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Think of your boat as consisting of three main components. The first component is the hull. A sound healthy hull is critical. Not only does it separate you from the fish below, but it's construction makes a big difference in your boat's speed and overall performance. The second component is the structure. It gives the boat its strength and rigidity, and takes a lot of wear and tear. In fact, every wake you cross and every turn you make puts pressure on the structure. If the structure is compromised, the boat will lose its rigidity and become inefficient and perhaps even dangerous. That brings us to the third component, the moving or mechanical parts. They consist of the propellers, shafts, sterndrives, outdrives, rudders oarlocks, centerboards, tracks, halyards, winches, pulleys, seats, etc. There aren't many moving parts in a shell, kayak or rowboat but the average 30 footer whether it is power or sail will have a large collection of mechanicals and because they are in almost continual use they take the brunt of the wear and tear. Keeping these three components in sound condition will help your boat last well beyond your expectations.
In general there are several obvious benefits to keeping your boat clean. In most cases the better something looks the harder we will try to take care of it and keep it looking good. More importantly, a good cleaning will greatly reduce the wear and tear on moving parts and protect your hull. Rinsing and wiping down the exterior daily if possible will keep you well ahead of the grease and grime. In addition, a good wash with soap and water once a week will really go a long way toward keeping most of the gear-eating grit away. We recommend that you wax the hull with a high quality marine wax. Most are applied just like you would on a car. There are many good waxes available and Marine and More carries a full line of the best available.
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One of the keys to keeping your boat in shape is to make repairs as soon as they are needed. For example, if you have a loose cleat don't let it go. Eventually it will fail (usually when it is needed most) and cause damage to the structural members that hold it, and if it pops off while you are moored the result could be extensive damage to the hull. Fix things as soon as possible and you will never feel as though you are facing an overwhelming task and you will have many more enjoyable worry free hours of boating pleasure.
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Some tips for minimizing wear and tear plus a few hours a year of maintenance will keep your boat clean and pristine. Here are a few:
Leave an old towel in the boat. Use the towel, dampened with fresh water preferably, to wipe off salt-water splashes from teak surfaces. Wiping the salt water off will keep the oil finish free from the prismatic effect of UV sunlight and prevent lighter colored blotches from forming.
Keep sand off seats and floorboards to reduce the need for oil touch ups.
Use fenders and proper tie up lines to prevent rubbing and scratches when tied up to other boats or to docks.
If you want to keep the gelcoat hull finish on your new boat having that pristine "as new" appearance, start maintaining right away. Don't wait until it's several years old with the surface all chalky and the color bleached out.
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Many people think they are helping matters by keeping every moving part well lubricated. However, in many instances, a good cleaning is better than splashing on a lubricant. In fact, lubricants, in some cases, by catching and holding on to grit and dirt may actually speed up the wearing process. So use some thought before spraying a lubricant all over every moving thing on board and whenever possible read and follow the manufacturer's instructions on the care and cleaning of your onboard equipment and mechanicals.
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Taking care to avoid this type of damage is the best course to follow. If you must beach your boat on a harsh surface try to avoid bouncing the hull against rocks and barnacles. A product called "HULL GUARD" that is placed directly on the forward part of the keel can help prevent scratches to the underlying gelcoat. Another product such as the folding BOAT SLIDER SKIDWAY TRACK can be used with smaller rigs to eliminate most of this type of damage and is very useful when camping on a variety of beaches and bars.
If left unprotected, the gelcoat on most fiberglass hulls is damaged slowly, over time by the gradual effects of ultra violet sunlight breaking down the surface The gelcoat covering your boat is affected by weathering, particularly from the sun. Minute particles of dirt, combined with UV light can physically alter the gelcoat's pigment and ultimately its color. The same type of ultraviolet radiation that causes your skin to tan and fades curtains also damages the gelcoat pigment, causing the gelcoat to discolor and chalk out.
Use a high quality cleaner to remove all those minute particles of dirt and a high quality marine wax to provide a barrier of protection. Marine and More has many fine boat care products including some combination cleaner and wax products that are easy to use and do a great job. Don't skip on the wax, use a high quality marine-grade product that is tough (carnauba is great) and offers UV protection. Once the boat is in the water, waxing is about 10 times more difficult than when its on dry land so do yourself and the boat a favor and get that layer of protection applied before you launch.
Leaving a boat in either fresh or salt water for extended periods is not recommended unless the hull is sealed and bottom painted. The gelcoat finish will eventually become stained and in salt water barnacles will attach themselves and grow rapidly. When the barnacles are scraped off, the glue they have secreted to attach themselves is so tough that it is very difficult to remove them without extensively damaging the gelcoat.
Smaller boats that are light enough can either be stored clear of the water on a davit system, or simply hauled out onto the dock or beach. Larger heavier boats might be stored on a lift system or if you know your boat will be left in the water for extended periods have the hull bottom coated with a high quality anti-fouling bottom paint. The vast majority of boat owners keep their boats stored on a boat trailer when not in use giving them ample opportunity to keep the hull clean and in good repair.
