through
preferred wholesalers who like to make 40%. etc. If a chain store
sells their own brand they are getting virtually all the profit
and they
are not held to price matching agreements!
Buying kits from
us , or other
internet stores
is the most cost effective way of obtaining ISLAND GIRL®products
and you can deal directly with the inventor/owner rather than
someone who may be much less knowledgable.
Back to top.
Q: IF YOUR
PRODUCTS ARE SO POTENT, WON'T THEY DAMAGE THE ITEMS TO BE CLEANED?
WHAT ABOUT THE SEAMS OF INFLATABLE DINGHIES?
A: THE PRODUCTS ARE
POTENT, BUT GENTLE AND SELECTIVE IN NATURE
Undoubtedly the use of potent
and NON SELECTIVE solvents can damage plastic surfaces. Ever tried to use acetone
to remove hull scuff marks from gelcoat and paint or to clean
fenders? You know it dissolves the surface!
Toluene and Xylene
are useful in some instances but are toxic and can rot hypalon
(which is otherwise resistant to most solvents). D-limonene (main
ingredient of citrus products) is flammable and can dissolve
vinyl and polystyrene foam (used in foam core hulls (try some
in a foam coffee cup!).
However, the potent activity
of our cleansers is largely "locked up"in a polymeric
complex from which its release onto the underlying surface
is is controlled. Our
cleaning products therefore only dissolve dirt and plastic
breakdown products NOT the plastic.
When using our Cleansers, there
is need to be careful with single part paints (especially lacquer
as in nail polish) or celluloid (not really used anymore) . Also,
any solvent or cleaning product (including ours) that contains
solubilizing activity can induce crazing in heat-stressed
or previously crazed acrylic items. This effect can even
be produced by glues and sealants containing solvents.
Inflatable Seams:
a) We have soaked a segment
of hypalon dinghy incorporating two- part-adhesive seams
for over one year in our NEUTRAL CLEAR™Cleanser/Conditioner
- the seam remained
completely intact!
b) Similar tests on a two-part glued
PVC dinghy segment showed continued adhesion (although some reversible
softening) of the glue following 4- 45 weeks continuous soaking
in NEUTRUAL CLEAR Cleanser/Conditioner™ or SILKENSEAL™
However, on PVC inflatables, the
seams are usually welded (West Marine/Zodiac) and are therfore
completely resistant to cleaners and solvents.
Single-part glues as commonly
used for amateur or temporary patches or for attaching accessories.
We always
recommend two-part glues for all inflatable uses. If you are not sure what
sort of glue is used, simply keep the cleaners away from
the seams and/or neutralize with water if this does occur.
How about Rainex in comparison
with our CLEAR HORIZONS™product?. Unlike the latter, Rainex
contains solvent and acid and therefore cannot be safely used
on clear plastics or eyeglasses. By contrast, CLEAR HORIZONS™
is safe for all glass (even optically coated) and all clear plastics.
Back to top.
Q: HOW LONG
WILL THE EFFECTS OF YOUR PRODUCTS LAST ON GELCOAT AND OTHER PLASTICS
A: LONGER THAN MOST OTHER
PRODUCTS
Of course, the exact answer has
to depend on the surface treated, weather, conditions of use
, etc etc.
However, I can give you some real-
life examples that show how long lasting the effects can be,
even under tropical, salt water conditions.
1. Gelcoat: Under tropical conditions (Honolulu,
Hawaii) SEA GLOW and our other cleansers protect
the gelcoat from deep and severe oxidation, but the surface must
be sealed to maintain surface gloss and to prevent rain and seawater
from leaching out the preservative conditioner. Here are some
examples on boats in Hawaii:
a) MY BOAT (white with dark green stripe)
Eleven Months ago, the gelcoat
was cleaned and conditioned with SEA GLOW™
and the surface sealed with 3-4 coats (to fill pits on cap rail)
of SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax™
(third version, made in Oct 2000). The dark green areas were
further shined with SILKENSEAL™ at 2 months. All of the gelcoat
had great water beading & shine for the first 7 (summer)
months (see
Superwax page for illustration).
