A few
Comments from people who use Island Girl products...
Inflatable Dinghies
"...Reviewer's choice ISLAND GIRL®Cleansing Lotion worked
best on the hypalon inflatable (versus 8 other products) and
is excellent for a multitude of other uses, such as cleaning
fenders ( better then acetone we found ) and pretty much everything
else." Reprinted from Longitude 122, California, July, 1995.
ISLAND
GIRL®Cleansing Lotion was very effective in cleaning the
chalky residue from Hypalon inflatables ( sometimes difficult
in the past) and also removes the sticky surface that forms on
the PVC boats. We also found ISLAND GIRLl® effective in removing
yellow cast from the surface of an older white PVC inflatable.
We also tried ISLAND GIRL®on a few other projects ( dirty
lifelines, fenders, electrical cables) and were very happy with
the results. Of the many products that we sell, ISLAND GIRL®
is a standout performer"-Sharus Marine, Dana Point, CA.
"Cleaning is mandatory...a safe product such as ISLAND GIRL®Cleansing
Lotion is recommended" Nathan Krantz "Inflatable Boat
Safety" the San Diego Log, May 10-13, 1996
"We
purchased new ISLAND GIRL Pink; at the (1996) San Diego Boat
Show to remove paint from our Avon Dinghy. It worked like magic,
just as claimed."-Loretta and Dick Ark, S.V Cowboy Hatt,
San Diego, CA
"After leaving a new Thunderduck; inflatable dive boat in
a wood shop to have a wood flooring job done, we were dismayed
to find the surface of the boat covered in sawdust imbedded in
overspray from a wood finishing product. Island Girl PINKCleansing
Lotion came to the rescue and removed this sticky mess from the
surface of the KP14 heavy duty vinyl hull. The renewed surface
was protected from further harm by new SILKENSEAL companion product.
Needless to say, we routinely use (and sell) ISLAND GIRL®
in our own shop."- Randy Helms Marine, Alameda CA (Thunderstruck
Distributors).
"I
used SEAGLOW on my red Achilles inflatable that was badly oxidized.
With a minimum of elbow grease it came up looking like new. I
will now use SILKENSEAL to preserve the finish." - P. Sandlin,
Chula Vista, CA June 14th, 1997.
Although the instructions are a bit hard to understand, the products
(ISLAND GIRL Pink Cleansing Lotion, CRYSTAL CLEAR, SEAGLOW &
SILKENSEAL) worked excellent for me on boat hulls, a Zodiac®
and especially well on vinyl fenders and cushions etc. -Ron Lumstedt,
Santa Cruz, April, 1999.
My husband
and I just wanted to let you know that we love the Island
Girl-Pink product! My husband and I utilized the Island Girl-Pink
product several years ago, on the used inflatable boat that we
purchased. Your product made the inflatable boat look like new!
Before trying Island Girl-pink, we had tried several cleanersand
with disappointing results. A representative of West Marine,
located in Marina Del Rey, California, highly recommended your
product. Since we had not heard of the product before, we were
a little wary, but decided to try it. We tried it and then loved
it! The product took away all of the grime and discoloration.
We recently purchased another used inflatable boat and again
wanted to utilize the Island Girl product. We have tried to find
your product at West Marine-Marina del Rey, California, at West
Marine-San Pedro, California, and at Boater's World-Torrance,
California. No one seems to carry your product! We finally jumped
on the internet to do a search and we found your website.I will
be placing an order as soon as I am finished with this e-mail.
James & Jocelyn Pickard, CA, June 2001
[A reply was
sent stating that ISLAND GIRL Inflatable restoration kits were
now available at California Boat/US Stores]
TEST RESULTS FROM DINGHY FABRIC
MANUFACTURER (received 8th August 2002)
"...I am pleased to inform you that we have now obtained
some test restult on your Sea Glow sample. The sea glow was applied
to two Hypalon coatings that had been produced using pigments
of known poor UV stability (that we not use in our production).
The fabric samples were left continuously exposed at a UK lo
ation for a period of 21 months. The untreated samples showed
a large loss of color, whereas the treated amples were almost
unaffected. Our tests have shown that Sea Glow should give a
significant level of protection against fading and we would therefore
like to encourage its use.
Kind Regards
Ian Shaw, Technical Sales Director, Coated Fabrics Division,
Chiorino UK Ltd, Gildersome, Leeds, England.
Hard Plastics, Vinyl
Objects, Upholstery
"..ISLAND GIRL®Cleansing Lotion was applied to the oxidized
surface of a computer monitor that had been exposed to the sun
for some years. After a few minutes, the oxidation could be removed
by a quick wipe with a paper towel. We know of no other product
that can remove oxidation without the use of abrasives and much
rubbing. SEA GLOW ; also cleaned and whitened the vinyl of an
old shop-display fender. "-Down Wind Marine, San Diego,
CA, March 1996
"
The second story concerns with a sales visit by a company representative
of a large, well known corporation that manufactures cleaners.
