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deblen · 21-09-2018, 12:39

Take her out for a sail

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV0DhMsFSq0&t=2s

thinwater · 21-09-2018, 12:45

Only a few boats?

Does somebody have a wood burning stove? Big grinding project? Welding? Big barbecue? Grasping at straws. I'd vote for boat work. If only a few days, who was there?

john61ct · 21-09-2018, 12:52

Do not even SUGGEST to the marina that you are thinking of trying holding them responsible.

Ask for info, help, advice, suggestions sure.

W3GAC · 21-09-2018, 13:39

We were at Liberty Landing Marina (Jersey City) for five years. Did have constant new small black dots all over sailboat... so did everyone else. If they smear when you wipe hard with finger, they are from all the jets flying overhead to Newark Airport. I used A LOT OF DAWN dish soap. Seemed to work best after trying about everything. Don’t rinse it all off! Seems to really help having some Dawn dried up on deck/ in fiberglass pores to keep the constant fallout from sticking directly on the fiber glass. Now what you have is totally different/ bigger. That looks like residue from fire somewhere. We were there during 911 and when wind came from East (fortunately not too often) we all had ash/ fallout. I’d wait until the current wx pattern/ wind direction shifts and do a good cleaning and see if it comes back or a one of a kind event. But you’ll have to live the the jet fallout... that is constant 12 months/ yrs.

JSLExplores · 21-09-2018, 16:33

It looks like spider scat to me. We're getting that in Lake Michigan and on the Illinois. Everyone I know has it.

Montanan · 22-09-2018, 16:29

Big cosmetic bummer!

Seen similar spots arise often and fast, even in low humidity Montana. I suspect it is likely a fungus, perhaps artillery or shotgun fungus, e.g., spores of the genus Sphaerobolus. The spores will grow on hulls and the side of house paneling, especially vinyl sidings and cars.

Each of the tiny tar-like globs can be scrapped off but it stains and is very hard to completely get rid of the penetrated stain with out chemical or physical etching of the stained surface away.

What is Artillery Fungus?
Though these specks appear to resemble insect feces, scale crawlers, or air-borne pollutants, they are actually mature spore masses expelled from the fruiting bodies of a fungus. The spores are expelled by the fruiting fungus and become airborne and travel a limited distance until settling onto surfaces, typically within a few tens of feet from their fruiting body depending on wind strength. An artillery fungus fruiting body will actually aim its spores for bright white surfaces, such as most boats.

Hot water power washing is a recommendation as it is much easier than hand rubbing with abrasive or using a power buffer. Spray on tub and tile cleaners and leave it to work for a few minutes to perform their chemical magic then diligent use of scrub brushes and power washing. Easier on smooth surfaces much harder on non-skid surfaces.

Bleach will only temporarily kill the spores and will aid a bit in fading the stain. A fungicide can kill the fruiting bodies and spores but washes away and requires periodic retreatment.

Nasty stuff and there is a good chance it will reoccur.

Look around the marina for a prospective source which could be treated or remediated, such as tree bark, mulch.

I spotted these comments on the sailboatowners forum, can't vouch for the treatment suggestion: "If you're located on the east coast and the mildew is black (specks ... a lot of them) then its probably not mildew but 'artillery fungus', a fungus that lives on tree bark and THRIVES in damp moist conditions. Only thing that will remove artillery fungus is CAUSTICS ... any detergent that has high pH: TSP - trisodiumPhosphate, sodium silicate based, Lye soap, etc. ... the caustic will DISSOLVE the fungal cells. Dont get caustics anywhere near bare teak ... will strip the tannins out of bare teak. To prevent mildew and other fungals from penetrating their filiments INTO gelcoat and nonskid is to seal the pores of the gel with a non-skid "deck wax" such as Woody Wax, etc. But you have to strip the old dead deck wax (with mild caustic) once yearly or the fungus will use the old dead/oxidized wax as a nutrient source. !*"

Sailorbob8599 · 22-09-2018, 16:54

My boat is berthed at Point Roberts Marina WA. It gets covered with coal dust that drifts down from Roberts Bank Marine Terminal a few short Kms up the coast in BC.
Let's face it, we live in a very dirty world & there's absolutely nothing one can do about airborne particulates except to complain until you eventually realise nobody is listening. After which you try to scrub it off, only to find much of it won't budge.
My biggest complaint is the fact I have fully enclosed my cockpit with a canvas enclosure & the canvas does not release the coal dust. I took it home & washed it with great care with little success; So don't worry about spots on the f/g just don't buy expensive canvas coverage or, if you do, buy some additional cheap material to cover it too.

