How to Clean a Hull
The good bit about being a boat owner is that you can cruise the open waters at your own convenience. However, the less exciting bit is that you also need to look after your vessel by cleaning it regularly to avoid damage from saltwater and corrosion. Cleaning the hull of your boat will protect the paint and, as Mike Davenport at Sideroad explains, the smooth, clean surface will help your boat go faster in the water.
Instructions
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Pull the boat out of the water and station it away from the water's edge. This will enable clear access to the hull for cleaning and avoid the spill of cleaning products into the water.
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Apply the abrasive cleaning liquid to the boat hull by following the manufacturer's instructions. The liquid acts as an exfoliator to remove algae, mud or salt that causes damage to external surface. Use gentle, circular strokes to apply the liquid using the sponge to avoid scratching or removing paint accidentally. If the surface is extremely dirty, use muriatic acid, which can handle hard to remove dirt.
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Fill your bucket with fresh water and add a squirt of washing detergent. Make sure it is environmentally friendly if you're washing the boat on water to avoid causing water pollution, as recommended by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
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Dip the sponge into the bucket and wash the hull thoroughly to remove the abrasive liquid from the boat's hull. Don't be shy and get stuck in. It's just like washing a car so use lots of elbow grease to scrub the hull. Use a large soft sponge to leave the surface smooth.
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Turn the hosepipe on to a medium to high pressure and rinse off the soap suds. Make sure it is connected to a fresh water supply (not saltwater). The hose will blast away any remaining dirt or abrasive liquid and leave the hull clean.
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Leave the surface of the boat to dry and return the boat safely to the water.
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Repeat the cleaning process once a month or when the boat hull has a build of debris on its surface to maintain good condition of the paint.
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Tips & Warnings
If you cannot pull the boat from the water, use a dinghy to maneuver around the hull area.
Alternatively. clean one side of the hull from the shore, turn the boat around to face the opposite direction and then clean the other side.
Speak to a sales adviser in a specialist boat store if you are unsure about what abrasive liquid to buy. You don't want the liquid to remove wax or paint from the hull.
References
- Photo Credit Image Studios/Valueline/Getty Images
