Cleaning Process

[HangOutdoors]

Looking for advice from people who have a good routine down. What process do you use, for cleaning the inside and outside of the boat on the trailer?

I already purchased 303, Ceramic Wash Wax and other products recommended in the treads here so I am set on that.

But the process which works most effectively is what I am pondering over.

1) I have gear in the Ski Locker and under the Front and Back seats and Helm/Passenger side storage which is carpeted. Do you remove all of this? What happens when the carpet gets wet in those areas since the sealing under the seats is really non-existent.
2) Do you hose down the entire inside of the boat and take the soapy wash to everything firs and rinse?
3) Do you vacuum first ?
4) Inside first then outside?
5) Wait till completely dry before putting mooring cover over?

There are a multitude of ways to approach this, just looking for advice from those who have a solid routine. I am trying to do the best possible job and make it a routine.

 

[14SX190]

Hi,
Went through first wash down yesterday and I'll tell you how I did it.Did the same on other skis too

I got boat week ago and started washing it but South Florida decided a monsoon would be a great time for 3 days.
I had hit inside and carpets with dishwashing soap and water and it stayed that way until Friday.
Poured chlorine and water down storage locker and left plugs in as I drove to marina and let it slosh around.
My garage started to have musty odor from water left in boat that I didn't get out after rain storm.

When I came back from ocean Friday I parked it ready for pressure washer. Has liquid soap tank that works with different nozzle.

Flush engine with dishwashing soap. Pour some down the hose adapter, turn engine on, turn water on. Run it a minute or two. I run it a little longer.
Remove adapter and leave engine running a few seconds. Cut engine off.

I left seats closed for next step

Rinsed one side with pressure washer then changed nozzle.Top to bottom soap suds front to back including inside (got small ladder I would move around outside of boat to get to areas inside
Quickly move to other side to completely cover it in suds. Hard spots I use Purple Powder and have sponges,rags,brushes.....
Rinse throughly outside then make my way inside again. Pressure wash inside front to back, top to bottom ,pushing water into open locker and back to scupper.(Trying to find nozzle end that went down ski locker drain. Used fish wire to find that drain compartment goes underneath gas tank straight back to access panel of clean out. I found there is another drain plug on the inside of engine compartment separating it from main center drain that comes from anchor locker. I have to count them all.

Next is the hardest thing, get all that water out of the inside. Jack it up as far as you can and run bilge to help. I removed that access panel in the rear to find missing nozzle still nothing. Managed to still sponge out a bucket full of water. Hopefully pressure washer nozzle will find it's way to the back

Dry off and open all the seat and leave open so it can breathe.

I use Fluid Film on everything.

If its not wet I leave it but I like to take everything out. I'm looking to dry bags or containers to organize space to not worry about wet carpet.
I am going to get HT roll during BF sale and use carpet to make template of areas under seat. I've put it on the rub rails on my ski and inside hood storage.

i do inside last as I go back inside to dry inside first.

Hope this helps...

 

[Jane305]

I usually clean the inside first and then the outside.

 

[Cambo]

The 10 minute clean up from salt water over 20 years I have mastered clean up.

My 2005 started to oxidize so the new boat I’m trying a new way that will hopefully protect the gel gloss from UV rays . Every few weeks I give it a good wipe down with 303 protectant makes it look freshly waxed and very fast application . Fresh water guys are lucky you don’t get salt spots on the boat but salt water guys know what I’m talking about . My process is super fast and creates almost spotless results with no soap that washes away the 303 . I have a big kahuna 3.5 gallon portable shower in the wet storage area it serves two purposes I fill it with hot water for rinsing bodies then as soon as the boat is pulled out of the water I rinse the salt water before it dries . Then I have an automotive detail squeegee it pulls 95% of the water leaving it super clean then a towel for the rest . Some days when salt water splashes and dries over and over a gentle hand wipe releases all the salt build up before the squeegee is used .

It works so well that I made my own big kahuna 3.5 gallon shower for additional wash down capacity and reach that’s kept in the bow if we use most of the warm shower water while rinsing off from water sports the second always has extra . I used no soap the entire season and the boat looks like new . The trailer breaks also get a rinse off I keep a sprayer filled with water / salt away as soon as the boat is dropped in and trailer is parked the brakes and ratchets get sprayed to rinse off the corrosive salt water and dilute it any residual salt water.

This rinse off also helps protect from abrasion that the boat cover can cause . I usually trailer with the boat cover 40 minutes or more and if you don’t rinse the salt the cover has a semi tight fit and sits on the salt crystals this can’t be good for the gel gloss as the cover shifts from the wind.