The trick is to get cleaning and maintaining finished so you can maximize your time on the water.

Everyone wants a clean vessel, but it takes some work.

Waterline Wars

Nothing’s worse than leaving the boat ramp with a dingy waterline stain, but there’s no reason to let that nasty stain linger. After hauling the boat, soak a sponge in vinegar and wipe down the water stains. Some will disappear immediately; usually what remains will be gone by the time you get home. Some stains require other products

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Use Rain-X on your boat’s exterior glass. Once Rain-X is applied, the glass doesn’t attract or retain hard water spots as easily, and unless in a downpour you don’t need to run the wipers because the water simply slips off the glass.

Maintaining Clean And Green

Save major cleaning jobs for when the boat is out of the water. When using cleaning products keep them near the center of the boat to reduce the chance of an overboard spill, and when performing bigger jobs on land, try to conduct the work as far from the water’s edge as possible.

Cleaning Skin Deep

Cleaning and Maintaining surface rust by taking it off metal and fiberglass with a paste made of
water and baking soda (50-50). Rust that’s more than skin deep, however,
requires a potent cleaner containing oxalic acid. Find several to
choose from at West Marine. Always remember to thoroughly rinse it away
after the rust disappears because the acid can damage metals and fiberglass if left on too long.

Cleaning Fog Away

When acrylic windscreens and opening ports become foggy looking from countless tiny scratches, buff them out with regular toothpaste (not gel). It has just the right amount of abrasives to buff out those scratches without making a bunch of new ones. All it takes is time, elbow grease, and lots of circular motion with a cotton rag. Try out on a small spot first.