Nothing will pay better dividends than washing your boat the right way.

Wash

Most boat soaps suggest several ounces of soap per gallon of water for washing a boat. That gets a good suds going and, when applied with a sponge or soft brush, does a good job of lifting dirt. It also does a good job of wasting soap.

A utility spray bottle from a discount or hardware store costs a couple of bucks or less. It’s better to use the soap concentrate straight if the spray bottle will pump it, but you might have to dilute the soap. Some boat soaps are of higher viscosity and are apt to need watering down. Start with 2 parts soap and 1 part water. A soap that won’t hurt your car finish won’t hurt your boat.

Hose off after washing your boat

Hose down the area of the boat you want to wash, rinsing away loose grime, then shoot a few stripes on it with your spray bottle. Brush it in, and swirl it around. The more-direct application of soap adds emulsive dirt-lifting power. When you’re done, rinse it away.

Use a detailer spray to wash the dashboard, consoles and compartments. Make sure the spray sports a UV protectant. To keep it off of tempered glass, spray it on a microfiber cloth and wipe the dash. It does a nice job of cleaning acrylic windscreens, so direct spray is A-OK. Wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth.

About Wax

We recommend several waxes, including two automotive waxes: Both left our white gel-coat with a matching patina that was hard to remove. On the other hand, we had good results with car waxes that were untinted.