Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

[nightvision]

Hello All,<br />After a day of play or fishing in a freshwater lake, what is the proceedure to clean the hull of your boat. I heard there are sprays that you wipe down. What about brush (use for autos) and boat detergent? What about a 1,600 PSI power wash? Just got a boat and need to know how to keep it clean.

 

[mole2]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Well, my boating is on salt water so I MUST wash everything down after a day on the water. I use one of those brushes the hose attaches to and it washes with the water running through the bristles. I do the boat from top to bottom. I then spray the motor down with CRC. When I had an outboard I'd pop the cover and spray everything down. With the I/O I do the same. I also wax the entire boat twice during the summer...once in spring and once towards the end of the season. I'll also spot wax during the season. So I guess it winds up being waxed three times a season.

 

[rwidman]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

You can use a pressure washer to rinse it down after you use a brush and boat detergent. Don't treat it like you would a deck or driveway, keep the nozzle several inches away and use a fan spray. If used carelessly, a pressure washer can easily remove decals and registration numbers and cut through the rubber bellows on an outdrive.<br /><br />If you get a brown scum at the waterline that the soap won't remove, get some "hull cleaner" from your favorite marine supply vendor or "Dekswood" deck cleaner from the home center. They are both oxalic acid. Dillute the deck cleaner as directed and follow the instructions on either to protect your skin and eyes.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

I keep my Fiberglass hull clean, polished and waxed and I just need to wipe it down with a towel right after pulling it up the ramp (after getting out of everyone's way, of course). Takes about a minute!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

I second the wiping down with a towel bit.<br /><br />But - we float in real salty conditions. The towel is stiff afterwards. As soon as I get the rig home, I hose everything, inside and out (self-bailing scuppers), including all the ropes and lines which I coil loose on the ground to dry, and leave the anchor locker open until next use. Only thing I watch is to keep spray off the electrics.<br /><br />Motor gets its due care and attention of course, and all stainless gets an extra wash and then a wax.<br /><br />Doesn't take long, and I look at it as an integral part of the boating experience.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

I do like like the others just wipe it down after i take out and then when i get home i wipe it down with pledge after dry makes it shine like new in just a few.

 

[05GlastronSX]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

is it really necessary to wipe down the hull after every time you use your boat? Im just wondering because i just bought a brand new boat and i dont want it to become stained after only 1 year of use. I run my row boat in only a fresh water lake and have no signs or staining and it sits in the water for weeks.

 

[Ron G]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

i just got my boat last year and im still working on the stains,mine has a white bottom so the muddy water will leave a film and also i fish at guntersville alot and the grass and scum will stain that white in a hurry so its just easer to take 5 minutes and wipe it down than to wait and have to use alot of elbow and time just my 2 cents

 

[wvit100]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

My boat sits on a rack out of the water in a marina. I keep the inside waxed and clean but I would bet that the last time the hull was waxed or wiped down was two years ago. It looks pretty good though, it has a little light brown line at the water line but it looks good when it's sitting in the water.<br /><br />My boat is clean but not spotless. I'm not real anal about a little dirt and it doesn't bother me if there is a footprint or two on the seat. My boat gets used at least once or twice a week for running around, wakeboarding, etc.

 

[WSUDERMAN]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

We have really hard water here and the waterspots will build up. They are a pain to remove. Just wiping the hull down with a towel will remove the water but not the dried spots. We use "Ducky" to remove all the water spots at the end of the day. If i had a white hull it would not be that big a deal, but red really shows the spots.

 

[salty87]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

i don't wipe mine down after each trip. but, i expect more water spots as a result. and, i might have to run the buffer more that way. it really depends on your conditions.<br /><br />i've tried the ducky, it worked well but was expensive. diluted vinegar does the same thing.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Good grief guys. Are you boating or going to a car show? <br /><br />Each March my boat gets 2 coats of Collimate applied to the hull, a coat of Woody Wax on the non-slip and a coat of new bottom paint if needed and she’s good for the year. The cockpit and transom gets hosed down with raw water at the end of a trip to get rid of the blood etc. but other than that the next washing isn’t until the following March. Besides, if they saw me out there with a towel wiping her down I’d be laughed out of the marina<br />

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Agree with dingbat, it's a boat! Sure you can wash and flush all you want. But remember, there's tens of thousands of boats sitting on racks and on moorings, in salt water, that dont get pampered, and they still work/run just fine.<br /><br />That being said, when I trailered, I did rinse and flush after each trip.

 

[magster65]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

We use our boats mainly in the salt water. Salt ruins everything from electrolysis and corrosion. The deposits / stains cover the boat completely. They hose right off though and a quick flush gets rid of any residual in the engine. Something that gets missed by a lot of folks is the railings. Those stansions and the other deck hardware need a little TLC now and then too. I don't think you'll ever have any issues with lake water just by doing a little 'common sense maintenance' (like you are now).

 

[WSUDERMAN]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Yea, I tried that "do nothing" thing one year. The water spots where so bad that it took 3 buffings with meguires color restore to get rid of them. 5 min at the ramp vs 6 hours @ the end of the season...<br /><br />Salty87, Thanks for the diluted vinegar tip! I will give that a try...

 

[dingbat]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

it took 3 buffings with meguires color restore

Do yourself a favor and get a can of Collinite Fiberglass boat cleaner 920 and a can of Collinite Fleetwax 885 and give that a try. My boat is in saltwater 9 months a year and this is the only stuff that I've ever used that stayed effective an entire year. Most waxes you're luck to get a month or two.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Do yourself a favor and get a women. They are genetically designed to clean, and they like to do. With a little encouragement there is no stoppin’ ‘em.<br /><br />Can you tell ‘women’ has stepped out of the room?<br />

 

[magster65]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

You're gonna' get yourself in doo-doo!

 

[BillII]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

I have to admit I am one of those who sit back and read but have to answer this post because I had the same problem with my boat especially on the lower unit. My brother is a car body repair person and he said do not use that kitchen stuff on your boat as it will surely damage your clear coat and fast. My Ranger cost over 35k and I sure don't want to take any chances. I read about a guy that advertises on another site his name is Skeeter. He sells some stuff called Boat Restore and Wonderfoam. I am not a person to jump at every post I see about a product but this product has thread after thread of very positive posts on walleye central. So, long story short I bought some. Wonderfoam takes off the grim, waterspots and mineral deposits like nothing I have ever seen. I applied the restore which is a cleaner wax after I got the boat and motor clean and the boat looks new. I do put the restore on about every 3erd time out of the water but both products take no effort at all to use. Easiest clean up I have ever seen. Not sure if I can post the site I ordered it from but the mod delete it if they want. www.larsensales.com Good luck. Bill

 

[RCSConstruction]

Re: Cleaning the hull after a day in the water

Do yourself a favor and get a women. They are genetically designed to clean, and they like to do. With a little encouragement there is no stoppin’ ‘em.<br /><br />Can you tell ‘women’ has stepped out of the room?<br />

I must have gotten a defective model cause my women doesn't clean..... Wonder if there is a warranty?
I have been pulling into the do-it-yourself car wash bays and for 6.00 I use the foam brush, wax and no-spot rinse. Yesterday I brought the no-spot rinse hose inside and sprayed all my interior down. I believe the no-spot rinse is just reverse osmosis water.
Works great and I am done in about 10 minutes, wiping down included.