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If the gelcoat finish gets damaged to the point where a piece is broken out (usually called a gouge or ding) the following steps can be taken to repair the problem quickly and easily:
1. Buy a gelcoat scratch repair kit. There are several different products available for this purpose. One product comes in a small tube, is pre-mixed and can be used directly from the tube. It comes in white buff and clear. There are other products for larger areas that come packaged as two part systems that need to be manually mixed and there are color additives that can be mixed together and added to the patching material to get a suitable match to the hull's gelcoat color.
2. Let's assume for this example that you are working on a hull with a white gelcoat surface. Obtain a small quantity of white gelcoat resin and hardener, disposable latex gloves, a sharp knife, some Scotch tape, some toothpicks and a small piece of cardboard or the bottom of a paper cup for a mixing pallet.
3. Using the sharp instrument (knife, awl, screwdriver), remove any loose gel coat flakes and expose the entire void in preparation for filling it.
4. Using a toothpick or something larger like a popsicle stick or a tongue depressor thoroughly mix a tiny amount of gelcoat resin with the hardener, using your mixing palette. The exact ratio of the hardener and base material to be blended together depend on the brand so follow the manufacturers mixing directions and instructions.
5. Using the toothpick as an applicator, carefully fill the void. You want to just fill the void, not overfill it.
6. Apply a strip of clear Scotch tape across the filled surface area, stretching and carefully flattening the tape over the void. If the void has been filled with the correct amount of gelcoat it will flatten flush with the surface of the hull. Allow approximately one hour for the gelcoat to harden.
7. Peel back the tape and examine your work. Hopefully the void is now pretty much invisible and as strong as the rest of the hull. Overfilled areas can be sanded with 900-grit wet and dry sandpaper to bring the surface level. Care must be taken not to sand too deep. Under-filled areas can be brought to level by repeating steps two through five. Once you are satisfied with the appearance, wax and buff the area using your favorite boat wax.
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Most newer boats whether sail or power are typically made from fiberglass and have only small amounts of wood, usually teak which are, used as trim, or in floorboards, hatch covers, swim platforms, seats, ladders, etc. Teak can be finished with oil or by use of a clear sealant finish.
OILED TEAK FINISH
Finishing teak with an oil finish has some advantages that go way beyond the way it enhances the Wood's natural beauty. Teak that has been properly oil finished has the advantage of being easily touched up. If the wood is accidentally scratched or marked the spot can easily be sanded out, then re-oiled and blended in to the surrounding wood. Teak is the most forgiving of woods. Teak has a natural oil that helps to prevents decay and enables easy refinishing of neglected or damaged surfaces.
Before oiling the wood's surface should be clean and smooth. If necessary wash the teak's surface with soapy water and a soft brush to get any stubborn spots clean. Otherwise, simply wiping down with a damp cloth will suffice. Allow the surface to dry thoroughly before oiling.
Protect the gelcoat and other surrounding surfaces before getting started on oiling. Any spill or drip onto gelcoated surfaces while you work needs to be wiped off with a clean rag immediately. Once hardened, these spots become sticky, darken and are very difficult to remove.
When re-oiling your boat it is best to apply the oil in moderate temperatures and never in direct sunlight. The oil can be applied using a cloth, brush, roller or a foam applicator. Apply it liberally and let it penetrate for 10 to 15 minutes watching for spots that dry early and adding fresh oil to them. Then simply wipe the surface completely dry with clean rags. Generally one coat is enough, but if a second coat seems necessary, follow the drying time instructions on the can.
For a really fine, furniture-like finish, leave the wood for 24 hours, then working on small sections at a time with 400 grit sandpaper lightly sand the wood until it is silky smooth. Wipe the sanded areas clean and apply a final coat of oil and allow it to soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Then wipe hard and follow by polishing with a soft, dry cloth.
The length of time an oil finish holds up usually depends on the number of hours of direct sunlight exposure the finish receives. As mentioned, keeping the boat covered and wiped clean of salt or fresh water whenever possible increases the longevity of the oil finish considerably. If continual exposure to sunlight cannot be avoided, re-apply the oil whenever the wood looks parched.
Oil finishes will not provide long lasting protection from the elements the way a varnish or synthetic wood finish will. Although plain oiled teak is a preferred finish by many boat owners it generally requires more work throughout the season than the hard finishes. Oiled teak is a beautiful finish and can protect very well, so if you don't mind the extra work an oil finish can be every bit an equal to varnish.
There's something special about the deep, warm glow and the smell of a freshly oiled, wood finish. So if you feel like oiling your boat just for the pleasure of it, go ahead.
Take the time to clean up and properly and follow the directions on the can for handling and disposing of oil soaked rags. Be very careful when storing or disposing of any "Oil" covered rags because given the right circumstances they can spontaneously combust and potentially cause a fire.
VARNISH and OTHER SYNTHETIC WOOD FINISHES
Generally oil finishes will not provide long lasting protection from the elements the way a varnish or synthetic wood finish will. Although plain oiled teak is a preferred finish by many boat owners it generally requires more work throughout the season than the hard finishes.