I did a side by side comparison of their product against ISLAND
GIRL® (vinyl, gelcoat etc..) The rep left in a very disappointed
state."
"..I had been seeking a cure for a difficult cleaning program,
i.e removal of a sticky kerosene residue from the surface of
my balloon-type red fenders. I had tried acetone, MEK and a number
of other cleaners with no success. ISLAND GIRL® removed the
residue and left a clean, new-looking surface with very little
effort. Needless to add, I'm sold on the product." - L.
David Newgan, S.V Orea, San Diego, CA.
"We
now use SEA GLOW and ISLAND GIRL Pink in our boat detailing business,
since we can now save time and yet produces dramatic results.-
QC Services, Newport beach, CA.
ISLAND GIRL Pink; Cleansing Lotion produces dramatic results
by removing chalk and airborne oily grime. Island Girl® products
are unique in removing the sun damage from vinyl upholstery.
Effects of the new SEA GLOW are so dramatic that the white vinyl
fenders cleaned by any other method still dirty by comparison"
Linda Heisig Delta Yacht Care, Stockton, CA.
"I
was amazed at how SEA GLOW rejuvenated the oxidized white and
blue webbing on my outdoor chaise lounge." - Steve Thompson,
Redwood City, CA, July 1996
"I used ISLAND GIRL Pink to restore a badly discolored vinyl
seat cushion on which no other vinyl cleaner had been effective."
- Art Kempton, Clearwater, FL, May, 1997
"I
am writing to tell you about a recent satisfying experience with
two of your products.While washing down my boat after a fishing
trip, a chart became wet and left a large stain on a white seat
cushion, that could not be removed by any of the many cleaning
products that I have collected in my lock box. I then used your
SEA GLOW that totally removed the stain. I then sealed the surface
against further staining by use of your SILKENSEAL product. I
was sufficiently impressed to inquire about becoming a local
representative for your products. - William Johns, Bradenton
FL. Feb 1998
"I am writing to say how satisfied I am about the products
and customer service of the ISLAND GIRL®Company. I had purchased
Island Girl PINK from a local TAP plastics store and used it
to remove the yellow oxidation from the rear window of my ten
year old convertible car but was I was still not satisfied by
the clarity of the plastic. Dr. Willis, the owner of Island Girl
Products met with me on a weekend and demonstrated to me that
although the oxidation was now gone completely, it had (like
rust on metal) left surface pitting. We removed the worst of
the roughness with some rubbing compound and then applied CLEAR
HORIZONS to fill in minor imperfections and provide a clear and
slick surface. While not "as new", the useful life
of the window has been extended for some considerable time. I
was informed that use of CLEAR HORIZONS on the window, when new,
would have greatly delayed the onset of deterioration. - Vincent
G. Boston, San Francisco CA, Feb 1998
Over the
past 3 years a white plastic compass cover on my boat had turned
more and more yellow. I tried everything I could think of to
clean it. I was about to purchase a new cover, when I saw your
products demonstrated at the Marina del Rey Boat Show. Your SEA
GLOW product removed the oxidation and completely restored the
original white color. the finish was sealed by SILKENSEAL. The
cost of the products were covered by only its first use! -Dave
Kull Marina del Rey, June, 1998
I used the ISLAND GIRL® sytem (ISLAND GIRL Pink, SEA GLOW
and SILKENSEAL bought at Al's Marine and RV in Redwood City)
to restore the clear vinyl ("Isinglass") of my dodger
that was becoming yellowed and also to restore and protect my
vinyl upholstery and fenders. The results were great! -Kathyryn
Leavitt April, 1999
When our
municipally-owned marina was refurbished about 2 years ago, they
had intended to replace all of the white vinyl rub-rail on the
docks. We demonstrated to them that if not actually cracked,
the rub-rails could be restored virtually "as new"
by mild scuffing with SEA GLOW. Those treated rub-rails have
still remained white and supple in all this time. The council
was saved a lot of money and we were glad of their business through
sale of the product! Vince Macaluso, Owner, Veejay Marine, Pittsburgh,
CA, Feb 2000.
I used ISLAND GIRL Pink to remove tape residue from a Plexiglass
model of the Power 43 Lagoon at the Pacific Sail Expo, then CLEAR
HORIZONS to shine it up like new. Linda Gustas, Marketing Manager,
The Catamaran Company, Ft. Lauderdale FL, Annapolis MD, Newport,
CA April 2001
Fiberglass Gelcoat NOW INCLUDES NON-SKID, RVs, LPU painted
surfaces, anodized metal.
