Power washing?

[Lord Vader]

When I picked up my Yamaha and was going over everything before taking it home, the dealer told me there was no need to power wash the boat. I actually got the impression that I shouldn’t be power washing because I could damage something at the pumps but everything was a bit of a blur. I can’t find anything in the manual about power washing but admittedly haven’t really dug into. Anyone against power washing? Should I just stay clear of the sacrificial elements? The speed these boats can do makes me think power washing shouldn’t be an issue at all.

 

[Matt Phillips]

I have a power washer and haven't ever thought of using it on the boat. Mine stays in the lake for about 8-10 weeks each summer and when it comes out, that's the dirtiest it is all year. The cure for that is a little wood bleach diluted in water and then sprayed out through a plant sprayer. Spray on, let it sit about 5 minutes and it's literally wipe off.

Depending on the power of your washer, you may want to be careful around seals, silicone and such and that pressure may rinse it right off. As a general rule though, I wouldn't really see it hurting the hull. I'm not sure what the advantage would be over a soft cloth and a little elbow grease.

 

[haknslash]

I pressure wash and foam canon mine. Just don't use a tip less than 45 degrees and don't get the tip close to the cushions or any SeaDek. Just use common sense and if you have a strong pressure washer you know not to get close to stuff since you know the power and damage it can do. I'm a bit more careful when spraying the cockpit but honestly you're interior should t need more than just spraying and rinsing from a safe distance. If you have any stubborn areas you clean that with specialty cleaners and such. SeaDek is soft and I do use my pressure washer on mine but you have to be careful about nozzle choice on the pressure washer and to keep a safe distance or it will tear.

As far as the pumps go I don't know what you're dealer is talking about. The sacrificial anode is an entire block of the material and it meant to degrade over time (that's how you know when to replace it when it stops being effective). I don't stick the tip of my nozzle like right next to the surfaces but I am not shy about getting around the pump to give it a good cleaning either. Never been an issue.

 

[OrangeTJ]

If you're going to be close to the pumps, particularly the pump intakes, but careful not to get close to the sealant, as any damage to that could result in cavitation.

 

[Lord Vader]

Thanks. I was probably just over thinking it, like maybe there was something I was missing about boats vs cars. I pressure washed it last night and while it was only my second time taking it out and washing it, it cut my cleaning time in half. More than half actually. I did use the car nozzle/white tip so I’m confident I’m not hurting anything. I’m going to get one of those foam cannons too - great idea!

 

[biffdotorg]

Ya, your dealer is high. The pressure washer is the only way to clean in half the time or less. I do ours in sections as it's so damn big.

One quick rinse, then put on the Foam cannon for a full foam. I will then either rub it down with a mitt, or use the power washer rotating brush, then rinse it fully. Nothing is easier.

Then if I am really getting crazy, I will buff it down, and finish with a wax for a mirror like finish. The wax protects and keeps things from sticking to it from the water, or bugs. If you trailer often, you will wash more. I only wish I could suck water from the lake, i would power wash it on my lift. Even a good rinse down of lake water is better than a dirty boat.

Believe me, I'm that guy at the sandbar walking around my boat with my first beer in one hand, and a soft bristle brush in the other, just giving it a once over to remove bugs or water spots. She's too pretty clean to sit out there on display all dirty.

 

[n1111z]

I use a power washer. What's foam cannon?

 

[haknslash]

I use a power washer. What's foam cannon?

I use a gas pressure washer now so it's much better and more foam action but this was with my old electric one.

 

[Lord Vader]

I ordered the foam cannon and it’s a game changer! Get one of those soft cloth sponges on the end of a broomstick and now the kids have a fun job too.

 

[biffdotorg]

MTM Foam Cannon has got to be the best on the market. Fast forward to the 5 or 6 minute mark to see it in action.

 

[BigAbe75]

MTM Foam Cannon has got to be the best on the market. Fast forward to the 5 or 6 minute mark to see it in action.

@biffdotorg still loving the Cannon?

 

[biffdotorg]

@biffdotorg still loving the Cannon?

You bet. Since then, I have added a super long commercial grade hose to the wand, and a rotating brush. It really allows me to clean just about anything well.

