KEEPING YOUR VESSEL SHIPSHAPE

Part 2:Quarterly maintenance tips

By Craig Stubbs

IN the first article in this series,we looked at some tips and tricks on how to clean/maintain one’s boat after every outing.In this second part,we are going to look at what I like to call,quarterly maintenance.

If you are like me and do a thorough wash and once-over after every launch,this quarterly maintenance might only need to be done every six months.However,if you are one of those who doesn’t thoroughly clean your boat after every launch (of which there are many people),then you may want to do this more regularly.

The choice is yours,but I follow this routine every three months.It has served me well,and hopefully will do the same for you.

Here again,the purpose is twofold — firstly to maintain your vessel in the best possible condition,and secondly to force you to thoroughly inspect your vessel during this process so that any potential “bigger issues”may be identified timeously and taken care of before they become a big expense.

We are going to focus on paintwork, stainless steel and motor care during this quarterly maintenance, and once you have the correct products and savvy, the whole process takes under two hours to complete.

To start with,give your boat a quick wash with warm water and soap to clean off any dust and dirt.

STAINLESS STEEL

Stainless steel is found all over a boat,from grab rails to rod holders to T-tops and more,and although it is a durable metal, it can still show signs of rust and pitting if it’s not maintained periodically.

Well maintained stainless steel shines beautifully and adds to the aesthetics of your vessel,and if it’s looked after,it will last you a lifetime.

Over and above merely cleaning it,going through each stainless component will quickly reveal loose bolts and mountings before they wear,break off or damage the fibreglass they are attached to.

Before and after a quick application and clean. Cleaning this anchor bollard took no more than five minutes from start to finish and the results speak for themselves.

There is only one product I trust to clean my stainless steel work,and that is Autosol Marine Polish.It is available through a variety of hardware stores as well as online via platforms such as Takealot,and one tube lasts for roughly two applications,so if you are buying,consider stocking up with a few tubes so you don’t need to rush out to find more,when one starts running out.

I use a small portion of a rag to apply Autosol to larger surfaces,or a toothbrush for smaller pieces of stainless such as hinges etc.Simply apply a small amount with overlapping motions,allow a few seconds to dry and then give it a solid buff with a clean cloth.It’s quite amazing how this polish can transform old and dull metalwork in a matter of seconds,and it’s well worth the effort.

While going through your stainless,pay attention to bolts and fasteners.If they are showing signs of rust,rather remove them and replace them while you can,because once fasteners have rusted beyond a certain point they are very difficult to remove,and normally need to be either drilled out or cut out with an angle grinder,which is much more work than simply replacing them timeously.

Top Tip:

Not only is Autosol great for cleaning stainless steel, but it is also incredibly good at cleaning ingrained dirt and stains (such as rust drippings) on your fibreglass work.It is also fantastic at cleaning perspex windscreens on the boat. Most people are blown away at how quickly one can transform sun damaged and faded windscreens to look like new within a few minutes.

PAINTWORK

Once your stainless steel is done,it’s time to start on the paintwork.

Gelcoat is a type of paint that most ski-boats are layered with in the moulding stage,and it is tough,relatively thick (in comparison to most paints) and has an extremely durable finish.However it too is prone to damage and wear over time, particularly from the sun and salt.If your boat has been “resprayed”during its life cycle,then that was most likely with a 2k or an automotive style paint,sprayed on with a spray gun,which is nowhere near as strong as gelcoat in the marine environment.Either way,with some care,one can extend the life of your boat’s finish.The best way to protect your paintwork is with a wax.

Before we move on,let’s quickly touch on the difference between a polish and a wax.A polish is a compound with micro particles that actually slightly abrades the surface of your paintwork to reveal a “fresh”layer of paint thereunder, leaving it looking fresh and vibrant.

If your paintwork is old and faded,then a polish is definitely on the cards,but this falls under annual maintenance for me,and we’ll cover that later.For now,were going to presume that your paint finish is in decent condition and requires protection rather than a full blown overhaul.

I’ve tried everything from “purpose-formulated”marine and boat waxes which are mostly imported and very expensive,to automotive products,and have settled on Turtle Wax Hard Shell Wax.I find it is well priced and very effective.It is available via Takealot and a few retailers.

The wax,once applied,provides protection for your paint, “seals”it against the elements,and really does make washing much easier.Old bait,blood and dirt is far less likely to stick to well-waxed paint that it does to an old porous surface. Wax is easy to apply by hand,but a few tips should make it easier for you:

•Never apply wax in direct sunlight or on a hot surface as it will dry almost instantly and is then very difficult to remove.Park your boat in the shade or do this task early in the morning before the sun reaches any meaningful effect.

•Don’t wax your whole boat and then return to where you started to rub it off.It will dry hard and,again,become extremely difficult to remove.

•Use one cloth to apply and a second cloth to buff.If the buffing cloth becomes clogged,switch to a fresh cloth.

•Best practice is to apply with a damp applicator pad or cloth,one panel or smallish area at a time,allow it a minute or so to form a haze,and then,with a clean cloth, give it a quick buff.

If you follow the above rules,it’s a quick and simple process and you can do an average 19ft vessel in under half an hour.Waxing your boat forces you to pay attention to every nook and cranny,and again allows you to identify potential problem areas before they become a real issue.

Top Tip:

Do not wax a dirty boat,or the dirt particles will scratch your paintwork or become embedded in the drying wax.Always give your boat a wash first — preferably with warm water which really cuts through dirt.

These motors are far from new, with many hundreds of hours on them, but with care and maintenance, they still look like they’ve just been fitted.

By now your boat has been washed,waxed and the stainless polished,and it should be looking in showroom condition, but let’s not forget about the outboard motors.Replacing them is extremely expensive,and of course we rely on them to keep us safe on the water,so they need maximum care and attention,both for performance and to ensure longevity.

For the quarterly maintenance,start by running your outboard motors for a few minutes with ear muffs in order to warm them.Once they’re warm,remove the cowlings and give them a spray down with a fine mist setting and moderate to low pressure with your hosepipe.

Now,with the cowlings off and the ear muffs back on,run them for a few more minutes.This will warm and dry them again,and will allow you to listen for any knocks,vibrations or strange noises.Leave the cowlings off,and give them an inspection.Keep a look out for damaged or worn wiring and any rust forming and,in general,anything that seems out of the ordinary.

Once they’re dry,you want to add some sort of protection to your motors.This is a contentious issue,with varying opinions,from off the shelf rust inhibitors to silicon sprays to brand name motor care aerosols that can get pretty expensive.

I use a very simple and “old school”,albeit quite messy, solution that I find works incredibly well.I fill a one litre spray bottle with 500ml motor oil,and 500ml liquid paraffin.The paraffin thins the oil to allow a fine spray.I spray this solution liberally all over the power head,allowing it to form a protective layer as the paraffin evaporates leaving behind the oil residue.

I also spray it on my cowling,motor legs and gearbox.I then lift the motors and spray it on the trim tubes and into any hard to reach,out of the way places.

As I said,this is a bit of a messy process,but it works wonders in protecting one’s assets.After a few minutes I give the motors a quick run just to check that they are firing nicely, and then I replace the cowlings.

Lastly,if need be,I grease my steerer tube and any friction points that need greasing.

The whole process from beginning to end takes only a few hours,but if you are organised,and have the correct (limited) equipment that you need,it is quick and painless,and really is worth the effort.