How do you clean the bronze?

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Bill Michne

How do you clean the bronze?

Post by Bill Michne »

The bronze hardware (ports, cleats, etc.) on my '85 CD have probably never been cleaned. They have a heavy green deposit which is not touched by a variety of so-called cleaners. The only thing I found that comes close to working is fine emery cloth and elbow grease. This won't work on the detailed parts. Any suggestions would be most welcome.



kn2q@aol.com
D. Stump, Hanalei

Re: Why? Is the real question....

Post by D. Stump, Hanalei »

Bill,

If ya really want to clean it quick, try On&Off hull cleaner. Caution, it is an acid! Use gloves and have a hose charged and handy to immediately rinse it off both the part and the deck/fiberglas. It will clean even the toughest to clean bronze, but, the green WILL return shortly!

When I was looking to purchase Hanalei two years ago, Carol, my 1st. mate asked the yard manager how to clean the bronze. His response was "What, don't you want her to look like she's ever been anywhere?" The yard manager was Gordon Swift, an old Wooden Boat School builder/instructor that really knows what is important in a sailing vessel. I took it from his response that green bronze was natural qand added to the character of the vessel. I'd worry about the important things, like is there enough spirits in the spirit locker, and just go sailing.....FWIW...

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30
yves feder

Re: Why? Is the real question....

Post by yves feder »

Bill,

If ya really want to clean it quick, try On&Off hull cleaner. Caution, it is an acid! Use gloves and have a hose charged and handy to immediately rinse it off both the part and the deck/fiberglas. It will clean even the toughest to clean bronze, but, the green WILL return shortly!

When I was looking to purchase Hanalei two years ago, Carol, my 1st. mate asked the yard manager how to clean the bronze. His response was "What, don't you want her to look like she's ever been anywhere?" The yard manager was Gordon Swift, an old Wooden Boat School builder/instructor that really knows what is important in a sailing vessel. I took it from his response that green bronze was natural qand added to the character of the vessel. I'd worry about the important things, like is there enough spirits in the spirit locker, and just go sailing.....FWIW...

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

I absolutely agree with Dave! The green lends a patina, yes - even an aura - of experience and far flung adventures that virgin bronze just can't exhibit.

The other thing worth noting, is that the green patina does actually travel at (exactly) the same rate as the rest of the boat. This insures that form and function remain inextricably interwoven, and all it takes is a grizzled, unshaved, weatherbeaten face to peer out from behind the green-bronze-port to eloquently complete the picture.

The weathered bronze ports on our CD27 do lend a fine air to the overall picture of our vessel.

Now, time to check the spirit locker Captain Dave spoke about!

Regards

Yves A. Feder
CD27 S/V "Alphee"
Officer-in-charge, Machinery Spaces
and Propulsion Plants, wind and diesel



zonker@tinyradio.com
D. Stump, Hanalei

Re: Yves, how did ya know???

Post by D. Stump, Hanalei »

Yves,

How did you know that I have a full beard (weather beaten, well maybe a little, and grizzled, well I DON'T think so!!)? But, you are correct, I do occasionally peer out the portlights to see what is about, particularly if the crew is Skylarkin'. Picture THAT!

Isn't this board fun sometimes?? Speaking of fun, the 1st. Lieutenant and I sailed from Noank, CT. to Watch Hill harbour Saturday morning. Anchored behind Napatree Point for the evening, which turned out to be a mini Cape Dory rendevous! There was another CD-30 there "FayAway" out of the Pawcatuck river, Captain Jack in command, and a CD-31 out of Mystic I believe. Can't remember her name, quite a different boat though as she had the fiberglas cockpit coamings instead of the teak ones on the CD-30. It was a beautiful evening, charcoaled some chicken on the grill, drank a big bottle of fine white wine while watching the harvest moon cross over head, and settled into the hammock for a blissful sleep! I'm really sorry to see the season come to an end.....

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30
Neil Gordon

Re: How do you clean the bronze?

Post by Neil Gordon »

>>... fine emery cloth and elbow grease.<<

That would work on the Statue of Liberty, too, but somehow we've come to appreciate her "as is."

Spend your time sailing. Bronze is supposed to turn green.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com
Dave and Jane Olson

Vinegar and salt

Post by Dave and Jane Olson »

Mix vinegar and salt together and use a toothbrush or a rag or fine bronze wool or whatever... Once you have removed the green and brown you will get to pinkish... Now use brasso... This will clean the bronze... Once you have it clean you can keep up with it... Try some kind of coating... lanocote was mentioned before, I believe. I used a spray called All Shield with fabulous results... But... We sail in MN fresh water...

Dave and Jane

The bronze hardware (ports, cleats, etc.) on my '85 CD have probably never been cleaned. They have a heavy green deposit which is not touched by a variety of so-called cleaners. The only thing I found that comes close to working is fine emery cloth and elbow grease. This won't work on the detailed parts. Any suggestions would be most welcome.


OlsonAcre@compuserve.com
Yves Feder

Re: Yves, how did ya know???