"I applied Island Girl's SEA GLOW in an even coat by wiping
it on a paper towel and letting it dry. The results were amazing.
the gelcoat glows with a deep luminescence that it has never
had and the brilliant shine is amazing." Mike O' Brian,
Windsor, CA 95492, June 1996
"
The main reason that many of our customers bought the product
was for use on nonskid decks. Our customers stated that ISLAND
GIRL® removed the chalk and grime where nothing else had
worked." Al's Marine and RV, Redwood City, CA, March, 1996
"I used ISLAND GIRL Pink to take off old surf wax on the
(non-skid) deck of my boat. I was surprised how easily it came
off and the deck looks new again."-Keoni Cuccia, Ojai, CA,
July 1996
"I
restored two badly oxidized boats, using Island Girl SEA GLOW,
finishing with sealant (SilkenSeal on the second boat). The first
boat was a 13 year old Aquasport Center Console that was white
with a blue stripe. The second was a 33 ft Tiara that was white
with a black stripe. On the second boat, there was one area that
we had to first prep with ammonia to remove what may have been
an old area of acrylic sealant. Use of SEA GLOW removed the chalk
and restored depth and brightness, essentially as new. The upholstery
also came up beautifully." - Bill Black, Naples FL, May
1997
We tried 2-3 types of paint remover products to remove old boat
lettering from gelcoat. When these did not work, we pulled out
our bottle of ISLAND GIRL® (Pink) and with a little elbow
grease we were able to get the old paint off. -Cathy Benson,
June, 1998 (Marina del Rey Boat Show).
"Your
products have returned by 1989 28 foot Bayliner to looking brand
new again. I am very pleased with the results and will recommend
ISLAND GIRL products to my boating friends." - Richard Waligaska,
Punta Gorda FL, Feb 1998.
The toe rail on my Pearson 303 is teak and I like to use Cetol®
(trademark of Sikkens Inc.) on it. The problem is that I had
to be very careful because Cetol® would stain my fiberglass
gelcoat. I found that by using a thin coat of ISLAND GIRL Pink
on the gelcoat before I brushed on Cetol®. I could simply
wipe off the excess & drips. This saved me hours of painstaking
masking or careful brushing. [ Note: this is a new customer-developed
use. Hawaiian BLUE MASKING GEL, soon to become available again,
would similarly protect the gelcoat without removing the waxed
finish.] -Chuck Jones Henderson NV Pearson 303 Aeolus II Lake
Mead, NV
WOW!...
I just bought the CRYSTAL CLEAR and the SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax
at the Oakland PACIFIC SAIL EXPO and tried the stuff on my badly
oxidized "black" gelcoat. I couldn't believe what I
saw so I had to make pictures to send you (attached). I have
used everything (3M, Starbright, Turtle Wax etc.) on this black
gelcoat and nothing has worked. - a lot of labor for little results.
Your products have made a believer out of me! I want to order
again after I use up these bottles. -Mike Selman Santa Cruz,
April 1999.
I have a 1981 Glastron Carlson with a red metal-flake gel gelcoat.
The finish was unbelievably oxidized. I tried many different
products to bring out the colors. These products seemed to make
the finish worse. I have spent many dollars and countless hours
on these products. I saw your product line advertized on the
WEB and decided to give it a try before giving up. I started
with the SEA GLOW and got instant results with very little effort,
just as you advertize. The next day, I finished with the SIMPLY
BRILLIANT Superwax to seal my new brilliant finish. I was completely
finished with my 17ft boat in under one hour total. No words
can express my delight with the results I received from your
product. Its like having a brand new boat! Thank You. -Mike Orther
San Marcos, California, April 1999
My boat
is an old (1976) white trailerable sailboat. The gelcoat was
very dry and chalky. SEA GLOW stopped the dryness- the boat just
drank it up! I then applied your SIMPLY BRILLIANT wax/sealer
combo and it has made the boat look like new. I really like the
easy way the ISLAND GIRL Products applied. I treated the whole
boat, including topsides with SEA GLOW in one and a half hours.
The Superwax application took another hour. Thanks again and
thanks too for all the telephone support. -John E. Johnson Cloverdale,
CA, May, 1999
* P.S. I also like the ISLAND GIRL Pink, It cleaned up the inside
of my boat and makes it smell great.
Finally, a product that lives up to its advertizing! The whitening
power of your SEA GLOW is amazing. What's even more amazing is
that my boat seems to be getting whiter with time. -David Aucella
1987 Catalina 34 "Samantha Jean". CA, June 1999
About 13
months ago, I began using SEA GLOW as instructed to remove the
chalk and restore the shine and then sprayed on SILKENSEAL to
seal the surface prior to waxing. Now I routinely use SEA GLOW
and SILKENSEAL to shine up the surface from time to time. The
results have been very satisfying and the finish is getting better
with time. Unlike a water based acrylic sealant I have used,
the finish is not streaky and it is easy to maintain a shine.
G. Ernest Rodriguez, Punta Gorda, FL Feb 2000.
Thanks to the ISLAND GIRL system, my 20-year old gelcoat now
looks as new with very little work. I used Island Girl CLEAR
Cleanser/Conditioner, with both SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax and
SILKENSEAL as sealants. Your other kit products also worked just
as advertized on my dorade vents, portlights etc.Mike Cardwell,
Sacramento CA, Jan 2000.
