My Motor Just Went Dead

It's "Maintenance Monday" and today we're addressing the 7 Deadly Sins of vessel maintenance:

#1 deadly sin is “Procrastination and Neglect.” Environmental buildup – soot, carbon, dirt, mildew, mold, green scum – can damage your boat quicker than you think. Gelcoat, wood, isinglass, and plastic are all porous, and once they become impregnated it can sometimes be nearly impossible to clean them without ruining the surface. Neglecting maintenance will reduce the value of your boat and make it hard to keep clean. Here are another 6 deadly sins in basic maintenance that are not always realized --

#2 Dish Soap. It can strip a boat’s wax, degrade the waterproofing of fabrics, and in some cases the chemicals can be harmful to the environment.

#3 Windex. Windex contains ammonia and was made to clean glass – not plastic or isinglass. Most mirrors and many windows or portlights in boats are made out of plastic. Windex and ammonia can cause yellowing and cracking, among other problems.

#4 Paper Towels. They seem soft, but actually they are not. They are made of wood fiber, can be very harsh and scratch soft plastics such as isinglass.

#5 Soft Scrub. Abrasive household cleaners like Soft Scrub are too strong for your boat’s gel coat. Surfaces will lose their protective coating with these harsh cleaners. Bleach-based products can also discolor fabrics.

#6 Pledge. Pledge is great on wood, but not on clear vinyl like isinglass. Pledge contains solvents that remove the plasticizers from plastic, which will eventually make the material brittle and yellow.

#7 Strong Solvents. Strong solvents used to clean algae off hulls are often dangerous to the delicate gel coat surface. If used repeatedly, these solvents can cause environmental damage, and in some cases can be harmful to people.

If you'd like to have your vessel put on a weekly, biweekly or monthly basic maintenance schedule, call us today at #MarinerServicesInc. at (239)776-4253!