Montanan · 22-09-2018, 17:00

So I continued my web search for best solutions to cleaning all those spots. My sailboat has been there done that and shows residual light grey dottings.

Thousands of black spots seems to be very common with fungus / mold being the stated causation, and it seems everything imaginable has been suggested and tried to clean; key issue is the effect to the underlying deck surface associated with each distinct treatment.

Residual stains were a common theme.

Did find this remark though as to the need to scrubbing each and every dot with whatever treatment option you chose.

"If you ever find a good source for elbow grease, let me know. I'll pay any price."

And a more drastic solution was linked:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=UHf8rJHs4Lg

Montanan · 22-09-2018, 17:54

Another common cause of black spots on boats, decks and cars is black mold growth on insect excrement.

I have read of infestations in Florida where there are many palms from which Whiteflys and Rugose Flys feed. The insects poop [honeydew] and the mold grows rapidly in the rich organic matter, particularly black sooty mold. Leaving lots of black spotting. Can cover a marina in a day or two.

KJB · 22-09-2018, 18:48

Does not sound or look like a marina liability issue. Do you expect everyone else to pay for your problems? That is not the way life works...unless you are a state welfare recipient.

Pull yourself together and find a cure. This is what boating is about...at least to me. Self sufficiency is part of the program. Do not blame everyone else. I do not mean to sound harsh, but living in the SF Bay, I grow weary of the "everyone else has to pay for my problems" mentality.

Like I said, not trying to sound harsh, but if you are seriously thinking of blaming your marina for this; you are way off course.

14murs14 · 23-09-2018, 07:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJB

Does not sound or look like a marina liability issue. Do you expect everyone else to pay for your problems? That is not the way life works...unless you are a state welfare recipient.

Pull yourself together and find a cure. This is what boating is about...at least to me. Self sufficiency is part of the program. Do not blame everyone else. I do not mean to sound harsh, but living in the SF Bay, I grow weary of the "everyone else has to pay for my problems" mentality.

Like I said, not trying to sound harsh, but if you are seriously thinking of blaming your marina for this; you are way off course.

Please keep your gratuitous contempt about people on welfare to one of the literally thousands of political boards. This is one of a few boards devoted to boating, and is largely made up of people who are mature enough and have enough outside interests to realize every discussion doesn't have to end up parroting their political views and who appreciate a place where they can focus their talk to cruising and cruising related subjects. This is a discussion about black spots on a boat, for Pete's sake, you've got to really try to tie that back to your contempt for people on welfare!

I have the same problem and tend toward the mold explanation because my existing boat "infected" my new boat which didn't previously have the problem when kept elsewhere. An electric pressure washer takes it off pretty readily, and if not that Starbright Mildew Stain Remover is like magic if you spray it on and wait 5 minutes. I've found that spraying 303 spray on after cleaning gives me an extra 6 months or so over just cleaning.

rwrice · 23-09-2018, 15:10

Soft Scrub with Bleach and a hard bristled brush. Simple, cheap and it works. The "elbow grease" is also free.

**Pete7** · 23-09-2018, 15:50

Do you have something called "Traffic Film Remover" in the US. Its what the truckers use to clean lorries. The big advantage is that its cheap, £10 for 5 litres of concentrate and it goes a long way. Using a soft brush it cleans all the normal city dust and muck that collects on the deck. It can be used need but gloves recommended because it will strip oils from skin. Also does a good job on the purple bird poo we have problems with at this time of year when they eat blackberries.

Pete

MickWay · 23-09-2018, 16:16

I get that on my boat when I forget to put flap over exhaust stack through top of wheel house. Rain gets in and makes a slurry in muffler. When I start it showers down on deck. As I am on a mooring it only affects me. A scrub with soapy water cleans it if not left too long