Need Help Quick - 46' Boat and Rust

[DCOutdoors]

Sorry, I posted this in the, "Ask The Expert" forum as well... I just hope to get a quick answer as tomorrow morning is the Day of Reckoning (the owner of the boat reveals his pleasure or displeasure)!

I am finishing up a 46-foot boat...wow... There is rust running from the drains to the waterline and some kind of gray something that goes out about four inches on each side of the rust trail and all of the compound and wool buffer pads in the world don't seem t touch it (short of cutting through the gel coat). It seems like it has stained all the way to the fiberglass. This boat had very heavy oxidation (but not any more).

Is there anything that will get the rust out and possibly embedded exhaust? I go back to work on it tomorrow morning at about 6 a.m. (central) so need the answer before then otherwise it will just be great information to know.

BTW - the boat is in the water at a marina in N.C. Florida (Port St. Joe).

Thanks in advance.

[Perfections]

Usually when it's that bad I'm hitting it with some 800-1000 grit on my d/a. Finish out with 1500 and hit it with compound.

[DCOutdoors]

Funny ending... the boat owner took my hull cleaner and a Brillo Pad to clean it! I went back and waxed where he used the Brillo Pad and it didn't look to bad! It helped that it was near the water line.

[Reefdrifter]

I've used Bar Keepers friend to remove minor rust stains. It's available in powder or liquid at Stop and Shop, etc, and some hardware stores.

Get the powder. Make a thick paste with water. Brush the paste on the stain and cover with plastic wrap to keep it moist. Let this sit overnight. The rust stain should be gone or greatly reduced. Repeat if necessary. The important thing is to keep the BKF moist so it can work.

I don't know what the the sounding stain is or weather the BKF will remove it.

Reefdrifter