Glass Boats. Do's and Don'ts

[Cheech]

Just bought myself a glass boat. 18ft Mustang. Is 15 years old and has been really well looked after. The gelcoat is still smooth and in very good condition. So I want to keep it that way. So what do I need to do? With the old tinnie I just hosed it down and used a soft brissle brush that fits on the end of the hose. Do I need to use soap? Is it like a car and need to use warm water and a sponge all over.

What about wax? are there coatings or waxes that rejuvinate and preserve the gelcoat?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Cheech

[banshee]

G'day Cheech,I'm a bit more particular than most of my mates with boats,I wash mine with warm soapy water using a mild car wash(Kitten Glo Wash)inside and out after every trip that the boat comes home and I polish it once a season,3 years old and it compares to a new boat,the best polishes and detergent I have used came with the boat(gotta love that Nichols Bros touch) they were from 3M very dear but very good.any dings you get that expose the glass fibres need to be looked at straight away,apart from that you shouldn't have any hassles,Mustangs are a good strong boat.

[cooky]

just got my boat - 3.5/4 yrs old. top sides have gone a little yellowy in places (sun damage I believe). Any ideas how to fix? I've been trying 3M restore and wax with polishing pad on drill - has been working, but was hoping this is the best method?
banshee mentions fixing dings - I've got a few small marks (chips) on bottom of hull - how do you repair?

any recommendations on best fibreglass protection (from sun, etc) - sun in NQ not very forgiving.

[Jeremy]

congratulations on the new boat Cheech! When do we see some pics?

Don't bother offering to take me out in your boat Cheech or Banshee ;D ;D, the clean up afterwards sounds like too much work to me!

Hope to see you up at Mooloolaba a bit more often now Cheech.

Jeremy

[billfisher]

Cheech,

There is no need to do any more than hose the boat down after each trip, give it an occasion wash with a detergent and give it a polish once a year with a fiberglass polish.
The two things which will damage you boat are sunlight and freshwater. Sunlight will fade the gelcoat and freshwater (eg rainwater sitting in an outboard well) can wick into the transom through drain holes and cause the wooden core to rot. If you end up with a rotten transom it can cost thousands to replace. The boat must be kept under some sort of cover, either a garage, carport or a canvas cover.