At eleven months, water beading
was undiminished but the dark green gelcoat ( not
the white gelcoat which is still good) had dulled but was not
yet chalky. The dark green gelcoat now requires recoating. Four
months earlier one area of dark green stripe was given a double
coat of MIRROR HARD Superglaze™
over the dulled SB Superwax™ layer. Oxidized material from the SB
Superwax™ surface was easily removed by
the MH Superglaze™, leaving a very hard &shiny surface
that has so far not weathered noticeably in 4 months.
b) A
Mid Blue boat
After years of compounding and
waxing, this boat had very thin gelcoat (some glass fibers
were showing through near the waterline). It was restored beautifully
to a bright blue, mirror finish by SEA GLOW™ followed
by SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax™.
The side exposed to the sun started
to get a little dull and showed some water streaks by five months
(should have
been touched in with SILKENSEAL™).
At ten and a half months, it is ready for another coat
- we are going to use MIRROR HARD Superglaze™
this time over the original SB Superwax™
finish. It will not be necessary to redo the SEA
GLOW™ treatment as the surface is still sealed,
beading water, just as in the beginning.
c) California
Boats
Under less severe conditions (Alameda
in Northern California) the red gelcoat of a Sailboat ("Dire
Straits" in Alameda Marina dry storage). The gelcoat always
comes up to a brilliant red by using SEA GLOW™ Cleanser/Conditioner
applied with paper
towel.
In March 1999, on the same boat,
we again restored an area of gelcoat with SEA GLOW™and
sealed the surface with the then current version of our SIMPLY
BRILLIANT Superwax™. The color and shine were virtually undiminished
over a full year. In the same yard a similarly treated
blue boat looks great after about about 2 years, although it
has been kept clean and was retouched in some areas with
SILKENSEAL™
2. Vinyl: A vinyl inflatable or new upholstery
exposed to direct tropical sunlight can start to get sun damaged
(sticky, discolored, eventually brittle) within as little as
one year under tropical or desert sunlight conditions. Even new
fenders and vents get sticky (due to plasticizer migration) within
6 months. Protecting them with SILKENSEAL™
will seal the surface against gumminess for at least 3 months,
whether on new items or those restored by our cleanser/conditioners.
White Fenders and vents can be made to last almost indefinately
and with protection against mildew, by use of
SEA GLOW™, then sealing with SILKENSEAL™. More recently, we have
found that an additional coat of MIRROR HARD Superglaze™ has completely eliminated staining and
gumminess for approximately 5 month
3. Hypalon: My own
Tinker Inflatable boat, manufactured by Henshaws in the UK
was on the davits of my sailboat in Honolulu for 5 years
usually in a boatyard that generates huge amounts of dust.
The boat was periodically cleaned (about once a year since 1995).
Initially, ISLAND GIRL Pink™ (then our only product) was used for
cleaning, but more recently we used NEUTRAL CLEAR™Cleanser/Conditioner (on the mustard-colored hypalon) and
SEA GLOW™ (on the red vinyl apron). SInce 1996,
the surface has also been sealed after cleaning with SILKENSEAL™ . As of this website update (Jan 2002),
the hyalon is still supple, and the seams still ok after all
these years of cleaning (using a mild scuff pad to get into the
grain). The hypalon still comes up almost "like new".
The red vinyl had always come up beautifully, but finally (after
5 years) the vinyl coating was worn thin to the underlying fabric
which is getting brittle and tearing. A new red apron
(ordered from Henshaws) has been put on with two-part ahdesive,
but this time it is made of hypalon to keep the whole boat
lasting well. Want to see? click
here! The USA importers
of Tinker Inflatables recommend and sell only ISLAND
GIRL®
Products for their
new and used boats.
Back to top.
Q: HOW MUCH
AREA WILL THE PRODUCTS COVER - HOW COST EFFECTIVE ARE THEY?
A: BECAUSE THERE IS
NO "FILLER" THESE PRODUCTS GO A VERY LONG WAY.
