A new
year is upon us! After the parties, the all-you-can-eat buffets, the party
streamers, and the champagne, it’s easy to forget that every year is what we
choose to make it. This is true in every area of our lives, of course, but
there might be no better example of living on your own terms than the quality
of your own boat.
Boats,
after all, require a lot of care and maintenance over their lifetimes if
they’re going to give back everything you’ve put into them. And if your boat
needs a good amount of care in order to last through 2016 in one piece, there’s
no better time to review a few basic tips and maintenance strategies to ensure
your boat gives you another full and enjoyable year.
Protect Your Graphics
If you
installed new graphics on your boat in 2015, then 2016 is going to be crucial.
If you do a good job of protecting your graphics this year, you can likely look
forward to getting the most out of your investment with shiny, vivid graphics
for years to come.
If you
don’t protect your graphics, they can potentially wear faster than you can say,
“bust out another dollar.”
We
recommend a healthy dose of Graphix Wax which is made from high-grade components and is crafted especially for
boat graphics, thanks to their UV protection and to being solvent-free. If there’s any good time to start a new habit like protecting
your graphics with effective wax, it’s with the start of the new year.
Keep Your Bilge Clean
There’s
nothing that can make a new boat go sour more quickly than a dirty bilge, which
is why we recommend picking up a hefty gallon of Bilge Cleaner to start off your new year. Emulsifying
all of the oil and scum that’s built up over the course of 2015 will help you
restore your boat to original quality and
ensure the long-term health of your bilge. It may not be the sexiest way to
protect your boat this year, but it will always be one of the most important.
Watch Your Fiberglass
If
there’s one material that can make or break the appearance of your boat, it’s
fiberglass. Much of your boat is likely fiberglass, which means you have to
know how to spot-clean it, how to maintain it, and how to keep it shining all
year long.
Fortunately,
it’s not as complicated as it sounds.
Fiberglass Powder Cleaner is a good first step. Rust stains, scuff
marks, black streaks–they’re the exact kinds of marks and stains that boat
owners fear, but they can all be properly addressed if you have the right
cleaning equipment. In 2016, make sure you’re ready for it.
Keep Your Boat Secure
One last
thing: it’s a good idea to ensure that your boat will remain secure throughout
2016. Boat theft is a real problem, even at many marinas where security is lax.
Be sure to check up on your marina’s security systems and invest in your boat’s
security; a boat alarm might not sound necessary in January, but you’ll be glad
you have one come June.