Just wanted
to let you know how GREAT your product is. I have a 28' Motorhome
with a gelcoat finish and lots of plastic trim that had some
nasty stains that I could not remove no matter what I tried.
Well your
product did the job so easily that I am amazed. I had bright
orange rust stains underf the water inlet, gasoline crud from
overfilling, and a rubber mark where a loose tire hit the side
of the rig. Your products removed every one of those stains with
almost no effort. I also have a lot of plastic trim that was
very dirty and yellowed. Again, your stuff removed all the grime
and dirt and returned the color to a bright white. I plan to
tell everyone about your products. Thanks for making life a little
easier.
Brian Bardsley, Forest Grove, OR, July 2000.
!
I've used SIMPLY BRILLIANT and it's the best, please email me
when your stock is back to normal. Thanks, Mike Johnson, Indianapolis,
IN, July, 2000
We have
an older motorhome[1990 Pace Arrow], with a very badly oxidized
gelcoat on both sides, or I should say did have. I have used
everything on the market, including compounds with machine buffers,
and there is nothing to compare with your products for ease of
use and shine. Once over with Crystal Clear and then with SilkenSeal,
and it appears to look as if it was sprayed with a clear coat.
Thank you for a product that works as advertised
Don Staples, Bellevue, OH, August 2000
I have a white hull with a dark green strake - both were moderately/heavily
oxidized and the white gelcoat was heavily stained with black
streaks. I used the Sea Glow cleaner/restorer (twice around the
whole boat), and followed up with the Superwax. Application was
easy (my 10 year old helped out), and the results are excellent.
I started out with one of the worst looking hulls at the club,
and ended up with grea color and great shine. I'm not sure on
the durability of the wax yet, but my initial impression is very
good. The only problem that I have is that a lot of small flyinginsects
got stuck to the wax before it dryed and I have to rub them out.
Review of Island Girl cleaners posted 04/30/2001 On www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 1979 O'Day 2home port New York.
I want
to thank you for the wonderful new finish on my 1969 Acadian
yawl. I applied the SEA GLOW to the original chalky gel coat
and followed with SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax. My boat hull now
has a beautiful mirror like finish. Your products delivered results
way beyond my expectations. At one time I thought the only hope
for a shiny finish was a paint job until I discovered your products.
The BOAT U.S. store in Toledo, Ohio is "missing the boat"
by not stocking your products. My guess is they could free up
an entire aisle currently occupied by nearly useless ( by comparison)
rubbing compounds, waxes and "restorers" if they carried
your products.
John Mull, Toledo, OH May 2001
"...When I applied the first coat of Simply Brilliant, the
paper towel dragged along. I had to take time to let the product
flow on at it's own rate. When done, it looked great. The second
coat went on easily and quickly AND NO BUFFING OR ANYTHING. Product
dried clear and "Brilliant." I'm thinking of putting
on a 3rd coat before launch. After a week, there was a collection
of pollen over everything; but, it didn't stick to the Simply
Brilliant wax. A quick toweling and the pollen came right off.
........The Clear Horizons definately made the lexan forward
hatch look
100% better. A quick wipe on and the micro scratches seemed to
disappear..."
Excerpted from Review of Island Girl cleaners posted 05/16/2001
on www.Sailboatowners.com by the owner of a 12 year old Catalina
25, homee port Chesapeake Bay.
My boat's
non-skid was updated when I purchased it last year. The non-skid
was painted grey with two part Awlgrip to make the boat look
more current. Just like regular non-skid, it was difficult to
keep clean and waxing and other alternatives (303 made it too
slippery) were failures. Recently I cleaned the grey Awlgrip
non-skid with "straight" Island Girl Pink and it came
back to the original color. The embedded dirt and chemical discoloring
were readily removed with a minimum of manual effort. I then
sealed the Awlgrip painted non-skid with Island Girl Non-Skid
Sealant. It produced a tough lusterous finish that repels water,
dirt, and other pollutants. In fact, it still retained the non-skid
qualities and looked good-simply amazing. I'm very impressed
with Dr. Willis' entire suite of products, and even more impressed
by the ease of application versus being chained to my venerable
polishing wheel. Try it, it really works! [Ed:: THIS WAS TWO-
PART PAINT (with catalyst) . DO NOT USE UNDILUTED IG PINK ON
SINGLE PART PAINT UNLESS FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS GIVEN IN ONLINE
INSTRUCTION BOOK- ALW]
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted 10/30/2001 on www.Sailboatowners.
com by the owner of a 1993 Hunter 23.5, home port Mobile Bay,
Alabama.
