Boat Maintenance Tips

Some of the common questions we receive at Nanaimo Boatyard. More maintenance tips to follow! Read and learn.

How do I clean black streaks on my hull?

There are specialist black streak remover products, but after a while, they strip off the wax and then the water streaks become even more prominent and difficult to remove. If you have a good layer of wax on your boat then the best thing is to stick with boat soap. The popular choice is to use the black streak remover, but as soon as it becomes harder to clean then apply cleaner wax to the area. This way you won’t need to wax the whole boat so often and you will have an easier job cleaning off the black streaks.

Do I always need to clean the salt off my boat?

Sun on a salty boat can result in salty water spots into the gel coat and your glass or plastic windows. Salt can also start to rust stainless steel.

Before you leave your boat even just a few minutes hosing the windows and hull can make a difference but it’s not really enough. For boat health, you need to wash your boat with boat soap or a recommended boat cleaner. Be thorough and don’t just stop at the gel coat, clean all the deck, glass and stainless steel. If you have time wipe down all the windows until they’re dry.

Can I use a pressure washer on my boat?

It is very tempting to use a pressure washer. It’s a fast way of removing black mould, green mildew and more, but you are also removing any wax that is left on your gel coat and it won’t improve the gel coat’s condition for waxing. Pressure washing can remove fittings, easily ruin teak and on a coloured hull or topside can make the colour uneven. Elbow grease is, unfortunately, the answer with boat soap and soft brushes.

How do I know my boat needs some tender loving care?

The first thing people notice is that the boat has become dull and less shiny. This happens because the gel coat has started to oxidize and there isn’t any wax protecting the gel coat from UV rays. You may also notice black specs. These specs are mould and they won’t come off easily.

Once a boat is heavily oxidised no amount of boat soap is going to bring it back to its former glory. Boat detailing companies use power buffers with a rubbing compound and then polish to seal the gel coat and a good coat of wax to help protect it further.

To keep your boat on track the answer is regular maintenance:

• Wash your boat every month.
• Deep clean the interior at the start and finish of each season.
• Wax the hull every year and wax the topsides twice a year.
• Clean the decks and canvas with mildew spray and then treat the canvas with a product to prevent mildew.
• If you have teak decks wash them as often as the rest of the boat and then use a specific cleaner once a year to remove any grease and dirt.
  
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