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A Guide to Cleaning Your Boat

May. 25 2022 Maintenance By Clinton Harborside Marina

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Responsible boat ownership means taking care of your boat’s regular maintenance needs. One oft-overlooked factor of boat upkeep is washing and cleaning the boat. Whether you boat in saltwater or fresh water, your boat can get pretty grimy with regular usage, and keeping it clean can help you to more easily maintain it, while also prolonging the life of your craft.

Here are the steps you should take when cleaning your boat to ensure success.

Remove Personal Items & Trash

Before you begin, it’s a good idea to take as many items off the boat as possible to protect those items from water and make your boat easier to clean. Also, you can inspect all your boat equipment when it’s in your garage and repair or replace it as needed. Take a trash bag and bag up any trash you find, particularly food waste. You’ll want to remove your safety items, watersports equipment, fishing gear, towels, bathing suits, additional clothes, and valuables as well.

Gather Supplies

Make sure you park your boat in its trailer on flat ground that has good drainage, such as a paved or gravel driveway. Don’t park your boat on your lawn unless you want all the soap and debris to kill your grass. Get all your items ready to go near the boat so you don’t have to go hunt for anything. The supplies you’ll need to clean your boat include: 

  • A source of fresh water, such as a garden hose.
  • A couple of buckets.
  • Some sponges.
  • A soft-bristle scrub brush.
  • Boat soap.
  • Marine wax/polish.
  • Stiff brushes.
  • Chamois cloths.
  • Mop.
  • Broom and dustpan (for sweeping the deck).

Rinse & Scrub

Now that you’re ready, the first thing you want to do is to give your boat a thorough rinse to remove the first layer of residue. Rinsing your boat after every trip is a good step to take in general, especially if you’re boating in saltwater, due to its corrosive nature.

Fill a bucket with a mixture of marine soap and water and start scrubbing the hull in sections with a sponge, going top-to-bottom and rinsing frequently. If you encounter barnacles or other stuck-on organic matter, grab a stiff brush to scrub more thoroughly.

Wipe Down & Sweep Interior

Now you should enter your boat and wipe down the console and controls and the seats. Use a soft-bristle brush to scrub if needed, but try to avoid scrubbing too hard and don’t use caustic substances like bleach, particularly on the upholstery. Sweep and mop the deck.

Let Dry & Wax

Now you can let your boat dry in the sun or use chamois cloths to speed up the process. If you like, you can also apply a boat wax or polish to the hull, buffing it in with a soft cloth. A protective wax coating helps to reduce damage to your gel coat and keep your boat cleaner for longer. Now, stand back and admire your results!

Visit us at our location in Clinton, CT, to view our selection of new and used Sea Hunt® boats for sale. Clinton Harborside Marina proudly serves our customers in Milford and West Haven, CT.