Cleaning your boat can be a labor-intensive task, but it's well worth it to keep your vessel looking shiny and new, protecting its resale value. Here are the steps to follow to clean boat decks made of fiberglass.
The first step is relatively straightforward. As the gel coat on a fiberglass deck deteriorates over time, it can leave behind a chalky residue and dust. Simply sweep all the dust and debris up and vacuum it out, giving you a clear surface to work with.
You will want to use a specialized boat cleaning soap for scrubbing the deck. Use warm, fresh water (not salt water) mixed with a cleaning solution. Mix warm water in a 5-gallon bucket with two cups of white vinegar if you prefer a non-chemical option. A long-handled soft brush or sponge is best for scrubbing your boat. Use a specialty mildew stain remover on those spots if you have any mildew stains.
Again, use fresh water to rinse the cleaning solution off your deck thoroughly. You may be trying to stave off saltwater damage with all this work, depending on where you live. It might be convenient to spray things off with a saltwater hose when you're out on the ocean, but the purpose of this job is to maintain your boat's appearance and gel coat long-term. Use towels to mop up any remaining wet spots. If you leave moisture pooling anywhere in the boat, it's likely to create more mildew.
This next step is lengthy, but it's only necessary if the gel coat on the fiberglass has started to deteriorate. If it feels pitted or porous, it's time to take the steps to restore the gel coat. If it is still in good shape, you can skip this step and finish with polishing.
You will want to use a non-scratching, degreasing boat solution for this. Use a damp cloth to apply the degreaser over the entire fiberglass deck surface. A degreaser fills in any tiny, porous holes in the fiberglass. You should then rub the excess degreaser off with a microfiber towel. Another alternative is to use a spray-on degreaser that can be rinsed off with fresh water after it's applied. Allow the degreaser to dry before moving on to polishing.
If you want to restore that like-new sparkle to your fiberglass deck, you must polish it. A high-gloss polish is just the thing for making your boat shine again, although this step takes some work.
If you have a smaller boat, apply the polish to a soft cloth and then rub it into the gel coat in circular motions. You may want to buy or rent an electric circular buffer if you have a larger boat. Set it to a low speed and then apply compounding and buffing pads. Polish the gel coat entirely, then wipe the boat down again with a microfiber cloth.
Fiberglass that has become too pitted or oxidized may require an additional step. Degreasing and polishing may not be enough to restore the gel coat in all cases. For more severe deterioration, you will want to purchase a specifically formulated fiberglass rubbing compound. Apply the rubbing compound by hand with a towel or with a circular buffer. If you use a circular buffer, use gentle pressure and keep it moving at all times. Your goal is to apply the rubbing compound and not scrape off the additional gel coat. Allow the rubbing compound to completely dry and set in before waxing.
The gel coat protects your fiberglass from the elements, and wax protects the gel coat. It also gives your boat that new-looking “shine” when it's on the water. Sun and water damage can degrade your gel coat, so it makes sense to wax your boat for that extra layer of protection.
Follow the instructions for the brand of wax that you're using and apply it evenly over the entire surface. This can usually be done with a soft cloth or an electric buffer. Cover the entire fiberglass surface and then wait for it to dry. Once dry, use a soft cloth to wipe off any excess. Your fiberglass deck should be sparkling like new after this process.
What to Do Once Your Deck Is Clean: Hit the Water With Gemlux!Here's everything you need to know about mooring buoys to help you securely and confidently tie off your boat.
What Does a Mooring Buoy Look Like, and Where Can You Find Them?
A mooring buoy is a spherical ball that floats in the water. They are usually painted white and will have a blue or orange stripe on them. Mooring buoys are generally found in harbors or anywhere that boats are anchored. In some locales, restaurants catering to the boating community or a yacht club will have mooring buoys for boaters to tie up to.
Most mooring buoys (if well maintained) will have some kind of markings on them. Private mooring buoys will have the owner's and vessel's names or a mooring permit number. Buoys at private yacht clubs may have "GUEST" printed on them for visiting boats.
Public mooring buoys often have a VHF channel so that you can contact the harbor manager. Before tying off to a mooring buoy, you should always contact the harbor manager. They'll let you know whether a particular buoy is anchored strongly enough for a vessel your size. If not, they'll direct you to one that is.
A three-strand nylon rope has a bit of stretch and can easily be looped through the ring on the pickup buoy or mooring ball. You will need two strands of rope to tie your boat to a mooring ball properly, and each should be ten or more feet long.
Mooring buoys will be spaced a reasonable distance apart in the harbor. You should always approach at idle speed so as not to create a wake. You don't want to rock the other boats with your wake, and there could be people swimming or scuba diving nearby. Cruising at idle speed to approach your buoy will also prevent you from overshooting the target.
Check the condition of the mooring buoy, the pickup buoy, and the pennant that attaches them. Do they look well-maintained? Are they covered in seaweed or barnacles? If they don't seem to be in good shape, it's probably not a good idea to tie off here. Ask the harbormaster for another buoy. Public moorings are usually well-kept, but that's not always the case.
You will need at least one crew member with a boat hook on the bow of your vessel. One end of your tie-off ropes should be attached to a boat cleat on the port and starboard sides of the front of the bow. Have a system of hand signals worked out with the crew member at the front before approaching the buoy. Before reaching the pickup buoy, these signals should let the captain know how many approximate boat lengths are left. You should also have a signal that lets the captain know when to cut the engine(s).
After approaching at idle speed and adjusting for wind and current, your crew member at the front of the boat should be able to grab the pickup buoy with the boat hook. It's easiest to grab the underside of the pickup buoy and pull it up onto the boat.
The pickup buoy will have a ring attached to it to which you will thread the mooring line. Remember that you must repeat steps five and six on both sides of the boat to be tied off at two points. When you thread the first mooring line, you want to leave some slack in the water.
The rope that has been looped to the pickup buoy can be threaded through a fairlead (if you have one), although it's not necessary. The mooring line that is now looped through the ring on the pickup buoy should be tied off on the same boat cleat that the other end is tied to.
Move the pickup buoy to the opposite side of the bow. Thread the second mooring line through the ring, but don't leave any slack this time. Tie the second mooring line to the second cleat.
You can now untie one end of the first mooring line and adjust the tension to equal the opposite rope. Tying off to two points like this provides more safety. If you use only a single point, the ring on the buoy might saw through the line overnight. You don't want to wake up to the sound of your boat colliding with something because it drifted away while you were sleeping below deck.
If you need the highest quality stainless steel boat cleats or any other types of deck hardware to securely tie off or dock your vessel, Gemlux has you covered. Our marine hardware and carbon fiber fishing gear are manufactured to endure, so you can rest assured your boat is decked out with the best of the best.a
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