Well, I always used to believe what my Grandfather told me when
I was growing up, "if it sounds too good to be true, it
is!" I just found the first real exception to that bit of
wisdom. I just finished rinsing the deck of Carolina and I can't
tell you how pleased I am with the new non-skid sealant I applied
several days ago. I live in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore and
the deck of every boat here is always covered with heavy dust,
dirt and sugar dust, from the Dominos sugar plant, within 2 or
3 days of washing the boat. In the past I've always reluctant
to just rinse the deck off because it tended to turn the "sugar
dust" into a hard "sugar glaze". It might be nice
on a creme brule but I hated having to scrub it off the deck
every few weeks. With the new non-skid sealant on the deck it
prevents anything from sticking to the deck. The water beads
more than it ever did, even when Carolina was brand new or newly
waxed (not the non-skid of course). The deck also feels even
more non-skid" now. Is that possible? Needless to say, I'm
a very happy Captain. Every Island Girl product I've tried has
performed equal to or better than promised. I was looking for
more storage space on board and I think I just found it. All
the rest of our cleaning supplies are being donated to the trash
heap and that's going to open an entire locker for other, really
good things, like more wine. Thanks for making a product that
does what it claims. I'll be using Island Girl from now on and
as long as we own "Carolina". Mike Pilolla s/v Carolina
Nov 2001. Review of Island Girl Cleaners 11/17/2001 on w.Hunterowners.com
by the owner of a 2000 Hunter 450, home port Chesapeake Bay,
Mid-Atlantic.
I first
learned of Island Girl products on an e-mail list. They were
talking about how well these products worked to bring back the
finish on inflatable boats. I looked up the web site and was
impressed with how effortlessly these products seemed to work.
I e-mailed Dr. Willis and asked him if there was a product for
painted boats. He was working on such a product, although not
ready for release. I kept insisting that I could beta test this
as my newly purchased boat was Imron painted 3 years ago and
has dulled due to the inattention and the brutal Texas sun. Long
story short, Jim sent a first batch. It worked great, but took
a long time to dry. Then Jim sent the final product, which worked
a miracle on the boat! It took less than one pint to do this
33 foot boat (two thin coats on one day). We wiped it on with
a white paper towel and wiped it off excess with a micro fiber
towel. All the old oxidation came off and left a shiny surface
behind. Jim's products do work as advertised. I've used his gel
coat product on a dingy old dock locker and couldn't believe
how easily it was transformed into a like new box! I can't say
enough, or recommend Island Girl products more highly. Its great
to find a company that delivers what it advertises and has outstanding
customer service to boot.(Photos available on request). Jeff
Barfett, Fairview TX Nov 2001 Morgan Out Island Pilot House
I have a 13 year old bass boat and purchased your "Simply
Brilliant" super wax to try and bring back some of the gelcoats
shine.It has a metal flake gelcoat,like many bass boats and the
sun has not been good to it over the years. I have tried several
different waxes and polishes to use on the boat. I have to say
that your product is BY FAR the best product I have ever used.The
boat actually looks like showroom condition (and I am not exaggerating).
Thank you for distributing a product that actually does what
the manufacturer claims. Have a great holiday.
Sincerely,
Joseph Inzalaco
Castaic CA, Dec 2001
I'm restoring
a 20 year old boat that has been sitting in a backyard for the
last 6 years, open and unattended. I used the IG Pink and the
SuperGlaze (free sample that came with the kit I purchased) and
it worked great on my anodized (black) aluminum mast and boom.
People thought I bought them new after I used these products.
The best part was they were easy and fast to use. Anthony Willis
at IG is unbelievably helpful and takes the time make sure you
get what you need.
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted Feb 5th 2002 on www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 1979 Victoria (McVay) Victoria 18, home port
Cheapeake Bay/Patuxent River.
I just used the non-slip sealant. It is great! We did a couple
of boats with 3 bottles of the sealant. The water beads off them
and the dirt runs off with the water- no scubbing! Most impressive
-it actually improved the nonslip traction on the deck. I did
just what you suggested. A good cleaning with the IG Pink, a
serious hose down with plain water, drying, and then I put the
nonslip sealant on. However, I applied it with white terrycloth
towelling. I kept the towelling wet with the sealant and rubbed
it into the deck. It dried almost as I was putting it on. It
looks great and is very "nonslip". A great product.
RW Boat Detailer
Florida, March 17th, 2002.
I have
used your products, Pink, Superglaze, and the others whose names
escape me at this moment. They are, utterly, FANTASTIC! These
products were used on a 1977 Catalina 27, that was, to say the
least, neglected. Your products cleaned, restored and made brand
new looking, an ugly duckling. Everyone in our marina has been
asking where they may purchase this miracle. I pointed them in
your direction, so look for more customers from Central New York.
That includes me, of course. Great stuff!!! With best regards
Charlie and Ann Roman aboard ROMANCE.
May 2002 (re-order) New York, NY
The only product that I'm familiar enough with to recommend,
is Island Girl Pink...and I love it! I have spilled varnish,
paint, caulking and other stuff that the Pink helps take off.
I would recommend (and do) it to anyone. Instructions are clear
enough for anyone. I have also used the Blue, which I also liked,
but I think, perhaps you have discontinued it? [Ed: NOT discontinued!
