Without question, the most straight forward preventative maintenance for your boat is regular washing.
How often should I wash my boat?
If your boat is in a marina or on a mooring ball and exposed to the elements 24/7 then you should ideally wash your boat with a good quality boat soap every 2 weeks.
If that is not feasible, you should wash your boat once a month (minimum) to prevent premature degradation of your boats protective coating and finishes.
Boats that are dry stored or covered on the driveway should be washed every 2-3 months to keep it in optimal condition. Remember, most dry storage facilities are close to the water. The salt air can and will take a toll on your boats finishes.
If your boat is on the driveway, don’t forget to look after your boat cover. Rinse it with fresh water regularly. Be sure to let your cover dry before storing it for any length of time to minimise mould growth.
Lastly, and perhaps the most important is to give your boat a fresh water rinse after each outing to remove any salt residue.
If your engine is raw water cooled, be sure to flush the system with fresh water in line with your engine manufacturers recommendations to minimise corrosion of internal engine and exhaust parts.
Gold Coast Boat Detailing use and recommend Salt Away for engine flushing.
Boat Washing Tools
The tools required to wash your boat are simple however larger vessels require more specialised tools. Lets look at the basic tools you will need to wash your boat:
- Boat soap, bucket and chenille microfibre wash mitt
- Soft boat brush for washing general areas.
- Ultra soft boat brush for washing clears and glass (optional for single level vessels but necessary if you have a fly bridge)
- Medium boat brush for scrubbing non skid. - Hose, hose fittings and plastic spray nozzle (avoid metal spray nozzles to prevent damage if dropped. Your spray nozzle should have a handle you can hook over a rail or deck fitting so it is easy to reach) - Clean chamois and microfibre cloths.
Shurhold Industries and Swobbit provide a high quality and extensive range of boat washing tools so you can get your boat washed quickly and efficiently.
Boat Washing Products
At Gold Coast Boat Detailing, we use products that provide a comprehensive detailing solution. For example, if we will be applying wax as a protective coating, we use
3M Perfect-It™ boat wash followed by their compounds and wax. This ensures that all products are compatible and there is no premature failure of the protective coating.
There are hundreds of boat soaps on the marked today. A PH Neutral and environmentally friendly boat soap is recommended to ensure the soap does not strip the boats protective coating or cause any harm to the various materials you will be washing, as well as the marine environment.
Be sure to come back soon as we review the boat washing process and how to care for the various materials on your boat such as clear vinyl windows, glass windscreens, Teak, Sunbrella and more.
Disclaimer: The information contained in these blogs is for general purposes only. Boat owners should do their own research and obtain professional advice specific to their requirements. Under no circumstances will Gold Coast Boat Detailing be liable for any damage.