boat cleaning : who does what?

[Donkeyzmilk]

hi there , just want to know what lengths people go to washing their boats ,how hard do i go with the washing? being new to the whole fiber glass boat thing is there anything i should be paying particular attention to ? sounders and plotter are water proof yes? im not going to hit them with a gerni , but might give them a light going over with fresh water?

i know engine flushing is very important , long enough to open the thermostats to do it properly 10/15mins , but im pretty much a novice at the rest , do you folks clean your whole boat after a run?

do you just hose it over? or really get into it with some sort of cleaning agent and go the whole hog?

i know there is a thread on cleaning agents, but no so much the degree of what i should be doing to look after my new toy, id like to make it last and look good for a long time to come.

[Chimo]

Hi Donkey,,,,,,,,,,,

Lots of stuff gets quickly forgotten, it amazing how quickly sometimes.

In a nutshell, keep the polish up and the soap use low to maintain the frp finish. Read this for more of the same etc http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?187476-Best-way-to-wash-your-fiberglass-Boat-.

Cheers
Chimo

[ozynorts]

Hey Donkey, I wasn't sure what type of cleaners and waxes to use so I emailed the builder and got the info from them. I am not sure about hosing the cab and electrics though. Just my opinion. I like to just wipe that area with a wet cloth.
Cheers
Ozy

[Donkeyzmilk]

i have been using ct 18 , on cars bikes, buggys , for years , but as YALTA says after rereading that thread , don't use on the windscreens, so i'l cease that , when yous talk of soaps , what sort of product are we talking here? some say CT 18 is to strong for a boat?...i never let it sit on there(like they recomend) , just a quik wash and hose off.

should i use something different for the boat?

[johncar]

I am pretty fussy with cleaning but I don't use much in the way of detergents but I generally just go fishing out to sea so the boat doesn't get muddy or anything. I just wash down with plenty of fresh water and that's tank water, not town water full of chemicals. My Glass boats always came up sparkling and unpainted tinnies just need a bit of a chammy off after washing down to stay looking good.
I don't splash water around any electrics, that's just asking for problems.

[tenzing]

Yep give the sounder and plotter a light spray then use two high quality sunglasses cloths. One to get most water off the screen and the other to lightly wipe screen dry. Gotta spray all that salt off first.
After getting cancer in my GPS antenna cable a while ago I now spray some fresh up under the gunwhale behind the throttle controls and wash off all the salt water that gets up there, I was absolutely gobsmacked at what it looked like when we pulled the lot down to find the corroded wire. It seems to come down from the holes for the cable runs up into the stainless top and any thing that comes through the front and around the throttle controls ( the old control had some corrosion issues from this too )
Just spray the clears and leave them.Dont touch them with a sponge or anything. Go over them with vuplex and microfibre some other time and they will stay perfect for years.tell your mates to keep their fingers off them too!
Spend HEAPS of time rinsing out the inside of the trailer till fresh water pisses out of every hole, and really give the wheels and brakes a good go from both sides

I dont wipe the boat down, but for those of you who have shiny cars and like wasting your lives keeping them that way, My mother in law told me years ago to lose the chamois and use a really soft bath towel instead - BRILLIANT ( until the wife catches you )
Cheers
Brendan

[theoldlegend]

Yep give the sounder and plotter a light spray then use two high quality sunglasses cloths. One to get most water off the screen and the other to lightly wipe screen dry. Gotta spray all that salt off first.
After getting cancer in my GPS antenna cable a while ago I now spray some fresh up under the gunwhale behind the throttle controls and wash off all the salt water that gets up there, I was absolutely gobsmacked at what it looked like when we pulled the lot down to find the corroded wire. It seems to come down from the holes for the cable runs up into the stainless top and any thing that comes through the front and around the throttle controls ( the old control had some corrosion issues from this too )
Just spray the clears and leave them.Dont touch them with a sponge or anything. Go over them with vuplex and microfibre some other time and they will stay perfect for years.tell your mates to keep their fingers off them too!
Spend HEAPS of time rinsing out the inside of the trailer till fresh water pisses out of every hole, and really give the wheels and brakes a good go from both sides

I dont wipe the boat down, but for those of you who have shiny cars and like wasting your lives keeping them that way, My mother in law told me years ago to lose the chamois and use a really soft bath towel instead - BRILLIANT ( until the wife catches you )
Cheers
Brendan


Actually mate, you'd have a good comeback there if the wife did catch you using a soft bath towel:

"Well dear, it was YOUR mother who told me that a long time ago, so I'm just following her good advice"

That should get you out of the s*@t.


TOL