This is SEA GLOW, one of our best selling products]. Good luck
and keep up the good work.
Sincerely, A satisfied customer,
Allen Freeman
April 2002
I received
my shipment last week and have treated (Cleansed/Sealed/Waxed)
my 18 year old O'Day 26 over the weekend. I am simply amazed
at the results! The boat looks brand new and has attracted significant
attention from others who were
buffing/waxing/compounding their hulls in the same yard. The
dark blue strake and waterline stripes are vibrant with no oxidation
showing and the white hull shines like a mirror. Again - I really
can't believe the results. Many thanks for a product that does
as advertised and then some! Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits
on www.sailboatowners.com. Posted 04/15/2002 on www. Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 1984 O'Day 26, home port Massachusetts.
I had dealt with the chalkiness and occasional streaks and marks
last year with 3M Restorer and Wax and a random orbital polisher.
The results were initially pretty good -- the chalkiness was
noticeably reduced and the hull looked cleaner -- but it wasn't
great, it was a lot of work, and didn't last the season. By August,
things were pretty much back where they started. This year, a
friend recommended trying the Island Girl system to restore the
gel coat. I checked out their web site and looked over their
discussion forum on www.catalinaowners.com, and decided to give
it a try....... The results were absolutely amazing, beyond my
wildest expectation. My hull literally looks brand new. Bright
shine, spotless surface, and a depth to the gel coat that's stunning.
I had people at the marina coming over all day to look her over,
equally amazed as I was. If it has the longevity Dr. Willis promotes,
I'm going to be one delighted guy Now, it's not effortless. The
conditioning phase requires time and multiple trips up and down
a stepladder, and is a bit messy. The sealing and waxing steps
are easy, but still require you to keep moving around and up
and down. Still, it seemed like a whole lot less work than using
a polisher, and the results are in another league. One thing
else: although I bought doubles of all the materials, I ended
up using half a bottle of conditioner, maybe a quarter of a bottle
of the sealant, and a third of a bottle of the wax. No problem,
though, as my extras were quickly bought by the fellow with the
neighboring boat.
Matt Boulton
C36 #843 Andelain
Groton CT, May 2002
My wife
and I cleaned and waxed our 36 foot sailboat a couple of weeks
ago. The project took almost 2 full days. The boat was built
in 1980 . We bought it in 1984 and had no idea what care the
previous owner had given it. We tried many cleaner and wax products
over the years, but were never satisfied with the results of
our labor. So this is the reason for taking the two days and
over a half dozen rolls of paper towels! We wanted to make sure
that the boat was thoroughly prepared before waxing. The thin
coat of wax didn't quite look right. So I took the microfiber
cloth and used it as directed. My wife says that you should call
it the miracle cloth. The shine was very smooth and even.
Sincerely, Carl Steele
Atlantic City, New Jersey
May 2002
Hi! I ordered Island Girl's Super Deluxe kit. The products worked
wonderfully well and the boat (Catalina 22) looks wonderful.
Great product- I will order again!
Regards
Ken Buzbee, Mentor, OH, June 10th, 2002.
I having
been using Island Girls' products for the last 2 years on my
4 year old Catalina. I always get comments that it still looks
brand new. I thought Superwax (Simply Brilliant) was good; Jim's
new product, Superglaze is a 100% better. Two seasons ago I used
IG Pink to remove the old wax and dirt, then used Sea Glow to
remove any remaining dirt and stains (also used SG to remove
the dealer decals which exposed the original gelcoat color).
The Sea Glow restored the surrounding gelcoat to within a shade
of the original white color. I wonder what would happened if
I left it on longer. Since it was a fairly new boat I applied
two THIN coats of the Simply Brilliant Superwax, skipping the
Silkenseal step. However my buddies with older boats says that
Silkenseal is necessary on boats with porous gelcoat. By the
way all, my neighbors on my end of the dock are now using IG
and are experimenting with ways to use IG products. I have had
good results with the Superwax. However, I would get black streaks
from airplane exhaust and other air pollutants. These streaks
would appear everywhere I had runoff although with Superwax it
was not as bad. I would simple remove the black streaks with
diluted spray bottle of Pink and some scrubbing. This would remove
most of the streaks. A year later the fiberglass was still shiny,
so I just used some diluted Pink on most of the surface and full
strength with an "000" pad on the stubborn stains.
Then got out the old roll of paper towels and applied a single
coat of the Superglaze. Superglaze is amazing stuff. Not only
is it shiny, water beads up and rolls off like it was a mirror.
This is the only way I can describe it. Now I only get black
streak run-off under the dodger - nowhere else, and it is so
easy to remove the streaks by using highly diluted Pink (a very
pale color) and a microfiber cloth. Another exciting
benefit is how easy it is to remove the bird dropping stains:
simply hose off. It has been four months now and still looks
great: no deterioration in the protection and it still beads
up. To shine it up, I just simple wipe the surface with a microfiber
cloth.
