How To Get Your Boat Ready For The Season

For most of the country, early spring means it’s time to get the boat ready for another year of fun on the water. Even if you took the time to prepare your boat for winter storage and gave it a good cleaning in the fall, a few weeks of being laid up can still leave your pride and joy looking a little less than showroom perfect. Spending a day putting your ride in tip-top shape before the big spring launch will not only ensure it’s ready to go on that first day out on the water, but it will protect your investment for years to come and keep it looking and operating like new.

Prepping the boat is the perfect way to scratch that itch that’s always there just before the weather’s nice enough for launch. A few hours and a selection of cleaning products ensures you and your guests will beam with pride on that first day out.

So where do you start?

Star brite Premium Cleaner Wax

1. Clean The Hull
Start prepping your boat for spring by giving its outer hull a good cleaning. Spring is the perfect time to remove grime, oxidation and hazing from the outer hull, keeping your boat looking new. Start by giving the boat a thorough wash (a pressure washer works well for this), then apply a good marine cleaner wax like Star Brite’s Premium Cleaner Wax. Let the product dry to a haze, then wipe it off with a dry towel or cloth. Go slowly and do one section at a time for the best results.

3M Perfect It Boat Wax

2. Wax The Hull
Once the hull is clean, take the opportunity to polish it as well. A good finishing wax not only protects the hull from UV damage, but improves boat performance and fuel economy by reducing the amount of friction as the hull moves through the water. 3M’s Perfect It Boat Wax contains pure carnauba wax that protects gelcoat, paint, fiberglass and metal finishes from the elements.

Shurhold Dual Action Polisher

3. Polish Hard Surfaces
You can make the job of cleaning and polishing the hull easier by using a power buffer, such as Shurhold’s Dual Action Polisher. This compact and lightweight polisher has a unique dual action, oscillating head that produces a deep, professional polish without risk of burn or swirl marks. It lets you clean or wax the boat in half the time, while doing a better job and without the muscle aches afterward. The Shurhold polisher features quick change pads with Velcro backing, making it super easy to replace the pads when they wear out.

Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce

4. Clean The Upholstery
Once the outer hull is ship shape, it’s time to move to the interior and give the upholstery a thorough cleaning to remove any dirt from last season along with regular over-winter grime. Boat Bling Vinyl Sauce removes dirt, oils, old sunscreen and winter mildew from a variety of soft surfaces, including vinyl, leather and plastic. Best of all, it’s biodegradable and environmentally safe when used as directed.

Star brite Ultimate Carpet Cleaner

5. Clean the Carpet
No part of the boat gets dirtier than the floor carpeting, so taking a few minutes to pay special attention to this area can pay big dividends. Start by giving it a good, thorough vacuuming, then using a specially formulated marine carpet cleaner like Star brite’s Ultimate Carpet Cleaner to remove stains from insect repellant, sunscreen, fish slime and more. Apply the cleaner and let its foaming action lift stains and foul odors away, then rinse the carpet clean with a hose.

Sudbury Bilge Cleaner

6. Don’t Neglect The Bilge
The bilge is easily the dirtiest and grimiest part of any boat, so don’t neglect this area when getting ready for a new season. It’s never a fun job, but taking a few moments to wipe everything down with a cleanser like Sudbury Bilge Cleaner keeps your boat in top shape, eliminates mold and mildew, and tames that funky bilge smell. Used as directed, it dissolves grease, oil and scum to kill odors and reduce scrubbing time. And, it’s 98% biodegradable with an Earth-friendly formula.

BioKleen Amazing Cleaner

7. Wash The Canvas
Canvas tops, dodgers and covers seem to be magnets for dust, dirt and dead insects, so no spring cleaning job is complete without giving them some attention. A good disinfectant like Bio-Kleen Amazing Cleaner lifts stains from porous materials like marine canvas, while breaking down insect debris so the canvas looks like new. Made from natural corn extracts, it’s biodegradable and completely safe for marine life.

Shurhold Snap Stick

8. Lubricate The Snaps
After giving the canvas a good cleaning, take an extra moment to lubricate the snaps and zippers with Shurhold Snap Stick, a unique and easy-to-use wax stick product that looks like lip balm, but is specially formulated to lubricate these fasteners and keeps them working like new. Fully water resistant, it protects against corrosion or freezing – just rub it on and forget it.

CRC Engine Degreaser

9. De-Grease The Outboard
For a completely professional job, spend 10 minutes to give the outboard engine or stern drive lower unit a quick clean with a proper engine cleaner, like CRC Engine Degreaser. These simple products remove exhaust stains and any expelled grease or oil, not only keeping the engine looking clean but protecting its painted surface from pitting and corrosion. Simply spray it on and wipe it off to remove residue and grime, leaving your engine as clean and shiny as the rest of the boat.

Boat Glass Optical Glass Cleaner

10. Clean The Glass
If there’s one final step in getting the boat ready for a new year on the water, it’s cleaning all the glass with a proper glass cleaner. Boat Glass Cleaner from Chemical Guys is safe for use on marine glass, clear plastic, window tint, Plexiglas and Lexan. It’s made for windshields, but also works wonders on side windows, skylights, and portholes – or any other marine glass that’s exposed to salt spray, water spotting, dirt, grime, and pollution. The streak-free formula removes water spots before they can etch into glass or plastic and permanently ruin the clarity of the window. Just spray it on and wipe off – it’s safe for the environment and marine life.

That’s all there is to it! Getting the boat ready is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and keeps your pride and joy looking showroom perfect. Have fun!