Yellow/brown spots all over the boat

[Rich]

Ok, what the heck was that!

This past weekend I came to my boat to find tiny yellowish/brown spots all over the boat. They are about the size of a pencil point or maybe a bit larger (about 1/16 inch to almost 1/8 in diameter).

I wasn't the only boat, many (if not all) had this in my area.

Nothing was cleaning it off. Unfortunately the white parts of my boat are in the process of being polished and then waxed, so there was no wax on the white gel coat yet.

I tried various soaps and cleaners, even the stronger cleaners that I rely on to clean the most stubborn stains didn't even affect it!
I tried acetone, didn't even phase it.

A polishing compound would remove it, but that would be a LOT of work.

Another boater found that some bleach in some water (a bit less than 50/50) would make it disappear. So now I don't know if I removed it, or just made it white so now it's no longer visible. ;)

Does anyone know, was this pollen that broke down and stained the boat like an old dried leaf that is left on the boat to decompose and stain the gel coat or was it some type of acid rain?

Anyone else see or experience this stuff?

Do you know of anything less aggressive than bleach to clean this without having to resort to a full buff job (so I don't have to rebuff the parts of the boat which I have already done?

[tis]

I know those little things that come off the maple trees stain the boats like that. We call them helicopters and they have been dropping like crazy.

[Merrymeeting]

Believe it or not, insect and spider egg casings. They are amazingly durable and annoying!

[tummyman]

Another pest is around on my boat and dock. I seems to like metal surfaces. Kind of like a dark grey mass of stuff that looks a little like putty. Found it on the underneath of my swim platform handles, dock ladder and dock pipes...all of which the surfaces are out of the water. Any idea what this stuff is....easily scrapes off.

[Rich]

I know those little things that come off the maple trees stain the boats like that. We call them helicopters and they have been dropping like crazy.

Yes, I know these well, but it's not the same thing, as I get these also. The stain looks similar, but a small round spot, but much more difficult to remove.

[Barney Bear]

We get dark droppings on our boat in its boat house as well as on our porch dining table. The spiders above enjoy bombing the intruders of their space.

[Rich]

Believe it or not, insect and spider egg casings. They are amazingly durable and annoying!

No, I know what spider droppings and egg casings look like. This is more like ever water spot on the boat turned into a brown/yellow stain.

It's definitely not an insect byproduct of any type.

[Orion]

This mystery was solved once before. Ballistic (or Artillery) Fungus.....perhaps some yellow by collecting pollen. Don't park near bark mulch. Some interesting YouTube slow motion vids of it in action if you search.

Check thread: http://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3421&highlight=Fungus

[NoBozo]

I would NOT use acetone on fiberglass. Try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. If it doesn't work on that problem, you can always use it on boat upholstery.

It DOES Work. I use it at home on my latex painted walls and enamel trim. Can't explain why it works. Try It. :) NB

[Rich]

Thanks for this link, I'll have to check and see, I don't see any wood chips near my dock and my boat is about 80 or more feet from shore as the dock juts out into the water.

It's possible the wind too it, but these don't look like black spots, more like a yellow/brownish tiny splotch, as a water drop may make.

I'll try to take a picture the next time I'm on the boat.

Luckily a bleach solution seemed to clean remove it from the raw (un waxed) gel coat. I think it would wash off from waxed gel coat.

I asked here thinking that others may have experienced this last weekend. I hope it doesn't return this weekend!

[Newbiesaukee]

Are the spots totally flat? If you close your eyes and rub your finger over them, can you feel them?

[Rich]

If I remember, they feel no different than a water spot would feel, maybe a bit of a sensation of roughness, but nothing protruding.

I have to get a picture so you can see it. I'll try to get a shot on top of my radar arch, I hadn't cleaned that area yet.

[Taz]

Yes, I had the same spots on my boat as well as many other friends of mine. Your not the only one. They are very tiny and its not from the yellow pollen I don't think because they are a different color, brownish orange and theres been yellow pollen every year and never seen these spots before. I am not using 50/50 bleach as that would still be alot of work and would undo the expensive professional detailing I paid for this spring. Will see what happens.

[Merrymeeting]

Just got this link from the UNH Extension Service. As someone mentioned in an earlier post, most likely some type of bark mulch fungus.

http://extension.unh.edu/articles/Perils-Mulch-Summer?utm_source=AdaptiveMailer&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Extension%20Update&org=785&lvl=100&ite=920&lea=4048&ctr=0&par=1&trk=