THEY ARE ALSO MORE VERSATILE THAN OTHER PRODUCTS. THEREFORE THEY
ARE MORE COST EFFECTIVE. I will give examples:
1. Smooth gelcoat:
To clean and condition the
gelcoat, we recommend using NEUTRAL CLEAR™ cleanser/conditioner
for neutral shades such as beige and SEA GLOW™ for
white, blue and other bright colors.
If the gelcoat is not very porous,
one bottle ($17-$20, much less as part of a kit) can do the complete
topsides or complete hull sides of up to a 30ft boat, in less
than half a day. On the other extreme, if there is
much freeboard and/or the gelcoat is so porous that it will not
take a shine by conventional compounding and polishing,
2-3 times the amount of cleanser may be required. The shine
will be restored and the gelcoat preserved indefinitely as long
as the surface is kept sealed by the products below.
One bottle of SIMPLY Brilliant
Superwax™ can seal the gelcoat of an older 20-
30 ft boat, provided that SILKENSEAL™
is used as an undercoat to minimize initial "soaking in"
of the wax (seen as dull blotchy areas). On a new boat,
our new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™ will
do up to a 35ft boat. It has low viscosity
and therefore spreads a long way on NEW gelcoat (or painted
surfaces) that do not soak up the product as older porous gelcoat
will do. Both of these products are quick and easy to apply
in comparison with wax or (especially) acrylic sealants. both
products are $25-$30 each bottle (less as part of kit).
How about cost effectiveness?
What can be accomplished in 1-5 hours by hand with our
products would take much longer using power buffing wheels etc
(usual labor cost of $400 and up). For gelcoat that is
highly porous, the only alternatives are wet sanding down to
good gelcoat (if there is any!) followed by compounding and
buffing (thinning the gelcoat even more) with huge labor costs.
The alternative is wet
sanding, masking (one day's work right there!) and then
an LPU job (up to $10,000 in yard fees). REMEMBER
OUR PRODUCTS CAN BE USED BY HAND (or cordless tools) WITH THE
BOAT IN THE WATER, so you save on haul -out fees as well!
2. Dulled LPU:
Just wipe over with MIRROR HARD
Superglaze™ . One bottle (approx $30) does at least one coat
(with oxidation removal) on up to a 40ft boat in less than half
a day, even in the water!
3: Gelcoat non-skid:
Every try buffing
out the chalk, stains and grime from non-skid? It cannot
be done without removing the non-skid surface! However, ISLAND GIRL Pink™
just dissolves it away (up to a 30ft boat. For light cleaning,
especially over a sealed surface (below), the product can be
used with water dilution and it then goes even further!. When
the surface is sealed with our new NON-SKID
SEALANT (12 Oz does up to a 30ft boat) hosing
and mild brushing quickly removes dirt, grime and bird droppings.Complete
Non-skid kit (ISLAND GIRL Pink™
+ Non-skid Sealant) is about $30.00. Time saved
over a year of routine wash-downs with great results -considerable!
4: Vinyl fenders
and vents:
Larger fenders can cost up
to $90.00, each while even small vinyl cowl vents are now about
$40.00 each, - they run up to $120.00 for the large screw-in
type. Each boat has about 3-4 of each of these items. SEA
GLOW™ and SILKENSEAL™ together
cost $34 (even cheaper as part of a kit). This is
enough product to do up to 20 fenders or vents. Older items can
be restored - newer items never get old, and this in addition
to the uses on gelcoat upholstery, inflatable dinghies etc!
Use our new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™
(approx $30, cheaper in a kit) and once a year cleaning may be
all that is necessary and it does gelcoat, paint and metal as
well! - NEED WE SAY MORE?
5. Inflatable Dinghies:
In hot, humid climates, even
a covered inflatable dinghy can get deep-down mildew spots -
especially if made of white hypalon. NEUTRAL CLEAR™
or SEA GLOW™ Cleanser/Conditioners
can prevent (but not reverse) mildew growth), especially when
the surface is sealed against spore penetration by SILKENSEAL™"plastic skin" surface sealant.
Cost of a new dinghy?
about $1,300- $8,000. Got an older dinghy that looks terrible?
Restore it like new so that its value is increased by several
hundred dollars. Remember cost to you is about $30.00 and
there is still enough product for other uses (above).
