We are blessed as boaters in South East Queensland with our year round mild weather. However, we do get a winter of sorts, and there are days, particularly those strong westerlies where, while it is beautiful in the harbour, probably not so pleasant down the bay. These are the perfect days to do some spring cleaning to prepare for the coming summer months. In this article I’ll hopefully offer a few general tips and reminders of areas that need attention.
Give the boat a proper wash down.
Hopefully you have been giving your boat regular washes throughout the year. Not just hosing the salt off, but a proper soapy wash down. This is important as the grime will build up and can stain gelcoat and paint by entering the tiny surface pores – especially on unpolished surfaces. If left dirty, the constant weathering conditions caused by overnight dew, followed by baking sun, makes it very difficult to remove. Don’t fall into
the mistake of thinking the rain will wash away the dirt – it doesn’t! We are lucky to have a reasonably clean environment in our marina and we have found regular monthly washes to be ideal. Of course, the level of grime depends on the weather we have experienced that month. Some months a salty residue will coat your boat due to strong onshore winds, while other months we experience more dust than usual when it’s more westerly. We have also come to realise that the nor ’westers are particularly troublesome due to the coal dust from the Port of Brisbane (as reported in the Courier Mail last year). You need a quality marine detergent and soft head broom – don’t just think a hose off will do the job, there are no short cuts! It’s important to understand the differences between detergents. For our customers on regular cleaning programs, we use a wash and wax type detergent. While I don’t believe they actually add wax to the surface, importantly, they do not remove any polishes. Our customers’ boats are always well polished and the last thing we want to do is strip that protective polish away with a harsh detergent like some of the truck wash products will do. Make sure you rinse the boat well and chamois the surfaces dry to eliminate water spotting, particularly on glass, clears and stainless. Don’t forget the detail, such as lifting hatches and wiping out gutters etc.
Polishing – top up or repolish?
With the surfaces all dust and grime free, now is the time to tackle the polishing. I have gone into detail on how to polish in a previous article which can be found on my website. What you need to understand is all surfaces need the nourishment and protection polish provides. Even brand new paint or gelcoat needs to be regularly polished. In Brisbane’s
climate I have found no polishes last much longer than about a year. Some hold up better than others but this is mostly to do with the structure and composition of the surface. Interestingly some gelcoat seems to dull more quickly than others. Although two pack paint holds up the best to weathering, it is usually a thinner coating than gelcoat, so you don’t want to let it oxidize and require cut and polishing too often. If you want your boat to look good between annual polishes then regular’ top up’ polishing is required. By that I mean apply a surface protecting polish every month or two. Flat surfaces that get the most sun will need the most attention through the year. Cap rails, toe rails, around the front of
flybridges and hardtops are always the areas that start to oxidize first. Once oxidizing has started, simple hand applications of polish will be a waste of time and look dreadful with patchy swirls. As mentioned, every boat is different but the result is the same – if you don’t do the regular washing and polishing the boat’s exterior will deteriorate and cost you more at the end of each year.
Teak decks – cleaners and cautions.
Again, check my website or give me a call to discuss maintaining teak decks. Teak decks are one of those luxuries that add so much to the joy of boating for some of us timber lovers. They can really lift a boat’s appearance and feel great under foot, but neglected they can just as easily drag down a boat’s appearance. Unfortunately due to costs, many new
production boats come with teak so thin that it is only a matter of a few years before they start to wear thin. Before you know it, the sealant in the seams is sitting proud of the teak forming uncomfortable and unsightly ridges. Because it is laid so thin, the routed seams don’t carry enough depth and the sealant then starts to fall out. So maintaining these decks must be handled carefully to eliminate excessive wearing away of the teak. One argument is that teak requires no real maintenance. Given the natural oils in teak this is true to a point. Weathered teak turns grey as it ages, which for many owners is fine, but during extended wet weather it can develop dark and unsightly mouldy areas. To combat
this there are two part alkaline/acid cleaners that do a great job at rejuvenating teak. Understand that you are removing a thin portion of teak every time you use these products. An alternative to this is using a scour pad but these also wear the teak down of course. If our customers like fresh teak then we might use these types of products three to four times a year depending on how it is holding up. The most important message is don’t use a high pressure hose on teak, and don’t use a heavy bristle broom. Both will gouge out the softer grain of the teak leaving a corduroy effect. (A soft head broom is fine
but work it across the grain.) In my opinion grey weathered teak does have that traditional look and can suit a classic timber vessel, but on a beautifully polished fibreglass boat they tend to look drab and unloved, especially if mould and oil patches develop. People often ask me about sealers to protect and prolong the life of teak. The short answer is I don’t use them, for the simple reason that I get more customers asking me to remove the product than apply it. It just doesn’t look or feel like natural teak and is actually a lot of work keeping it coated. Teak is a lovely natural product on the eye and underfoot and there are no magic tricks or short cuts in its maintenance and care.