Post by Yves Feder »

Great to hear from you Dave!

I can't find your e-mail address - but here all along I've been seeing your posts and assuming you were in Hawaii (the name sure does ring of palm trees and hulas!)

Guess you're right around the corner from us in Stonington! We were sailing friday - but back trouble kept us away from sailing sat/sun.... sounds like a lot of fun!!!!

Back is getting better so hopefully will be back for a good bit of fall sailing before we haul!

Best wishes,
Yves



tiller@tinyradio.com
D. Stump, Hanalei

Re: E-mail recently changed....

Post by D. Stump, Hanalei »

Yves,

I recently changed employeers, so my E-mail has been up in the air. It's dgstump@bechtel.com. Yes, we must be close together. I keep Hanalei in a slip on the main dock at the Noank Shipyard. Oh, she's named after the land of the mythical dragon "PUFF" and Jackie Paper", not the valley of Hanalei in Hawaii, although I wouldn't mind sailing there some day. Actually it was quite funny how she ended up with that name. Carol and I were at a loss for an appropriate name and one night spent the evening drinking a fine wine in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace and listening to old tunes on the record player. Up came the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" and that was IT! It wasn't until after I had changed her documentation with the USCG and had the sign painter remove the old name and apply the new, that someone came walking down the dock and said "Hey, did you know that that was a drug/doper song?" Oh, wonderful!, said I, I wonder what the local USCG patrol will think of this? No, I didn't in fact, know it was a drug song. I thought it was a song more about a little boy that wouldn't grow up, and when he did it hurt someone very close to him.

Yes, I too am looking forward to some fine fall sailing. I think I'll have her pulled about the middle of November. If you are out during the weekend, give us a hail on 16, I usually monitor 16 when we are out. Fair winds and following seas...hope the back gets better...

Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30



dgstump@bechtel.com
Tad McDonald

Re: How do you clean the bronze?

Post by Tad McDonald »

Ketchup...no kidding.



tadmcdonald@worldnet.att.net
KPD-Ex Nord*Star~Ston./No

Re: Yves, how did ya know???

Post by KPD-Ex Nord*Star~Ston./No »

Sure UX.. er Yves
Yust tear away at the ol sweedish salts heart. Speak of those fine places I once roamed. Talk of the 27 in a way only a decade long voyager in one could understand. Remind him of his loss by speaking of the harbor she now lives in lovingly attended to by her new owners.

Well lookie here om, the HT-9 goes well to windard and the RME-69 is good downwind, so carry on about your green bronze while I attend to the wax caps.
... -.- :(
Yves Al Al W1UX

Re: Yves, how did ya know???

Post by Yves Al Al W1UX »

Sure UX.. er Yves
Yust tear away at the ol sweedish salts heart. Speak of those fine places I once roamed. Talk of the 27 in a way only a decade long voyager in one could understand. Remind him of his loss by speaking of the harbor she now lives in lovingly attended to by her new owners.

Well lookie here om, the HT-9 goes well to windard and the RME-69 is good downwind, so carry on about your green bronze while I attend to the wax caps.
... -.- :(
Sniff, sigh. All those years you were in Stonington while I suffered the loss of "Ayreling" - sailing off into the sunrise in your CD27 -
enjoying the uncrowded conditions in Cuttyhunk - the delights of the sparsely populated Nantucket anchorages..... the ever so reasonably priced moorings in Great Salt Pond...... sigh..... slowly growing older and more wistful, sniff.... won'cha let the Ole Man have one last fling? What more eloquent tribute to your own seafaring skills and judgment than to follow in the footsteps of "Nord*Star"?

Today was a sparkling, crisp day with temps around 50 and winds NW 18-20 - removed the sails, made arrangements for hauling and winter storage...... sniff.....sigh...... next week to John O'Neill's with the sails and some work thereto, and fitting of new dodger...... whilst nursing sweet memories of a few fine autumn sails in "Alphee", even earlier this week, as she gently put her shoulder to the swells to windward of Naptree Point, frolicked through the waves and sent up small, polite yet teling silvery showers of spray into our smiling faces.... all the while telling us through fingertips on the tiller how much she loves to be alive and laughing her way through the water!

Yes, there is some measure of appreciation there :)

Bringing some cra.. err, gear to Deerchester tomorrow, look forward to seeing you there!

Like Old Man Richard useta say, owning a boat don't change yer life much! (sort of like children!) As for the HT9, I didn't know it went to windward that well. I knew that it holds well in sandy bottoms but is a little dicey in eel grass!

Later OM.... can't wait to see your new CD36.... this coming spring?!




greenpatina@tinyradio.com
Jack Burke

Re: How do you clean the bronze?

Post by Jack Burke »

Ketchup...no kidding.
I've used ketchup and it works but if you want it to look like it just came out of the factory try 14 muriatic acid to 34 water and a toothbrush. Just scrub lightly and IMMEDIATELY SPRAY WITH PLENTY OF WATER!!. Be careful not to let it run on the bright work!!



lkmjb@email.msn.com
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