Got a vinyl dinghy (West Marine,
Zodiac? ). A year or more exposure to direct sunlight will
make it go sticky, yellowed and brittleness will begin (because
of loss of plasticizers and drying out). Mildew is also a problem
in Florida. Cost of the dinghies - about $800 -$2,000 - protect
it for about $30.00! Same argument goes for vinyl upholstery,
headliner etc etc.using the same products.
Cost to replace our few products
with a plethera of "specialized" but comparatively
ineffective products? MANY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, WITH MORE
LABOR AND LESS SATISFACTORY & DURABLE RESULTS!
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Q: WILL YOUR
CLEANSERS REMOVE STAINS? HOW ABOUT RUST STAINS?
A: DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF
THE STAIN
There are two types of stains
- those that are in the intermolecular spaces or voids of plasatics
. and those that become part of the actual polymeric material
of the plastic or other material to be cleaned (essentially "dying"
the material)
Dealing with the first example,
rust clearly is water-related and produces stains in gelcoat
or vinyl only in so far as it penetrates the pores and voids.
In gelcoat, the chalk that gets deep down in crevices of the
gelcoat acts like blotting paper for rust as well as oily stains
such as diesel soot. Many people (including myself) have
found that ISLAND GIRL Pink™
gets most such stains out of the gelcoat. HOWEVER, IF RUST STAINS ARE VERY DEEP,
A Chemical "Rust dissolver" or oxalic-based stain remover
may be also be necessary. If you have problems, contact us
by e-mail
For another example of gelcoat
staining, white gelcoat became blue-stained from a
vinyl tarp The stain was removed by SEA GLOW
™ (see
testimonials).
On vinyl, many stains are actually
only present in the intermolecular spaces filled by plasticizer
and can be dissolved out by our cleaning products (use
ISLAND GIRL Pink™ Cleanser
or NEUTRAL CLEAR™ Cleanser/Conditioner except for white material where SEA
GLOW™ could be of additional benefit. There
are numerous examples, including staining of a white West Marine
Inflatable by its blue cover . This
was removed by NEUTRAL (previously "CRYSTAL")
CLEAR Cleanser Conditioner(see
testimonials).
By contrast, solvent-based stains
may incorporate the stains directly into the material and they
cannot then be removed without removing some of the surface
(scuffing, sanding, using non-selective solvents such as acetone).
Examples are the irremovable shadow from marker pens. The
yellow stain remaining on vinyl fenders from tar and creosote
(similarly for cotton fabric) is also typical of irreversible
staining.
In Honolulu, at Ala Wai boatyard,
brown mottling on white vinyl cowl vents and fenders comes from
traffic film. Similar stains are sometimes seen under
the flight path of airports. Again, such really stubborn stains
can only be removed together with an outer layer of vinyl (use
acetone or MEK).The vinyl surface may still be repaired and sealed
by SILKENSEAL™ and/or MIRROR HARD Superglaze™. These would likely have
prevented deep staining in the first place.
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Q: WHAT IS
THE SHELF-LIFE OF YOUR PRODUCTS - WHAT ARE THE BEST CONDITIONS
FOR STORAGE?
A: EVERYTHING LASTS LONGER
AT MODERATE TEMPERATURES AND WITHOUT PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT
OR DAMP. FREEZING CAN DISRUPT SOME WATER BASED EMULSIONS. However our current
products are very stable, as discussed below:
Our Cleansers (ISLAND GIRL
Pink™,
NEUTRAL CLEAR™,
SEA GLOW™)
will not lose activity for least five years under
normal conditions. Some of our original batches of cleansers
still work fine after nearly 8 years!. Consequently, as we upgraded our
cleaning products (1996-1997) we were able to take older product
back for additional components to be added.
However, when exposed too long to
heat and direct sunlight, there can be some loss of the added
dye color (SEA GLOW™ will go greenish). Also earlier batches
of NEUTRAL CLEAR™ may go slightly straw colored.
In both cases,
there is no loss of effectiveness. SInce
water reduces activity of the cleansers, prolonged exposure to
high humidity, in an open vessel, could conceivably reduce
activity to some degree.
