Boat Washing 101 - Spring is Here, Lets Go Boating

As a boat owner you know that washing the boat can be time consuming. You also know that the longer you put it off the harder it is to clean. The ideal time to wash a boat is after it has been used. In an ideal world we would have someone waiting for us after each use who would spend an hour cleaning it up and putting another coat of wax on it. If you have a pressure washer on the dock it behooves you to spray off the waterline before and after each use. It would also make sense to put a quick coat of wax on the hull. There are many products, which can quicken the boat cleaning process if you choose to do it yourself. There are many tools you can also use to assist you. One excellent tool is a roto-scrubber, which provides agitation and saves your muscles and back. Let's face it even a relaxing day on the water can make one fatigued. Under ideal conditions you would use a pressure washer with warm De-ionized or reverse osmosis water and a roto-scrubber and spend a ten minutes to fifteen minutes per side. This should be enough to get you through 40 to sixty feet.

There are many quick waxes on the market, which are relatively easy to use. There are several locations on the Internet to order such waxes if you search under; " Marine Detailing Waxes." Meguiars makes one and another popular brand is Starbrite. Wal-Mart sells both brands on their shelves in the Super Wal-Marts.

Meguiars also has a really great self-help system so you do not use the wrong product on the wrong type of surface:

http://www.meguiars.com/rx_marine/marinerx.cfm

When using your soft bristle or roto-brush it is helpful to put your special boat washing soap in a bucket of warm water to help you remove any algae or moss on the boat hull. Warm water will work twice as good as cold water. You should wash the hull on the side of the boat away from the dockside first, then the bow and then pressure wash the top and then stand on the dock to clean the hull against the dock. As you pressure wash work from the top down. If you are not using de-ionized or reverse osmosis water then work in sections and shammy dry as you go to prevent water spots.

While you have the pressure washer out you may as well go hog wild and clean the dock too so you do not track anything on to your clean boat. Hope this helps. Think on it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs