General Maintenance for Your Boat

Episode 6:  In today’s episode, Molley and Chad are going to talk about routine maintenance for your boat.  These are things you can take care of during the season to keep your boat clean and ready.  There are all sorts of stains and bleeds you’ll need to address.  Chad covers his system for getting the boat ready for the day.

Pre-Outing Check

Chad discusses his routine for making sure everything’s ready for the day.  His first step is to check the lights, wheels and bearings to make sure the trailer is functioning properly.  Then he’ll inspect the prop.  As a tip, Chad recommends taking your shoes off before getting into the boat.  This will protect the seats and stitching. Second, he inspects the battery compartments, connections, as well as the Bimini top.  It’s much easier to do this now, rather than waiting until the day is underway.

This is also a good time to get the boat gassed up.  While everyone else is getting ready you can take care of this task and be back in time for the fun.

New Bathing Suit Stains

If you’ve had a boat for a while, you’re probably familiar with this issue.  New bathing suits can bleed after they get wet.  They can leave dark stains on your seats.  Molley recommends handing out towels as soon as you launch the boat.  Ask guests to sit on their towels. 

When you need to remove the stains, there are various ways to do it.  Using a magic eraser will work but can often damage the stitching on your seats.  Condition the seats as soon as can!  You need to get the conditioner worked into the vinyl. 

Hair Dye

Molley provides tips on getting hair dye out of the seats.  These stains are worse than the bathing suit stains.  If you see a hair dye stain in one place, you can be sure there are more stains elsewhere on the boat.  Again, you can use the magic eraser, but IMMEDIATELY condition the seats!  You don’t want them to dry out.  Chad likes to use the Meguiar’s products. 

PRO-TIP: 

If you condition your boat seats after every other run, you’ll have some added protection and the seats will hold up well.

After Your Day on the Lake

Be sure to wipe down your boat.  Old towels are great for this task.  Fiberglass/gel-coated boats should be wiped down quickly to remove the water line from the surface.  You can also use a Turtle Wax & Dry product.  If you’re not doing similar activities, you could risk nullifying your gel-coat warranty.

End of the Season

Molley comments that they like to wash down the seats before putting the cover on the boat.  It’s a great time to put on another dose of conditioner to help preserve them through the winter.  Well-conditioned seats will resist the stains much better than neglected surfaces.

Storing Trash

It’s a good idea to hang up a bag for trash, wrappers, cans and other garbage.  You might designate a compartment to hold the bag. 

Dealing with Sugary Drinks

As we mentioned in Episode 2, brightly colored, surgary drinks (i.e. Kool-Aid or Margaritas) are definitely going to stain the seats and carpet.  If you see a spill or drip, IMMEDIATELY flood the area with water to prevent it from setting-in. 

While You’re Out on the Water

Something you should consider is a battery switch that will let you change batteries, when you stop to listen to music or other activities.  This will ensure you’ll always have enough power to start the engine to get back home, safely.

Safety Tip: 

It’s a good idea to make sure you have the contact information for a towing service, should you ever get stranded on the lake.  Chad recommends Don Hunter’s Marine Assist on Lake Cumberland.  It’s cheap insurance to ensure the safety of you and your family or friends.

Tools to Take Along

Chad recommends a small jumper box, should your battery fail.  Black zip ties are a must.  They repel UV light and will hold up longer.  A sharp utility knife can always come in handy.  An adjustable wrench (10”-12”) can solve most of the problems you might encounter.  Buy a 11-in-1 screwdriver.  It will definitely be worth the price.  Chad also recommends a taking along a good, cheap volt meter. 

Do You Need to Switch Out Your Prop?

Many outboard motors come with aluminum props.  However, in the early season, submerged or partially-submerged logs become a risk.  A stainless-steel prop will take more punishment, should you hit one of those logs.  The aluminum prop will give more (i.e. bend), so it might cause less damage to the motor’s lower unit. 

Molley recommends having a spare prop and a floating prop wrench, in case you need to change the prop.

 

That’s a wrap for this episode.  I hope you found it helpful, insightful and maybe a little entertaining.

Thanks for Listening!

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider sharing it with your friends.  We hope to see you out there soon.  Until next time, here’s to warm weather and calm waters!

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