303 Aerospace Protection for Dacron, Sunbrella, Gelcoat?

[schoonerdog]

It looks like 303 protect is recommended for fabric protection by Sunbrella and practical sailor. It comes in two flavors, and the aerospace version is basically for any non absorbant material (such as sunbrella, dacron, and also gelcoat) and provides color restoration, cleaning and UV protection. Actually one of it's main benefits is UV protection. So to help prevent fabric degredation for sunbrella, prevent degredation of dacron sails, and also prevent oxidation of gelcoat.


Hmm, anyone tried this stuff? It's sounding like one of those things boaters love, one product that can take the place of multiple things.

[RetiredSailor]

Originally Posted by schoonerdog

Hmm, anyone tried this stuff? It's sounding like one of those things boaters love, one product that can take the place of multiple things.

I've never tried it on my boat, but use it every couple of months or so on my hard shell kayak that lays hull up with the sun beating on it. It's supposed to be a good UV block and so far it seems to be holding up pretty well after five years of use. Whether it's better than nothing at all, can't say without a controlled experiment. The kayak may have held up just as well without it. It's really slippery when wet, though, so be careful to not step on any areas that you've sprayed until it's well dry.

[hanschristian38]

It seems to work well on the inflatable too.

[rtbates]

I use the two flavors on just about everything I own. My convertible top, rubber gaskets around doors windows, Sunbrella, eisenglass windows on dodgers. What I have not, but am eager to try, is on my gelcoat.

Yes. it's great stuff....

[Jim Quibell]

Fantastic product (see link) - 303 Products Inc.: Marine
We use it to clean and polish our plexi portlights, electronic instrument faces, and any plastic parts on the boat. Also keeps our throwing life ring looking like new.
Keeps the 2 year old Tohatsu looking just like new too!!

[Nimble1]

Have been using it for years and love it. My lexan hatch is just like new with no crazing at all after 19 years.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by schoonerdog

It looks like 303 protect is recommended for fabric protection by Sunbrella and practical sailor. It comes in two flavors, and the aerospace version is basically for any non absorbant material (such as sunbrella, dacron, and also gelcoat) and provides color restoration, cleaning and UV protection. Actually one of it's main benefits is UV protection. So to help prevent fabric degredation for sunbrella, prevent degredation of dacron sails, and also prevent oxidation of gelcoat.


Hmm, anyone tried this stuff? It's sounding like one of those things boaters love, one product that can take the place of multiple things.

Please, please please DO NOT mistake the two products.

303 High Tech Fabric Guard (Green Label) is for fabrics

303 Aerospace Protectant (Blue Label) Is for plastics, gelcoat etc. etc..

DO NOT use 303 Aerospace Protectant on Sunbrella or fabric use 303 HTFG.!

[schoonerdog]

OK, that's amazing. After 5 years most of them are really crazed.

Originally Posted by Nimble1

Have been using it for years and love it. My lexan hatch is just like new with no crazing at all after 19 years.

[CarlF]

Ha!

I've used 303 on the inflatable for years but never thought to use it on hatches (acrylic in my case). I'm facing an expensive replacement of several hatch lenses that have crazed from the sun despite substantial care. Have others found that 303 slows down the crazing?

I also looked at the 303 web site for the first time and noticed that they have several people who use it on teak - even decks. One mentions that it is quick to apply compared to most teak dressings since it doesn't stain gelcoat. Anyone try this?

Carl

[schoonerdog]

I understand that the 303 High Tech Fabric Guard is for any fabric that "absorbs moisture" (or any fabric at all actually). They do recommend 303 aerospace for Dacron sails, specifically one manufacturer Bainbridge uses it to treat all of their Dacron sails. Ok, so fabric guard for sunbrella. Aerospace for everything else, including dacron.

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Please, please please DO NOT mistake the two products.

303 High Tech Fabric Guard (Green Label) is for fabrics

303 Aerospace Protectant (Blue Label) Is for plastics, gelcoat etc. etc..

DO NOT use 303 Aerospace Protectant on Sunbrella or fabric use 303 HTFG.!

[schoonerdog]

I've got to admit one thing I like about the aerospace is it's UV resistance. It seems like most other products don't really have much UV resistance at all or certainly aren't designed to counter oxidation. So while a gelcoat may look best when covered with a nice canuba wax (no doubt about that I've used a lot of different things and fleetwax does look fantastic), it may be actually oxidizing underneath the wax. OK, now to go and get some. Thanks everyone.

[RetiredSailor]

Originally Posted by Maine Sail

Please, please please DO NOT mistake the two products.

303 High Tech Fabric Guard (Green Label) is for fabrics

303 Aerospace Protectant (Blue Label) Is for plastics, gelcoat etc. etc..

DO NOT use 303 Aerospace Protectant on Sunbrella or fabric use 303 HTFG.!

Is that because the 303 Aerospace Protectant will damage the sunbrella, or because it won't be effective?

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by RetiredSailor

Is that because the 303 Aerospace Protectant will damage the sunbrella, or because it won't be effective?

303 Aerospace is not intended for most woven fabrics. It may make it less waterproof, soften factory applied resins and can and does change the color of it.

Sunbrella/Glen Raven Mills specifically recommends 303 High Tech Fabric Guard NOT 303 Aerospace Protectant based on their own testing.

This is straight from the 303 Aerospace Protectant use guide:

"Not for unfinished leathers (such as suede), fabrics (canvas) or floors."

303 Aerospace can also soften the factory applied stiffening resins in dacron sail cloth though it will help protect from UV.