Duane Maher
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted 07/24/2002 on www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 1999 Catalina C380, home port Chesapeake.
The Super Glaze [MIRROR HARD Superglaze] is fantastic. I've had
it on the topsides and hull since May and it has really done
the job. Water beads on it, it has a mirror-like reflection and
is very easy to clean. So far, no black streaks. In Baltimore
that's unheard of because of the Dominos sugar factory near by.
The filmy glaze still builds up over a week or so, but now all
I need do to remove it is to hose the deck down, wipe it with
a synthetic fiber mop and rinse. No more scrubbing! Not only
has it helped Carolina continue to look new, it's made her easier
to clean. Thanks for the product Jim. It does everything you
said it would and more. It makes cleaning the decks so much easier.
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted 07/25/2002 on www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 2000 Hunter 450, home port Chesapeake Bay,
MD.
I was very
pleased with these products. They were easy to apply. The non-skid
sealant has held up well through a hot summer and greatly improves
the non-skid qualities of the deck areas where applied. It has
also improved the appearance of the deck areas where applied.
I'd recommend these products to others.
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted 07/26/2002 on www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a 1984 Macgregor 25, home port Virginia.
Greetings from the great state of Texas.
I just purchased a 1999 motorhome that had been "professionally"
polished prior to delivery. However, wiping on a small spot of
SIMPLY BRILLIANT Superwax (with no previous surface prep at all)
made the rest of the rig look terrible by comparison.. I then
grabbed my paper towel and waxed the whole 36 foot rig in about
2 hours. Using some of your other products, I even brightened
up all the plastic trim. I can't tell you how nice it is to find
a product that does everything it claims and then some. Great
stuff. You have a customer for life!.
Thank you.
Brian Bardsley, Aug 3rd, 2002.
I am writing
to tell you how pleased I am with the Island Girl's Mirror Hard
Superglaze product. I have a classic motorsailer that was professionally
painted in Imron about 3 years ago. The Imron paint is great,
but doesn't keep its gloss in the intense Texas heat we have
for 5-6 months a year. I've tried a number of different waxes
and other products which provided a great gloss (after a LOT
of work), but the shine never lasted more than 3-4 months. That
was a LOT of work 3-4 times a year!
I purchased and applied Island Girl's Superglaze product last
July. The application was the easiest of any product to date,
wash the boat and apply the Superglaze with a paper towel. Gloss
was as good as any other product I've used. I proceeded to apply
a second coat and accomplished both in less than 4 hours! I was
a little skeptical whether this would last any longer than the
waxes and other products I've tried as the application was just
too easy. Long story short, this is July, a year later, the gloss
has held up! The hull color is cream with a 10" dark green
stripe around the gunwale. The shine and water shedding properties
on the cream color is as good as last July. The green stripe
is a little less, but you should feel how hot this area gets
after it has been in the sun all day! I'll give the green stripe
a maintenance coat next month, but will let the hull go for another
year and see what it looks like then.
I have to tell you that this finish has held up well. It makes
cleaning the boat relatively easy, even the spider dropping clean
off easily. Stubborn water marks from run off are a thing of
the past also. I have been experimenting with the rest of Island
Girl's product line since I had bought a whole kit. I have to
say, everything works as advertised! I am very satisfied with
both the products and the person to person customer service (rare
in a company these days).
Regards, Jeff Barfett
Review of Island Girl Cleaner Kits posted 08/08/2002 on www.Sailboatowners.com
by the owner of a Morgan IO33 Pilothouse Motorsailer, home port
in Texas Gulf Coast.
Here are the pictures of the teal green boat that I did with
your Island Girl products. It is an amazing differenece. I am
very excited about using your line of Island Girl Products. In
13 years of compounding and waxing boats with traditionals compound
and high speed buffers, I have never seen anything do a job like
I have with Island Girl. I am truly amazed and so is anyone I
show the results to.
Anne Miller
Above The Waterline Yacht Detailing & Maintenance
Annapolis, MD, August, 2002
Jim-
You might
remember me as the guy who waxed one side of the boat with 3M
and did the other with the IG system. Well it's been 5 plus months
and the jury has come in. The IG side of the boat looks like
it did the day I did the application. Water still beads up and
the side looks great. On the 3M side, the water still beads a
bit in the mid-section and stern but at the bow, the water simply
sheets away as if no wax was ever applied. As for other sections
of the boat that I used IG. The cockpit, under the dodger was
always prone to mildew growing on the fiberglass. That didn't
happen this year. All things being equal, the guess is the IG
sealed the fiberglass better preventing moisture from penetrating
the pores in the gelcoat. I'm a happy camper (sailor)! "
David Johndrow, 1982 Hunter, Bristol CT, Sept 2002
In reply to my question about "which side got the most sun"
Mr Johndrow stated that the IG side actually had more sun exposure
so it really is a more than fair test. I am hoping to get some
photos of this boat. Perhaps this is an answer to those who who
think that such conventional products work "just as well".
