Having a boat can be extremely fun, useful, and could be a good asset to own, however, it comes with its fair share of responsibilities. In addition to needing to run it often, keeping everything in working order, you need to keep up with the proper maintenance. Maintenance for your boat can include, but is not limited to regular check ups with a mechanic, regular vehicle detailing services, and regular operation. Detailing is often the thing boat owners tend to put on the back burner, deeming it less important. In this article, we’ll tell you why full vehicle detail is an important part of your regular boat maintenance and provide you with an easy five-step method to detail your boat yourself.
Why is a Full Vehicle Detail Important for Your Boat?
Most people think of full vehicle detail as a full service vehicle wash that deep cleans their boat whenever it’s necessary (frequently thought to be no more than once a year). While having your boat detailed can be an aesthetic choice, keeping it clean and free of algae and scum build up helps to prolong its life and keep it looking pristine. It will also help to keep the resale value high.
You don’t have to get your car professionally detailed every time, though it’s more convenient and they do a more thorough job; it is possible to do some of it at home. This will also help keep your detailing job looking good for long.
Five Steps to Detail Your Boat
It is far easier and more convenient to take your boat somewhere to be detailed or hire a mobile detailer like Mobile Detailing Pros. If you want to do it yourself or merely keep the look of a nicely done detailing job for longer, you can follow these five steps to get the job done.
Step One: Start Your Full Vehicle Detail By Rinsing Your Boat Thoroughly
If you start scrubbing your boat immediately instead of rinsing it first, you’re merely going to push around the loose debris.
You should rinse your boat thoroughly starting from the top and working your way down. You want to do this using a hose with a powerful stream; a pressure washer isn’t necessary but might be extra helpful and get the job done a bit faster.
Step Two: Scrub Your Boat Thoroughly with High Quality Soap
This step is often extremely tedious, but entirely necessary. You’ll need to scrub away the stubborn stuff that doesn’t want to come off of your boat. It’s important that you don’t let the soap dry on the boat as it could leave streaks and damage the finish. You should always clean small areas at a time, rinsing all soap off before moving on.
Step Three: Buffing is an Important Part of a Full Vehicle Detail
Many people think that buffing is an unnecessary step that is purely aesthetic, but it is essential to prepping your boat to be waxed. You can buff your boat by hand or by using a rotary buffer.
In addition to preparing your boat for waxing, this will return some of its original shine to it, making it look practically new.
Step Four: Waxing Your Boat
Waxing is an important part of your routine full vehicle detail as it helps prevent grime and debris from accumulating on the surface, ensuring your detailing lasts as long as you want it to. In addition to that, waxing shines and polishes your boat, making it look brand new.
Step Five: Detailing the Interior of Your Boat
Once the outside is looking spick and span, it’s time to give the inside the same care and attention. In addition to washing the interior, you’ll need to vacuum anything with fabric (seats, carpets, etc.), polish any metal, etc. Keeping the inside nice is every bit as important for the lifespan of the boat and the resale value as maintaining the outside.
Part of the responsibility that comes along with owning a boat is the upkeep. In addition to keeping up with regular maintenance, it’s important to regularly detail your boat or have a full vehicle detail done by a professional. While it may be tempting to always try to detail your boat yourself, we don’t recommend it. These steps sound a lot easier than they are and the overall job is very time consuming; we recommend letting a team of experts handle all this for you. You can even use a mobile detailing company and have them come to you. However, if you still want to do some of the work yourself, following these steps can lengthen the amount of time you go without getting your boat detailed by a professional and keep your boat looking like new.