After the first couple years, I did have to change the “agitator” in the foam cannon. As it is what makes the foam. It’s literally a $5 pice of screen inside it.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

When I picked up my Yamaha and was going over everything before taking it home, the dealer told me there was no need to power wash the boat. I actually got the impression that I shouldn’t be power washing because I could damage something at the pumps but everything was a bit of a blur. I can’t find anything in the manual about power washing but admittedly haven’t really dug into. Anyone against power washing? Should I just stay clear of the sacrificial elements? The speed these boats can do makes me think power washing shouldn’t be an issue at all.

@Lord Vader .....NO NO NO ....if you use that damned power washer the force will not be with you. You could easily blow water right through your gel coat and into the fiberglass, wreck seals, peel silicone etc. etc. Power washers - the devil's gift!

 

[biffdotorg]

@Lord Vader .....NO NO NO ....if you use that damned power washer the force will not be with you. You could easily blow water right through your gel coat and into the fiberglass, wreck seals, peel silicone etc. etc. Power washers - the devil's gift!

I will assume there is some sarcasm in that post. As anyone that knows their pressure washer, can actually hold their hand in front of their tip of choice at the proper distance.

The dirt buster tip I use on all vehicles, rotates, to give it a pulsing action. And at 2ft, it will wash your hands nicely. So that being said, If I am doing general cleaning, I can wash all day long and not hurt a thing. But if there is a tough bug, tar, or spill, I can slowly move in closer to remove it.

Either way, I'm taking it off with the power washer, or buffing compound, but it's coming off. Either of those methods can remove gelcote. But day to day use will not harm your finish. If it does, you have a defective finish to begin with, or you are just a nutcase with an ultra fine tip on your power washer.

The day I etched my driveway with a fine tip on my pressure washer, was the day I put them away to never use again. So yes, you can damage your boat. But no, with the right tip, you can rinse your hands at 2ft. If you need a video, I can whip that up for you tonight.

And that's not to mention the foam cannon. If that one is hurting the gelcote, then the kids at my next all night Rave or gonna hate you for saying that. (filling the driveway with foam and Oonsa, Oonsa, Oonsa music)

Work smarter, not harder.

PS: The dirt buster is the big black one

 

[HangOutdoors]

I kept losing tips on my old washer so when I bought a new washer I decided to try this one. It has been working out fantastic on the boat. Spinning head seemed like a novelty but works well. You can also use a quick connect and the individual ones if you so desire. I use the 40 degree.

2900 PSI PRESSURE WASHER - RYOBI Tools

2900 PSI PRESSURE WASHER

www.ryobitools.com

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I will assume there is some sarcasm in that post. As anyone that knows their pressure washer, can actually hold their hand in front of their tip of choice at the proper distance.

The dirt buster tip I use on all vehicles, rotates, to give it a pulsing action. And at 2ft, it will wash your hands nicely. So that being said, If I am doing general cleaning, I can wash all day long and not hurt a thing. But if there is a tough bug, tar, or spill, I can slowly move in closer to remove it.

Either way, I'm taking it off with the power washer, or buffing compound, but it's coming off. Either of those methods can remove gelcote. But day to day use will not harm your finish. If it does, you have a defective finish to begin with, or you are just a nutcase with an ultra fine tip on your power washer.

The day I etched my driveway with a fine tip on my pressure washer, was the day I put them away to never use again. So yes, you can damage your boat. But no, with the right tip, you can rinse your hands at 2ft. If you need a video, I can whip that up for you tonight.

And that's not to mention the foam cannon. If that one is hurting the gelcote, then the kids at my next all night Rave or gonna hate you for saying that. (filling the driveway with foam and Oonsa, Oonsa, Oonsa music)

Work smarter, not harder.

PS: The dirt buster is the big black one

@biffdotorg .....yes of course some sarcasm .....but to be serious - far too many people damage product using PWs. One of the most respected fiberglass guys I have ever met believes more hulls are damaged by pressure washers than helped. As he says Gel Coat does NOT completely stop water infiltration, it just slows it down. People who use PWs with too much pressure (most do in his opinion) actually blow water right through the gel coat into the fiberglass where it seeks any uncured resin (which there is in 99.99% of boats). In his opinion, use a very clean wash brush to put hull cleaner on your hull, scrub if necessary, let it sit the recommended time (not longer) and wash it off with a garden hose - no more force that that should ever be necessary. The up-side to people using pressure washers, he said, was that they put three of his children through university.... so he is truly thankful that they exist. BTW: A top rated marina near me disallowed the use of pressure washers, about 10 years ago, by all staff, except one designate, and that was only for extreme, unusual cases.

