Cleaning and Care

Maintaining your boat can be time consuming and a headache but is necessary. One of the keys to boat maintenance which is also the simplest is washing your boat regularly. Not only does cleaning keep your boat in pristine condition but it also creates a more pleasant and organized fishing. The main reason for maintaining and washing the boat is to protect your boat from harmful chemicals and dust which prevents wear and tear. Look at the figure below to see what a non maintained boat would look like after a few years.

Imagine the resale value of your boat if it looks like this?

Battery Maintenance:

We as bass anglers mainly use deep cycle maintenance free batteries, but the most important way to maintain these batteries is by always keeping them charged. Depending on the type of battery, some batteries like in motor vehicles need regular checking of battery fluid. Very important note is to always keep your battery clean as well as battery terminals. Dampness and cold e.g. if your battery is in a compartment which has water can cause your battery to drain.

Trailer and Wheel Bearings

Make sure when parking your boat away your trailer plug is always hung or clipped out of the way to prevent damage. Your trailer lights should be checked before and after a fishing trip. A good trick which I have learnt from a auto electrician, heat a needle up and pierce the bottom back end of the light creating a tiny hole. The reason for doing this is majority of trailers are equipped with truck lights which are totally sealed but after some time moisture builds up, by creating the tiny hole it allows it to escape always ensuring the lights stays dry. The new LED lights are much brighter and they the best because they don’t fuse or blow. Wheel bearings are very important and often overlooked by many anglers and boaters. They should be serviced as often as possible. By servicing I don’t mean change but re-greased .. WHY? After traveling long distances we normally launch the boat after a very short period on arrival of our destination, which creates a drastic effect of expansion and contraction on the trailer bearings. The hub would generally absorb water which would then break down the properties of the grease creating rust, which would be disastrous and believe you me this would happen when you are in the middle of know where. Now a days we have quick removable hubs which we can keep as spare normally mounted on the side of the trailer in case of emergency. Here in Gauteng as well as a few other parts in the country we have venues with treacherous roads therefore also tyre pressures should be checked regularly.

Winterization:

Lots of competitive as well as social fisherman don't have the need to winterize their boats because they fish all year around but there are a few steps which are quite important.

• flush your engine with fresh water use flush muffs normally attached to hose pipe, let the motor idle for a few minutes cleaning out the entire water system with fresh water, disconnect the fuel line from the tank start again and let the motor run until it has switched off. By doing this the carburetors in the engine drain out avoiding a build up of deposits from evaporated fuel. Thereafter allow all the water to drain from the engine, wash the motor down and wax if possible.
• if possible fill your fuel tanks to capacity to avoid condensation in the winter months which can lead to water mixing with fuel.
• Remove drain plugs, rinse around fuel tanks and compartments removing all harmful chemicals and oils. Always store boat with the drain plug out and the nose of the boat slightly elevated. This is to ensure that all water is drained from the hull. Make sure all bilge pumps are clean and dry. Use hot soapy water to clean any oily substances and dirt. Once the bilges are clean spray with a moisture displacing lubricant.
• Remove all fire extinguishes, flares and any safety equipment, these can be checked and replaced if and when necessary. Last but not least make sure your batteries are fully charged before storing your boat away. Also advisable to have your outboard motor serviced before winter.

Outboard Motor Maintenance:

As fresh water anglers we don't have to flush our engines as frequently as saltwater anglers but should be done at least once a month. Check everything on your fuel system i.e.

• fuel tank
• fuel filters
• check for perished fuel lines
• rust or corrosion

Always check oil for correct levels i.e.

• hydraulic steering fluids ( ask VX70)
• check filtration on fuel tank as well (normally found in smaller tanks)
• always keep and eye on the engines cooling system to make sure it is a 100%
• for two stroke motors make sure your outboard oil is always topped up.

Care of Electrical Components:

Many electronic failures occur as a result of corrosion, keeping electrical components such as battery terminals etc. dry should be a regular part of boat maintenance. Check for worn out lugs, rusted battery terminals or brittle wire. There are a lot of products which are non conductive but prevent rust, that can be used to prevent these problems.

Boat Cover:

Most boats are very expensive assets and should always be covered. A boat cover can protect the boat from many harmful things such as

• uv rays causing upholstery and carpets to fade
• bird droppings ...lol
• all forms of dirt e.g. falling leaves from a tree
• and the worst factor being dust and red sand, dust and sand in electronics can cause serious damage. Some of our boats are equipped with expensive electronics and we have to look after them.

The effects of sand and dust.

How I clean my boat:

1. Vacuum the carpets, I don't like brushing the carpets because it shortens the life span of the carpets. Once every two months I would remove all batteries and empty all hatches then drench the carpet and wash it down. Boat carpets are designed to take on water so don't be shy to use a hose pipe. One can normally use a regular house hold carpet cleaner or diluted sunlight liquid. Start with this procedure early in the morning on a very hot day to ensure the carpets dry out properly.
2. I wash the seats with a soft bristle brush with handy andy applied directly to the seat ...VERY IMPORTANT always wipe down with warm water after using handy andy. I find it to be the best cleaner for upholstery but very dangerous if not properly removed.
3. Wash the top section of the hull also with handy andy and a soft sponge and do sections at a time using warm water to rinse off, I use the same procedure on the bottom section of the hull, as well as all other components including the outboard motor.
4. Once the boat is dry I spray the hull in sections with furniture polish spreading the polish with a soft cloth, thereafter using a mutton cloth to shine. This helps protect the gel coat of the boat from turning a different color. I polish all other components including trolling motors, fish finders etc as well.
5. Occasionally I would fill the live well with water and throw rough salt to neutralize all toxins or harmfull chemicals which would affect fish.

Conclusion:

In conclusion I would like to say make a fun day out of cleaning your boat and involve your family if you can. NO BOAT!! NO BASSING!! NO LIFE!!!!! LOOK AFTER YOUR BOAT.

Mumro
Bassing.co.za Pro Staff Member

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