34 | BOATINGMAG.COM | FEBRUARY 2018NAUTICAL
NO -NOBOAT DOCTOR///Q&APHOTOS: (FROM TOP) COURTESY LUKE CORALLI, ED SHERMANQ:VINYL
PROBLEM
Dear Doc, as you can
see in the picture,
after I remove the
cover from my
pontoon, the vinyl
seat upholstery is
discolored. It only
occurs on the top.
This discoloration
does go away in a
couple of days, but
it seems to make
the vinyl a little
stiff. I’ve called the
manufacturer of the
pontoon, and the
representative has no
idea what the cause
of this might be. I am
hoping you can help
me. Thanks.
Luke Curalli
Tinley Park, Illinois A:
Hi Luke. Assuming it’s not the dye running from
your boat cover, we think it might be what is called
“pinking.” Pinking is caused by some bacteria that thrives in
vinyl that is stored wet. Step one, then, is to make sure your
boat is dry before you cover it, and your cover is watertight
and not holding water against the aff ected area. If taking
these steps does not solve the problem, you can reach out to
a fi rm like Gestalt Scientifi c (gestaltscientifi c.com), which
off ers a service that kills the pinking bacteria that causes the
discoloration of vinyl.
As a stand-alone or contributing factor, another expert
we spoke to reminded us that vinyl should never be cleaned
or treated with petroleum-based products. Doing so can
affect the chemistry of the vinyl and either cause a problem
directly or make the upholstery more prone to a variety of
problems, including pinking, cracking and more.SCRUBBING BUBBLES
Q: Dear Doc, what’s the best
brush to use for cleaning our
Monterey?
Joyce and Mike Donovan
Washington, D.C.A: The stiffest brush that
won’t scratch the surface. In
general, you can use a stiff
brush for nonskid areas and
a medium or soft brush for
glossy gelcoat. Know that
brush stiffness varies by
manufacturer, and the bris-
tles are often color-coded.
Never use a brush of any kind
on clear-plastic curtains; use
a sponge or mop instead.A WAGER
Q: Mick, I see you sometimes
settle bets. Maybe you’ll con-
sider this one. While helping
my brother-in-law repair his
hydraulic trim tabs, I began
to apply sealing tape. My BIL
adamantly refused to let meapply it and angrily peeled it
off the fittings. He states that
if even a piece of that tape got
into the reservoir, it could
disable the system. I disagree
and bet him a shore dinner
that I was right. Would you
care to settle the bet?
Ron Johnson
Nutley, New JerseyA: Ron, PTFE tape, also
known as plumber’s tape or
thread-seal tape, is great for
lubricating threads and mak-
ing later disassembly easier.
But it is not recommended
for hydraulic systems sealing.
If even a tiny piece f lakes off
and gets downstream, it is
sure to clog a valve. Ditto for
fuel systems: Don’t use tape to
seal fittings. Many times, I’ve
sourced an engine problem to
a rogue piece of Tef lon tape
in a carburetor. Use the appro-
priate pipe dope instead.
You lost the bet, but at least
you get to enjoy a good meal!CHIPS AHOY!
Q: Dear Mick, I’d like to get
more speed out of my boat
(a repowered Sea Ray
Pachanga). Can I “chip” the
engine to make it more pow-
erful and so get more speed?
David Gelman
Keene, New HampshireA: Hi David. The short
answer is, yes, it can be done.
However, I’d caution that it is
not a simple DIY decision to
make. More power output in
a fast boat requires a global,
systemwide approach. In
other words, one may need
a plan for upgrading steer-
ing, cooling systems and air
intake, and changing props,
gear cases and more. Hook
up with a knowledgeable
mechanic with experience
building go-fast boats. That is
the best advice I can offer.UNINSULATED
LIGHT FIXTURES
The white ring you see around the perime-
ter of the hole was left by caulk sealing the fl ange for an
underwater light fi xture. Where did the light fi xture go?
This story recounts how stray DC current caused a
boat to sink rapidly. Whenever the light was on, current
fl owed from a low-level short between the light and its
bronze housing. Why? The installer did not use an insu-
lated terminal. Also, the inside of the
housing did not have any insula-
tion; it was just raw bronze.
So, whenever the light was
turned on, electric current
exited the fi xture through
the fl ange of the light,
forcing the fl ange to act
as an anode. The bottom
line? The fl ange face simply
fi zzed away unnoticed and
ultimately popped off. The
light fi xture then fell backward
inside the boat, and a $400,000
vessel sank in its slip. Lesson learned:
Use insulated terminals and housings or nonconductive
housings for underwater lights. —Ed Sherman