CLEAR HORIZONS™
has undiminished activity (in its original sealed bottle) for
at least 3 years. SILKENSEAL™
has similar stability, provided that it is not exposed to high heat/humidiy, especially with the opened bottle exposed
to high mildew conditions.
The catalyst for our BLUE
HAWAIIAN MASKING GEL™also lasts some 5 years, even when exposed
to hot climatic conditions. The gel component itself now has
added inhibitors of biological degradation and shelf life
(in Hawaii's climate averaging 80-85 degrees F is so far
over 2.5 years (would be even more stable under cool conditions).
We did originally have
some shelf life problems with the
early versions of SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax™ . The earlier versions (April 1999 to
July 2000) were formulated as a water- based emulsion containing
organofunctional cross-linkers. If not used soon
after purchase, the cross- linkers started to break down
in the bottle at high temperatures, so that by 6 months
to a year the wax film did not always harden properly (although
this could be "fixed" by SILKENEAL™) . Adding preservative and increasing
the concentration of cross- linker ingredients caused a different
problem when stored at high temperatures - the product
tended to "kick off" in the bottle, resulting in a
"gel" that did not spread evenly. WE WILL REPLACE ANY OF
THIS OLD PRODUCt FREE OF CHARGE WITH OUR NEW FORMULATION (described
below).
To overcome these
problems, we completely reformulated the product in the fall
of 2000 The new formulation of SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax
contains NO water and has stability of at least 1.5
year in Hawaii's climate (85 degrees F).
Any waxy material curing on the surface of the bottled
product has negligable effects on product performance (there
is ample excess of waxy ingredients). However, if you wish,
this hardened material can be redissolved by setting the
bottle in the sun and vigorously shaking the bottle (DO NOT
USE FLAMES OR OTHER MEANS OF HEAT).
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Q: WHAT IS
THE BEST WAY TO USE THE PRODUCTS TO REMOVE PAINTED LETTERING
FROM GELCOAT OR FROM AN INFLATABLE DINGHY?
A: LOOK FOR DETAILS in "Online
Instruction Book".
ISLAND GIRL Pink™ Cleanser (or more potent) NEUTRAL CLEAR™ Cleanser/Conditioner
can remove paint
marks, overspray and painted lettering from gelcoat, and inflatable
dinghies constructed of vinyl or hypalon. (See
testimonials). In general, you just apply the product, allow
to soak for a few minutes and use a mild scuff pad to remove
the crinkled and partially dissolved paint. [NOTE: Most
pigmented paints do not stain the underlying material]
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Q: SOME SURFACE
COATINGS ON GELCOAT AND PLASTICS GO YELLOW - WHAT ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCTS?
A: OUR PRODUCTS ARE DESIGNED
TO BE NON-YELLOWING
Acrylic coatings usually go yellow
with exposure to UV although this can be reduced by adding UV
inhibitors, anti-oxidants, and optical brighteners. Conventional
waxes are yellow in color to start (carnuaba itself is yellowish).
Furthermore both waxes and vinyl protectants usually contain
aminofunctional silicones to impart detergent resistance. Too
much and yellowing can be produced under high heat/UV conditions.
However, most wax coatings are very thin and slight yellowing
would only be noticable over white surfaces. We find that
residual amounts of fluorescent conditioner from SEA GLOW™
after cleaning/restoring white vinyl, hypalon and
gelcoat combine a little with the surface SILKENEAL™)
and eliminate any potential for yellowing. The new version of SIMPLY
BRILLIANT™ Superwax and of MIRROR HARD Superglaze™
cannot become yellowed because of the special nature the ingredients.
We once had a problems with yellowing
of an older version of SILKENSEAL™
when used after using NEUTRAL CLEAR™
to clean and condition old vinyl chairs that were located
in the flight path of an airport. Chairs that were covered
did not yellow!
Since then,
formula modifications and procedural changes have virtually eliminated
all yellowing problems except when produced by excessive
and prolonged air pollution. Then, the slightly yellowed
surface sealant is easily removed by again cleaning and resealing
(the underlying plastic has not yellowed).
