Sticky fender.

[mestrezat]

I've got an antique(1996 I think-came with the boat) Jabsco Mooring Magic fender on board that the rubber has decided to get all sticky leaving marks on the hull and deck when it's used. Anyone have a suggestion as to how to clean it and hopefully have it stop. I know I could buy a fender cover but they aren't available where we are.

[Cheechako]

It's possible someone cleaned it with the wrong fluid. IIRC lacquer thinner and a rag cleans them well ....not acetone. But be careful and test first, I may have that backwards!
Or it could just be age and UV deterioration.

[UNCIVILIZED]

You might try sand & a scotchbrite pad. If that doesn't get rid of the goopy layer, toss it, as you're dealing with a chemical meltdown, literally. Someone will snag it if you put it by the dumpster at the marina.

[model 10]

Always use a tee shirt on those things. In my experience if you can get one kind of clean, the goo just comes back.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Is there a way to neutralize the chemical reaction? Vinegar, lye, baking soda???

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

Is there a way to neutralize the chemical reaction? Vinegar, lye, baking soda???

My simplistic understanding is that the plasticizers have been removed from the fender and are never coming back. Nothing to neutralize.

[belizesailor]

Chuck it or at least put a cover over it. In my experience, once they go gooey, they can never be restored.

I have a couple of old fenders that went gooey which I am replacing with new...new fenders will immediately get covers.

[deblen]

Try waxing the fender with hull wax.

[Steadman Uhlich]

I am not a chemical engineer.
Curious about this sticky issue, I found this:

"It appears there are many formulations of polymers so the reasons can vary depending on what the exact formulation was.

"There is therefore a large range of both sequential (or chain) reactions and competing reactions and that the ones which predominate depend on factors such as the composition of the vulcanizate as well as the influences of heat, light and metal catalysis.

In heat ageing we are balancing the rate of reaction of oxygen with the elastomer and the rate of diffusion of the oxygen into the bulk material. If the temperature is relatively low, it has been postulated that for an unprotected vulcanizate diffusion predominates and therefore there is slow oxidation throughout the product, but as the temperature rises, the rate of oxidation increases much more than the rate of diffusion so substantial oxidation occurs on the surface and an oxidized (hard) surface skin is formed. As oxidation continues the chain breakdown may become more significant and the hard surface then softens and turns sticky. To complicate matters further, under certain conditions this order can be reversed and an initially sticky degraded surface can harden with further oxidation."

SOURCE: http://www.bouncing-balls.com/mainpage.htm

A fascinating site that is full of information about the historical development of rubber. I enjoyed seeing it.

Untitled Document

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I also saw a reference elsewhere to using isopropyl alcohol to wipe sticky plastic surfaces to remove the surface stickiness.

Goo luck! (sic).

[Jim Cate]

Re fender covers: An inexpensive and simple cover can be made from a leg from a pair of sweatpants (tracksuit to some cultures). These can often be sourced from thrift shops for very little money. making a hem in the open ends of the cut off bit allows the insertion of a drawstring, and there you are... a fender cover!

Jim

[JPA Cate]

We've even used clean plastic bags over sticky fenders. We have used either lacquer thinner or acetone to cut the gooey plastic, but fenders at that stage really are on their way out.

Ann

[a64pilot]

My problem is the run rail on my dinghy has gone sticky and makes a mess of the boat when I pull up against it. It's three years old.
Any clues what to do there?

[model 10]

Did you end up with a PVC dinghy? Wipe the spots off the hull when it starts looking bad.

[JPA Cate]

Clean the rub rail with acetone, thoroughly. Then buy some pvc paint, and paint it. It's not a forever fix, but can be re-done as needed.

Ann