Questions on fiberglass boats

zippyduck · December 23, 2019, 07:04:17 AM

First off I am not new to boats but new to bass boats.

I understand that I need to be very careful in shallow water and stumps. But what else should I be worried about?

What type of cleaning is required?

Is a canvas cover going to be enough protection in my shady driveway?

What add ons are must haves?

Any tips are welcome.

I know I could look through the archives but this is easier for me.

Bud Kennedy · December 23, 2019, 07:40:10 AM

A very helpful suggestion that I received from Lee Smith was to treat my custom cover with product called Aqua Armor. The product is a good cleaner and waterproofing aide to keep the cover effective and it also provides some UV protectant. I ordered it from Home Depot and now have been using it for years.

In our area here in SC one of the biggest issues is mildew due to our high humidity. I doubt you will have that problem but might be something to be aware of in your area. Also it is easier to keep the hull clean and free of stain if you wipe it down immediately after pulling out of the water. A quick wipe down will save you a lot of time and only takes a couple minutes to perform. The same condition applies after towing through rainy weather to get the road film off the boat while it is still wet.

zippyduck · December 23, 2019, 07:44:40 AM

Thanks Bud! I will be picking some of the conditioner up soon.

Jared LeBlue · December 23, 2019, 07:46:21 AM

Well let me start off by saying you are now poor. BOAT stands for Break Out Another Thousand.

Seriously though just have fun with it. Tweak it to fit your needs and likes and don't sweat the small stuff. I always keep a towel and some speed wax in my rig. When I take it out the water I spray it down with the speed wax and wipe her down. It only takes a few minutes to do this and it is a lot easier to get the scum line or anything like that off when it's just out the water. Your canvas cover should be fine. The main thing you want to protect your boat from is the sun. Just don't cover it if the carpet is wet.

Princeton_Man · December 23, 2019, 07:58:49 AM

All good advice! Make sure polish, cleaners, and wax are safe for gelcoat, keep your bilge dry. A keelshield is a must and a remote drain plug a convenience that makes it easy to keep the bilge dry.

zippyduck · December 23, 2019, 08:04:59 AM

Jared,

I already have a money pit.

So boats are not new to me.
Something I learned from PM is to buy lots of lint free rags for wiping her down.

Jim,
I am working on the keel shield. I always pull the plug after every day on the water.

Guys,
Any recommended wax?

Bud Kennedy · December 23, 2019, 08:23:02 AM

I use Lucas Slick Mist as my wipe down cleaner. Does a great job and does not damage the gel coat. It is available many places but I pick mine up at Walmart.

Capt. BassinLou · December 23, 2019, 08:23:46 AM

Quote from: zippyduck on December 23, 2019, 08:04:59 AM
Jared,

I already have a money pit. So boats are not new to me.
Something I learned from PM is to buy lots of lint free rags for wiping her down.

Jim,
I am working on the keel shield. I always pull the plug after every day on the water.

Guys,
Any recommended wax?

I have been using Lucas Slick mist on my tin hull right after I pull out from the water. This habit really helps eliminating scum lines and keeps the boat looking nice and new. $7.50 a bottle at Walmart, can't beat that.

Donald Garner · December 23, 2019, 08:59:44 AM

Congrats again on your new ride. Reference your boat cover make sure you have a cover for your engine cowl also. That sun will fade that paint real quick. Make sure your rod and storage boxes are all open so they can dry too.

apenland01 · December 23, 2019, 10:16:18 AM

As for cleaning, I use Dawn Platinum and just get all the gunk off the sides. Then I use 303 aerospace marine protectant on all the gelcoat surfaces. It's also good for the seats, but they make a vinyl or seat protectant specifically. I just use the regular 303 though.

WTodd · December 23, 2019, 10:26:11 AM

Second on the 303 on seats and other plastic stuff. I use the Turtle Wax Ice spray on; I can do the whole boat in less than 15 minutes and it's lasts about 3 months. I also wipe the boat down as soon as I get it on the trailer for the same reasons others have said.....so it doesn't look like an old toilet bowl. For getting the fingerprints off the touch screen electronics, I spray a 50/50 mix of rubbing alcohol and water; Lowrance recommends this.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

zippyduck · December 23, 2019, 10:59:24 AM

Awesome tips guys.

Thanks and keep them coming.

Pipepro · December 23, 2019, 11:13:56 AM

I was using Lucas slick mist but switched to Boat Juice products. It works awesome on removing the scum line and any water spots.

I have a Flow-rite remote drain plug on mine and I love it. No more crawling under the boat to put the plug in on the ramp.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Princeton_Man · December 23, 2019, 11:56:22 AM

I've found and used a lot of awesome performing boat care products. Right now, I use the Lucas Slick Mist for wipe downs, StarBrite Hull Cleaner, Meguiar's Boat Wash, and Meguiar's Marine Wax.

apenland01 · December 23, 2019, 12:32:42 PM

As for a cover, I just bought a replacement for my 21' Ranger and I got it from boat covers direct. It was a closeout on a second quality cover, that fits my boat perfectly. I can't find any quality problems with it and it was $125 with free shipping. Great waterproof cover for the money.

TNDiver · December 23, 2019, 12:42:55 PM

Good stuff. I need to get some boat spray for after I pull her out of the water

Oldfart9999 · December 24, 2019, 06:14:29 AM

A lot of good advice here, the only thing I would add is don't pull the plug while you're on the water, wait till the boat is on the trailer. You're welcome.

Sorry, couldn't resist it.
Rodney

TNDiver · December 24, 2019, 09:01:34 AM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on December 24, 2019, 06:14:29 AM
A lot of good advice here, the only thing I would add is don't pull the plug while you're on the water, wait till the boat is on the trailer. You're welcome. Sorry, couldn't resist it.
Rodney

That's why I have one that screws in and needs a wrench to loosen! I could see myself doing this to save time after a long day fishing!

Capt. BassinLou · December 24, 2019, 09:55:04 AM

Quote from: TNDiver on December 23, 2019, 12:42:55 PM
Good stuff. I need to get some boat spray for after I pull her out of the water

Although my new boat is only 4 months old, our water is really scummy. After one outing you will have a noticeable scum line, water spots, etc. Letting a boat dry and sit for long periods of time without wiping it down, will require more work and effort, the day you decide to remove that scum line. By taking an extra 15-20 min to wipe down your boat after your outing, is a work saver. Yesterday after my outing, I had a gentleman approach me and compliment my boat. He asked me if I just purchased it this week.

I told him I bought the boat back in August, but I always wipe it down after an outing. He was blown away.

zippyduck · December 24, 2019, 10:42:35 AM

Quote from: Oldfart9999 on December 24, 2019, 06:14:29 AM
A lot of good advice here, the only thing I would add is don't pull the plug while you're on the water, wait till the boat is on the trailer. You're welcome. Sorry, couldn't resist it.
Rodney

Rodney,

Never apologize for being you.