Stainless steel polishing.
Another area for external spring cleaning is polishing the stainless steel. Yes, it is a very tedious job but the sparkling results can make such a difference to your boat’s appearance. There are many products out there and all do pretty much the same thing from our
experience. For us, it comes down to ease of use given we polish a lot of stainless! Some older boats have stainless that isn’t highly polished when manufactured so you might want to try an acid type rust remover on these. But even highly polished stainless will tarnish from exposure to salt water and air. These days we are seeing some very poor quality stainless that is developing rust within a month of polishing. Once polished, we find it good practice to wipe the same surface polish used on the paint or fiberglass over the stainless on a regular basis. The same applies to anodised alloy used predominantly on
USA manufactured boats. A good coat of surface polish goes a long way in maintaining that shine.
Clean and protect your clears regularly.
Check my website for a detailed description on maintaining clears. However the main thing to remember is they require monthly cleaning and nourishment with a protective product just like the rest of your boat’s surfaces. There are at least half a dozen different products commonly used for cleaning clears and while some have recommended products, the basics are the same. Wash gently with a mild soap to remove grime and salt that may scratch the surfaces. Then use the recommended protectant product with a soft micro fibre type cloth. Even after the soap wash you’ll be amazed at the black residue that appears on your cloth. Don’t forget sunscreen on your hands will leave a permanent milky mark on your clears!
Interior detailing and de-cluttering
As professional boat cleaners we have seen a lot of boat’s interiors and I am yet to see one that wouldn’t benefit from a good wipe down at the very least. Salt air gets into every nook and cranny and will eventually lead to mould and tarnishing of fixtures and fittings. A simple water and vinegar solution in a trigger bottle and a dry cotton cloth will cut
through salt residue on walls and ceilings. Don’t use wax based furniture polishes. Take the opportunity as part of your spring clean to lift shower grates, empty storage areas, dig deep into pantries and lockers and throw out as much as you can. Less is more when it
comes to what you keep onboard. If it doesn’t get used then get rid of it! We advise owners to add a portable dehumidifier when the boat is locked up on her moorings. Position it where you can run the hose into the galley sink. These greatly reduce moisture, odours and mould. Don’t forget the lazarette and all that fishing gear and toys. Give everything that will corrode a good spray with a lanoline based product and wipe the excess up. Wash all the soft furnishings and get the carpets professionally steam cleaned. You’d be surprised how much salt residue and moisture carpets gather. This is a good time to have the pest
control people come through also if any evidence of cockroaches etc.
Engine room detail
Never a glamorous job, but it is important to give the engine room an annual clean. Again I have an article on my website that covers this topic in more detail. Wipe the bilges clean, wipe up any oil drips and liberally use anti-corrosion spray on vulnerable fittings. Touch up any chipped paint work and take the opportunity to check your skin fitting valves, spare
filters and impellers. Use a bilge cleaner to break up any oil in the bilge but don’t pump the sludge into the harbour – use a bucket and take it ashore. A clean engine room is an asset to any boat.
Under hull running gear, antifoul
Obviously we all know to lift and antifoul every 12 to 18 months for optimum performance and maintenance of anodes and skin fittings etc. However between lifts it’s a good idea to put a diver down to give everything an inspection and also wipe over your running gear and hull if required. The yacht racing fraternity have long been keeping the divers busy with pre-race wipe downs. For the relatively small cost involved, the benefits of an efficiently running hull and props can more than pay for the divers cost! It’s also good peace of mind.
I have been raised with the motto ‘a clean ship is a happy ship’ and the benefits of a regular cleaning and polishing schedule on the exterior are obvious. However, the interior so often gets ignored. Spending a couple of weekends spring cleaning will keep her fresh and organised and greatly increase your enjoyment in the coming summer months.
Spring clean check list
Outside wash and annual polish
Teak deck rejuvenation
Treat clears and vinyl seats, wash canvas covers and bimini
Interior clean out of lockers and wipe all surfaces
Concentrate on detail like stainless steel polishing, rust removal and check fittings
Replace old mooring lines and fender covers
Clean engine room, bilge, and check spares parts
Get a diver onto the running gear between lifts
Give the tender a clean out and service engine
Service winches, service fishing gear
Service life raft, lifejackets, EPIRB, life buoys etc