We have used your products and what an amazing outcome. The boat
we used the Sea Glow and Simply Brilliant on had been sitting
out in the sun in AZ for over a year. I was turned onto your
products by my brother who used them on this same boat a couple
years earlier. The results and the color restoration were amazing
and the boat looks incredible. I have used compounds before and
have experienced the amount of effort it takes. This was so easy
and I didn't need a bag of ice for my elbows afterwards.Your
products are great. Bryan Spletstoser, Scottsdale AZ Oct 2002
Clothing, Autos and General Household Uses
One of our tasks is maintaining patio furniture for a large number
of apartments. Last year we had purchased ISLAND GIRL Pink at
the San Pedro West Marine Store where it was highly recommended.
It did a fantastic job on the webbing of the patio furniture,
although it had to be allowed to soak for a few minutes. This
year, the store was out of stock so we special ordered Island
Girl CRYSTAL CLEAR because of the vinyl preservatives that are
present. We finished off with the new SILKENSEAL that forms a
weatherproof barrier. We have tried all other cleaners carried
by Hardware stores and West Marine but nothing else works like
the products from ISLAND GIRL®. -Steve Zarragoza Golden State
Maintenance Los Angeles. CA, June 1998
"I
found that ISLAND GIRL Pink Cleansing Lotion solved two very
difficult problems:
a) My new car had a yellow blotch on the paintwork that was of
unknown origin and I did not want to use rubbing compound on
the new clear-coat finish. Gentle application of non-abrasive
ISLAND GIRL Pink using white paper towel and then minimal rubbing,
transferred the yellow stain to the towel, with no sign that
the paintwork had been adversely affected. After water rinsing
and application of a little wax, the area that had been treated
was indistinguishable from the surrounding area. b) The printed
lettering from plastic bread packaging had transferred to the
formica kitchen counter top. Again, use of ISLAND GIRL Pink Cleansing
Lotion in the recommended fashion (application and rubbing with
paper towel, then water rinsing) totally removed the stain. -Tony
Clark Van Nuys CA, July, 1997
".. ISLAND GIRL Pink Cleansing Lotion . was able to remove
Sikaflex® that had got on my yellow West Marine foul weather
top 8 months before. I now plan on taking a bottle with me while
cruising in the South Pacific."-Paul Hale Alameda, CA.
"You
may remember that I came upon your booth at the IMTEC show in
Chicago and listened to the presentation of your product. I asked
if your product could remove an oil stain on my pants. Not only
did your product (ISLAND GIRL Pink ) remove the stain but left
no water mark or sign that the stain had ever been there. Your
product is one of the best products that I have seen in a long
time and I have tried them all."-Capt. W.H Lee, Calimesa
CA 93320
"This product (ISLAND GIRL Pink) is Amazing! It removed
black 5200 adhesive sealant from both the cloth and vinyl upholstery
of my truck. Although the sealant had been on the upholstery
for about 2 months, it was removed within just a few minutes
using paper towel soaked in ISLAND GIRL Pink, followed by water
rinsing. Thanks!" - Gary P. Viggiano, Chula Vista CA, June
14th, 1997.
My neighbor
put a new dodger on his 36 Ft sailboat. He used a ton of duct
tape over a 3 month period. He was working away on Saturday trying
to remove the tape residue, complaining about a 10 day job! I
loaned him my ISLAND GIRL® (Pink) - the residue wiped off
with little effort. He went & bought his own bottle at the
local West Marine and finished the job that day. -H. Brock San
Diego, CA Jan 1999
We used ISLAND GIRL® CRYSTAL CLEAR on a convertible top on
my car. It had black streaks from the mechanism used to fold
it out. The product worked great and now we use it all over the
boat. -Bob Panacek, April 1999.
I recieved
my packege and your products on my floor [Ed: white linoleum
tiles that had become yellowed]. It [SEA GLOW] worked great!
There still was some scrubbing involved because the yellowing
was very bad in spots.
Thanks so much,
Michelle Foley
Renton, WA, April 2002
GRAFFITI REMOVAL
For some time now we
have used ISLAND GIRL Pink Cleansing Lotion to remove marker
and spray-paint graffiti from the lexan windows of our flower
store in downtown San Francisco. In our experience, this is the
ONLY product that can remove graffiti without damage to the underlying
plastic material- and we have tried them all. B.Idzkowski, Bo's
Flowers, Market Street San Francisco, CA. July 1999.
Thank you
Dr. Willis on two counts: First for your prompt sending of the
product since I was under a critical deadline to remove paint
graffiti from lexan windows. These are in place to protect inner
windows from vandalism.
Secondly, the Pink Cleansing Lotion removed the heavy green spray
paint more effectively and easily than I expected . Unlike other
products that I tried, your product did not damage the lexan..
Thanks Again.
Dennis Janocik, Louisville KY, Feb 2001
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