Boat maintenance can be pretty intensive. One of the most effective preventative measures for any boat is to regularly clean your vessel! Depending on how dirty your ship is, it will require a few different products and a certain amount of elbow grease. Read our article on how and when to clean your boat, then head out to either of our dealerships in Rancho Cordova or Homewood, California, for all your boating needs.
When and Where to Clean Your Boat
A number of boat owners choose to clean their vessel from the comfort of their home, rather than have it detailed, to save some extra cash. However, if you feel a bit out of your depth with this task, or your boat is in a state of disrepair, it might be better to visit a service shop with detailing services. But overall, cleaning your ship is a relatively easy task. Every time it leaves the water your boat should be rinsed with the hose. This small task in and of itself is enough to help prevent corrosion and rust. If your ship becomes visibly dirty then we advise busting out the cleaner to give it a real wash. A polish and wax is the most difficult cleaning task, and is generally required only twice a season. Once before going into storage, and once after being removed.
Cleaning Tools
While this tool doesn’t have much to do with the cleaning process, owning a boat cover will keep your ship cleaner for much longer while protecting it from the elements. In order to actually wash your vessel you’ll need a soft scrub brush, boat cleaner, boat wash, boat polish, and a number of soft towels or chamois. While some articles may say that car cleaner or wax is sufficient for boats, this is incorrect. Ships experience stripping conditions more regularly than cars and their products contain a number of added protectants.
Washing Your Boat
As stated previously your boat will need to be washed when it is visibly dirty. Begin by rinsing, then grab your cleaner and a soft scrub brush. Work in sections, washing an area of the ship, then rinsing it off with fresh water. This will ensure your soap doesn’t dry and leave dirty streaks before you have time to rinse it. Once you’ve gone all the way around you can dry your boat with a soft towel, or let it air dry, before placing your boat cover.
Waxing and Polishing Your Boat
This is the most difficult part of cleaning a boat, largely because it’s a bit time consuming. If you’d like, you can purchase an electronic buffing tool to speed up the process. Once your ship has been washed and dried you can begin applying polish with a soft towel or buffing tool. Work in one direction all the way around the boat, using the same motion again and again. Make sure to be gentle as the polish is an abrasive product. Once your boat is glossy you can begin waxing. Similar to polishing you can apply the wax with a soft towel. Be sure to move in one direction around the ship, reusing the same motion over and over. Once you’ve gone all the way around, allow the wax to dry into a hazy finish. Afterwards, you’ll begin buffing your vessel using a soft towel. Once again use the same motion in the same direction around your boat till you achieve a glossy finish. Remember to cover your boat once finished.
While polishing and waxing your ship can be a little tiresome, it is one of the most effective ways to protect your boat against degrading and stripping elements. We hope that this guide has been helpful! If you’re located in the cities of El Dorado Hills, Roseville, or Folsom, California, and are in need of a boat, we hope you’ll visit Superior Boat Repair & Sales! We have high quality inventory, a number of boating accessories, and great customer service.