How to clean your boat exterior after each use.
Clean boat and trailer
How do you clean your boat after each use? Your boat always looks good all season, what do you do? The answer is get it clean with a good coat of wax at the beginning of the season. After that be consistent in cleaning it after each use. We are not talking about a lot of time, just consistency. I will go through the different steps to get your boat and keep your boat looking like new.
The Starting Point
We want to start out the season with a boat that the gel coat shines. Some may have to put a little more work into this than others. If your boat already looks shiny and new then you just need to apply a nice coat of quality automotive type wax and buff off. You should be ready for the season.
If your boat has seen better days, then it is time to get her looking like she did when she was new. Get your boat clean with a good washing of clean water and dish soap or automotive wash soap. If you have some more serious problems with the gel coat such as staining or oxidation, then there will be additional steps you need to go through. There are some great resources out on the internet for specific situations. Bottom line, be very careful with your gel coat. I subscribe to the philosophy of least abrasive first. If the least abrasive method fails, move up a level. Don’t be the person who sees some staining or oxidation and immediately goes looking for the wet sand paper. Go to a automotive cleaner wax, then mild cutting compound and so on. Be cautious and read the directions on the product you are using.
Be Careful With That Gel Coat
I have liked the Meguiars family of Mirror Glaze products as they show how abrasive they are on a chart on the product label. Start with a product on the less abrasive side, you can always go more abrasive. Work on a small section in the least noticeable part of your boat first. Once you find the right product then you can go to work on the remainder of the problem areas. The bottom line, follow directions on the product and take it slow. Don’t grab your high speed polisher and think you will just bring your oxidized boat back to its original glory in 30 minutes. You can go right through a layer of gel coat if you are not careful. Start slow and be careful.
What if the waxes and cutting polish does not work. I would recommend you take your boat to a professional. Unless you are a gel coat professional, I would not recommend working with wet sand paper. Leave it to the professionals. Gel coat repair is extremely expensive, so don’t go take a layer of gel coat off due to inexperience.
When the staining or oxidation is removed make sure the gel coat is polished and smooth. Afterwards, get a good solid coat of wax on that gel coat and you will be ready to go.
After a Day at the Lake
There may be a variety of water issues depending what part of the country you live. After a day on the lake and I put my boat on the trailer I immediately park and wipe down the entire boat. This includes inside and out as well as all glass. We want to get all of that lake water off as soon as possible. I simply use the damp towels that we have used that day on the boat. Sometimes I will use a spray wax while wiping down if the boat is fairly dry. Usually the remaining water on the boat and a damp towel will do the trick.
While wiping down your boat you will be able to see how well your wax job is holding up. When the wax is still good, the water and all its little spots should disappear when you wipe down your boat. If you are seeing water spots after the wipe down, you need to reapply the wax. Also, if that ring along the water line is not coming off easily, you may also need to reapply your wax.
After a day on the lake
Keep Your Boat Waxed Up
To keep the wax levels up on the boat in between uses I will use a spray wax or detailer. I have used a variety of spray waxes over the years from Turtle Wax, Lucas, and Meguiars and all have worked just fine. I currently like the Aero Cosmetics Wash Wax All product as it has been effective and is relatively inexpensive. The product keeps that new shine on the boat and seams to do well at keeping the water spots away. It is also very easy. Spray it on and wipe it off. Keeping your boat looking good does not always mean it has to be difficult.
Don’t Forget the Trailer
Too many times I have walked by a beautiful boat that someone has treated with great care. Then I look down at the trailer and it looks like it has not been touched. Years of hard lake water deposits and oxidation on the paint. Remember the trailer is part of this large investment that you made. Trailers need love too.
After each trip I wipe down my trailer. At least the parts that I can reach. I also get the wheels while I am wiping everything down. When I get back home and I apply some spray wax to the boat, I hit the trailer as well. The wax loves to protect paint as well as gel coat, so make that trailer shine as well. While your at it hit those tires with a UV protector for tires. This will protect your tires from the harsh elements, plus it just looks good.
Conclusion
It does not take a lot of neglect for your boat to start looking neglected. Stay in front of the dirt, grime and oxidation. Get your boat clean and waxed. Then wipe down after each use. Give it a quick spray wax job after every trip or two and don’t forget the trailer. In the long run you won’t spend any more time keeping your boat looking good rather than trying to revive abused gel coat. Also, as an added benefit, your boat will always look good. Who doesn’t want to look good? Enjoy your time on the water.