How to Care Properly for your Boat - Best Practices

Did you know that at least 1 in 10 households in the United States owns at least one boat? Families with estates near oceans, lakes, or rivers, usually have boats for the spring season. It probably goes with the saying, “why rent a boat when you can own it”.

Even so, owning a boat comes with responsibilities. For many years Starke Yacht Care  has specialized in boat detailing, engineering cleaning products and providing maintenance guidance boat and yacht owners. If you are considering installing EVA marine foam flooring, we recommend DEKit Fort Myers. Even foam flooring needs regular maintenance, along with the rest of your boat deck. We can say every family does have their preferences when it comes to the style, design, and aesthetics of their boat. As boat owners ourselves, it’s fun putting your personality into your watercraft. 

If there’s one thing in common, that is you may have to clean your boat on a regular basis, which includes your boat’s floor covering. The more you use your boat, the more it needs your care and attention. We have prepared 7 useful boat maintenance tips to keep your boat looking and cruising the best it can.

Inspect and clean your battery

Check your battery at least once every season, especially if you use your boat often. Batteries can deteriorate and lose their power over time. Without regular maintenance, it can corrode and leak which when further ignored, can lead to irreparable damage.

Clean potential areas of corrosion, including any points of connection with wires. Watch out for leaks, cracks, and bites from rodents. Even though your boat is anchored at least 1 meter from the boardwalk, rodents will find their way to your wires. Boats that are big enough to have a kitchen, dining, and a bedroom are prone to pests because of leftover or unkept food.

Most importantly, make sure your battery holds enough charge. The last thing you want to experience is for the boat’s battery to go dead while you are still out on the water.

Flush your engine

Always flush the engine after use when you take your boat on the water, it becomes exposed to variables like salt, sand, mud, and other debris that can ruin your boat’s exterior. To prevent these materials from causing further damage in the future, make sure you flush your engine with fresh water after using your boat.

Some boats come with a built-in flushing system of their own, which you can use. Just read the user manual so you can use it properly. If your boat doesn’t come with a flushing system, just use fresh water from the hose.

Keep your deck floor looking good

For the DEKit flooring system, we recommend using deck-approved cleaning materials such as soft bristle brush and scrub. While the DEKit system is highly durable and aesthetically beautiful looking, it needs to be maintained to ensure longevity.

Of course, clean the deck and flooring to ensure everyone’s safety on the boat. If you don’t clean your flooring, hazardous elements like dust, mildew and small particles can be inhaled. Or worse, they get into your eyes and cause irritation.

Just scrub your deck to remove stains and dirt. Disinfect cushions, countertops, and other high-touch areas on the deck. Vacuum to remove excess dirt, especially if you have carpeted flooring.

Winterize your boat for the cold season

For boat owners in wintry climates, the icy weather can bring unexpected damage to your boat if you don’t winterize it. To winterize your boat, drain any water aboard or replace it with antifreeze materials to prevent freezing when the temperature drops. Add protective tarps that can help protect your boat’s deck or better yet, bring it to a safe boat storage facility.

Apply corrosion protection to your engine and apply to fog if necessary. Some boat owners would also add a fuel-stabilizing mixture to the fuel to prevent it from freezing. Remove drain plugs and empty water from vessels.

Clean the windows and other fiberglass materials

When winter comes, the moisture that accumulates in your boat’s windows can make it fuzzy and streaked. Even when you’re not going anywhere, try to stay alert regarding your window’s condition. Clean them if necessary.

Look for fiberglass cleaners and don’t just use simple soap and water techniques. Using the right kind of cleaning ingredients for a particular material will prevent premature damage to your windows.

Remove dirt and clogged debris on your hull

If you’ve been out on the water a lot, you notice your hull will accumulate debris over time. Given enough time, sunlight and water can degrade the gel coat of your hull and expose other materials, leading to corrosion.

So, clean your hull regularly. A mixture of dish soap and warm water is a good DIY but severe corrosion requires a professional touch. Avoid using abrasive cleaners like bleach or ammonia because it will only weaken the construction of your hull.

Vacuum carpets, beds, and cushions

If your boat is big enough to have space for cushioned seats, bed, or carpet flooring make sure you vacuum them. Carry a cordless vacuum cleaner on board and thoroughly remove dirt and debris from your cushion.

The cordless vacuum cleaner will pick up dirt while reducing damage to the surface, preventing slips, and drastically cutting down cleaning time.

If you have any questions about maintaining and cleaning your boat, get in contact with us, and we will help guide you to the best solution.