Thread: Repurposing
View Single Post
Old 04-20-2014, 07:44 AM   #3
psneeld
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,151
Some of my favorites are cleaning supplies...marine supplies at $10-$15 per bottle....check the MSDS and a lot of dollar store items are very close in composition without any real benefits...Like Mary Kate On/Off...3 or so major acids -$15... The Works has just the major ingredient at $1-$2.

Sure be careful and smart...real the labels and MSDSs...make an informed decision.

Then the greenies have a good idea too for ICW brown mustaches....lemon juice...still acid but milder. Of course you use 10X more of the stuff, and wait a lot longer with multiple applications (at least those of us with more porous gel coats.

But that's just one example of home versus marine.

Few things on a boat HAVE to be marine....sure "ignition protected" but only when applicable....sure better grade stainless for longer life...but only outside or in the bilge. Many trawler salons are just as dry and airy as any beach home...especially if you are in brackish, calm water anyhow. So why marine lamps and fixtures????? OK...if you go to se a couple times a year...wipe them down and add a little wax/corrosion spray. $10-$30 LED lamps at a discount store versus $45-$225 marine versions.

Paint and epoxy are other good examples. I think Sherwin Williams has marine paints and epoxies that you can get through local stores. Now some are just as pricey...but I have seen some at much better deals than West or even mail order. Rustoleum paints have worked well for many TFers as reported.

The only trick is to be an educated consumer and know when it's a safety issue and when it just going with the mainstream.

hey...I would have loved to have bought a couple hundred thousand, fresh and yachtie trawler...and buy all the really maine/nautical goodies to keep her that way. But putting $50,000-$100,000 of upgrades into a $50,000 hull/engine to me is just silly if I'm not going to completely restore to original which I couldn't afford anyhow.
psneeld is online now   Reply With Quote