 

[YamFSH210]

I also use a foam cannon , curious as to the type of foam solution you use . I use chemical guys Honeydew Snow Foam .

 

[biglar155]

I'm finding this thread very interesting. I have a gas-powered unit that I use occasionally for siding or cleaning up lawn furniture. Maybe I do the driveway once in a while.

I tried using it on my vehicles once or twice and was never impressed with the results, but maybe I've been doing it wrong. I always felt I got a lot better wash using a bucket and sponge (which is now something I eschew due to the extreme pain I experience in my shoulder about 5 minutes in to such a task). That said, I'm probably using the wrong soap or something.

My setup uses the line attached to the pump to suck soap out of the bottle. I just use the standard "soap" nozzle that the unit came with to apply the suds and let soak. Then I use one of the wider tips for rinsing off. It's usually free of actual DIRT when I get done but it just doesn't look all that clean ya know? Kinda dull. Maybe leaving soap-film on the surface? (I DO make a point to wash in the shade so it's not sun-drying on there.)

I gave up on the driveway washing long ago due to the aforementioned shoulder issues and my unhappiness with the performance of the pressure washer. I'd love to get back to that again - at least during the warmer months - if I had an effective method that didn't get my shoulder too involved.

So what's the deal with this soap cannon thing? O.K. it makes suds - I get it - why is that any better than the soap pisser thing I'm using now? Does it actually get things CLEANER?

I'm just trying to understand the process and why it's any better.

(Not gonna lie. It's entirely possible I'm just too dumb to know how to wash a car. )

 

[biffdotorg]

When we were kids, we used soap as our parents told us to, but never understood why. Then as teenagers, we like it as it was a replacement for the deodorant our folks told us to use.

When we got our first car, we would wash it by rinsing with a hose, but never used soap, as our parents told us to do. Then as an adult, we finally realized that soap, loosened up the dirt and allowed it to be rinsed away. Ahhh, I get it now.

The foam cannon has an agitator screen it in. It's really not much different than the soap dispenser, other than the agitator allows it to foam up much more. And with the right soap, will cover an entire vehicle, or sections as I do it at a time. You then allow the soap to set, and as it starts to slide off, you see it nearly rinsing dirt off the vehicle. Than a good scrub with a sponge, brush or I use a rotating power washer brush, I get more off. Finish off with a quick rinse.

It's about as clean as you can get these things. Those of us with SXS and in clay country, it's the only way you can get them clean. And the carwashes hate seeing a SXS covered in clay heading for the DIY stall. A good foam cannon can lessen scrubbing if not totally eliminate it, if you wash your vehicle on a regular basis.

All of this can be followed up with buffing and waxing of course. I usually throw in an annual acid wash for the hull.

Good luck!

 

[biglar155]

When we were kids, we used soap as our parents told us to, but never understood why. Then as teenagers, we like it as it was a replacement for the deodorant our folks told us to use.

When we got our first car, we would wash it by rinsing with a hose, but never used soap, as our parents told us to do. Then as an adult, we finally realized that soap, loosened up the dirt and allowed it to be rinsed away. Ahhh, I get it now.

The foam cannon has an agitator screen it in. It's really not much different than the soap dispenser, other than the agitator allows it to foam up much more. And with the right soap, will cover an entire vehicle, or sections as I do it at a time. You then allow the soap to set, and as it starts to slide off, you see it nearly rinsing dirt off the vehicle. Than a good scrub with a sponge, brush or I use a rotating power washer brush, I get more off. Finish off with a quick rinse.

It's about as clean as you can get these things. Those of us with SXS and in clay country, it's the only way you can get them clean. And the carwashes hate seeing a SXS covered in clay heading for the DIY stall. A good foam cannon can lessen scrubbing if not totally eliminate it, if you wash your vehicle on a regular basis.

All of this can be followed up with buffing and waxing of course. I usually throw in an annual acid wash for the hull.

Good luck!

This actually affirms that I'm not nuts in feeling you have to actually make some kind of physical contact with the vehicle to get it clean.

I suspect the rotating brush might be my best bang-for-the-buck for what I'm trying to do.