Back to top.
Q: DO YOUR
PRODUCTS HAVE APPLICATIONS FOR GRAFFITI REMOVAL or PROTECTION
OF THE SURFACE AGAINST GRAFITTI?
A: YES (see
Testimonials, Online
Instruction Book".
ISLAND GIRL Pink™
is good for removing paint, marker pen and crayon marks from
even quite delicate surfaces (vinyl awnings, painted surfaces,
such as house walls and lexan). It also works on concrete (prolonged
soaking and wire brushing). NEUTRAL CLEAR™
is more potent and has been successfuly tested by the Hawaii
bus company and the Honolulu City Council. SIMPLY
BRILLIANT Superwax™ was tested on road signs and bus-stop
signs and prevented marker pen or spray paint from penetrating
and bonding with the underlying surface so that they were very
easiliy removed by ISLAND GIRL Pink™ or NEUTRAL
CLEAR™.
Our new MIRROR
HARD Superglaze™ would be similarly protective.
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Q: WHAT USES
DO YOUR PRODUCTS HAVE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE, HOME OR OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT?
A: FOR DETAILS, SEE
"Online
Instruction Book".
Obviously, our products can be
used to restore/protect the fiberglass gelcoat of camper tops
and RVs. Automotive, RV and home/office vinyl upholstery
also benefits from use of our products. SILKENSEAL™ is
also good as a protective coating on
automotive leather,
leather clothing and shoes, or rubber tires. Automotive and home
chrome, mirrors, windshields etc also benefit from a coating
of CLEAR HORIZONS™.
Our new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™ is
especially suitable for use on auto paint that is slightly oxidized
(removes oxidation and seals) and for protecting chrome and other
metal surfaces against corrosion.
In the Home/Office environment,
ISLAND GIRL Pink™ cleans up marker pen,"liquid
paper" marks and spills etc, or children's crayon marks
on walls. ISLAND GIRL Pink™ , used with any appropriate water dilution,
is also used to remove stains on carpet or fabric, ranging
from food and pet stains all the way up to oil or paint spills.
During auto repair jobs, use
ISLAND GIRL Pink™ to clean up silicone and other sealants,
paint overspray etc. Use our Blue Masking Gel™ for tricky masking jobs, around rubber
moldings, emblems and engine parts. Use MIRROR HARD Superglaze™to protect plated, anodized and bare metal
parts around the engine compartment (e.g. alternators, distributors).
It is unexcelled for protecting chrome brightwork against salty
air corrosion (as tested on Windward Oahu, HI).
Back to top.
Q: HOW DO
YOUR PRODUCTS COMPARE WITH THE ACRYLIC-TYPE "FIBERGLASS
RESTORERS"?
A: VERY WELL!
Several of the acrylic finishes
have had problems such as yellowing, cracking and peeling. They
all soak into the the gelcoat pores, where they eventually
go grey. Such acrylic products are difficulat to remove
from gelcoat pores even with an ammonia-based stripper. Sometimes
wet sanding has to be used! Their use on brand new gelcoat is not
advisable and they are not suitable for use on paint, chrome
or flexible plastics.
We have used one of these products
(Poliglow™) with satisfacory results to seal a piece
of red gelcoat that had first been restored by
our own Cleanser/Conditioner,
SEA GLOW™). It is possible that such acrylic sealantst
could be useful on metalflaked gelcoat where the flakes are showing
through. However, solvent-based polyurethane , or even
our own gelcoat sealant products (SB Superwax™, plus
MH Superglaze™, might also be suitable.
With this exception, we
prefer our own products, SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax™
to seal the surface of restored gelcoat. SILKENSEAL™can
be used as an undercoat and/or "quickshine" touch up
for any wax, including our SB Superwax™.
On PAINTED
HULLS, or NEW GELCOAT, restored gelcoat (as above) or metal,
our new MIRROR HARD Superglaze™. is ideal as an anti-weathering coating.
No acrylic can be used
for these purposes!
Back to top.
Purchase any Island Girl Product
today and receive 2 Ultra Microfiber Towels Free! $6.60 Value