Many boat owners have found the new synthetic wood finishes such as Sikkens, Cetol or Armada to be the answer to their prayers. This type of wood finish is not a transparent varnish, but rather a synthetic wood finish that contains iron oxide as a UV inhibitor. It offers a nice long lasting, tough finish that is glossy or semi glossy with a pigmented appearance, and it's relatively easy to maintain. Synthetic finishes in this category are, like varnish, available in gloss and satin finishes. Ease of application is similar to teak oil, where you can apply it directly over sanded, clean wood. Follow the individual manufacturer's application instructions and if you can't remove the pieces you are going to work on from the hull it is highly recommended that you mask off and protect all the surrounding areas.
To maintain this finish, once per season, lightly sand with 220-320 grit sandpaper, wipe the surface with acetone to remove any wax, oils, and dust and recoat with one or two coats of finish to maintain protection. The finish will typically last 3 to 5 years before you have to strip off all the old finish and refinish again.
To purist, the main drawback of this type of finish is the fact that these products tend to have a pigmented appearance, with an orange-brownish cast (Sikkens Cetol), or a sort of chocolate-brown (Armada) which tends to muddy the natural appearance of the wood. For those who want a hard crystal clear transparent finish that allows the wood to show through the only choice is varnish.
It is our opinion that nothing looks better or takes more commitment to long-term upkeep on a boat, than exterior wood finished with gloss varnish. Varnishes are complicated finishes consisting of oil, solvents and thinners, resins, dryers, and additives. By varying the proportions of the ingredients, and by adding UV inhibitors and other ingredients, varnishes end up with wide variety of characteristics. The finished appearance of varnish can be gloss, semi-gloss or matte. Some are specifically formulated to be extremely hard for surfaces with a lot of foot traffic. Some varnishes are water-based and all varnishes even though they are sold as clear will contribute a color cast to the wood they are covering. There are a lot of personal choices that go into selecting the "right" varnish to finish a boat with. We would suggest talking with other boat owners, getting literature from manufacturers and speaking with the fellows at the boat yard that do this kind of refinish work for a living. One bright spot is that in the past few years marine paint manufacturers have been able to significantly improve their varnish products, they almost universally have much improved durability even in the worst environments.
IN GENERAL
Many boats have wood grab rails, toe rails, hatch covers, ski platforms, ladders or other wooden trim and if finished with either oil or varnish will require care. Boats with wooden decks will require a different kind of maintenance, which will most likely not be finished in the same manner as the rest of the boats woodwork and trim. Most boat wood should be stripped and completely refinished at least every two to three years depending on the type of finish you choose and the amount of weathering it receives.
If the time has come to seriously address refinishing your wood trim pieces why not wait until you put the boat up for winter storage and then consider removing the wood from your boat and bringing it home to refinish. This will save the trouble of masking off and protecting everything around each piece and will give you an unrushed opportunity to do a thoroughly first rate job. Be sure to label or mark all the pieces as they are removed. Refinishing at best is a messy job that can be hard to manage and rushing your varnish job so you can get back out often results in an eyesore and even more work. If you have the workspace, doing the refinishing over the off-season can make for a much better final finish and a lot less work in the long run.
Whether you do this work on board or remove the pieces and bring them to your workshop you will need to remove the old finish. For thick varnish you can start by painting on varnish remover, then scraping it off the big, flat spots with a cabinet scraper, preferably one with a carbide blade. A scraper is the fastest and best way to strip the finish from large flat surfaces. The problem with sanding is that the old softened finish will clog up the sandpaper and you have to keep changing to new sandpaper and In many cases you will get a flatter wood surface with a scraper.
You will need to hand sand the small crevices or curves or use knives or small scrapers but with care. It will be obvious which parts should be done by hand and which can be done with a mechanical sander. Once you have removed all the old varnish, thoroughly clean the wood and allow it to dry. Cleaning the wood will allow you to evaluate the condition of the surfaces and decide what course of action will be best for your particular problem.
In many cases seriously neglected boats with teak trim that is gray or heavily mildewed can be brought back to brightness using one of several available brands of teak cleaner systems which utilize chemicals to clean, bleach and restore the surface. Follow the instructions provided with the product. Badly weathered wood species other than teak may have to be replaced or sanded past the discoloration. In some cases you might be able to remove discoloration from mildew or weather by using chemical cleaners and bleaches but you will probably have to try a variety of processes and products to get the wood back to pristine appearance. In most cases, even with teak that involve serious discoloration, mildew staining, scratches or light surface damage the best means of restoration is by sanding the wood using a medium grit (150-180) sandpaper followed by a quick once over with a finer grit (220-320) sandpaper. When sanding always sand with the grain of the wood, never across it. Wipe the surface with a clean, slightly dampened cloth or vacuum it, to remove excess dust.
At this point in your refinishing project you will need to follow the manufacturers directions for the final cleaning and application of the product you have selected.
Whenever you are using chemicals, cleaners or mechanical sanders take care to avoid contact with the rest of the hull by protecting or covering areas not being worked on and wipe up any spills immediately.
Call us Toll free @ 1-866-872-7767 for answers to your general upkeep or refinishing questions. Marine and More has a complete line of products available for all your boating needs.
THANKS FOR VISITING US, THE CREW @ MARINEANDMORE.COM
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