How To Take Care of Your Boat

Taking care of a boat demands a little time and effort, but having the right equipment and products makes it both easier and more enjoyable. In this guide we will go through some of the most important boat care tasks step by step. And remember to protect yourself as well as the environment. Use appropriate personal protective equipment for each task, and the work will be safer with better results. Also remember to sort your waste correctly.

Published 2025.01.21

Cleaning the boat

  1. Rinse down the boat with freshwater. Make sure scuppers and drainage holes are free of leaves and debris.
  2. Pour the recommended measure of boat shampoo into a bucket. Use chemical-resistant gloves.
  3. The easiest way to clean the hull sides is with a sponge, and the deck with a soft scrubbing brush.
  4. Rinse down the boat thoroughly with salt water after cleaning. A high-pressure washer is a useful tool.

Person with green rubber glove washes a dirty surface with sponge and soap suds.

Cleaning the waterline

  1. Apply waterline cleaner to a sponge. Use chemical-resistant gloves for this too.
  2. Spread the cleaner in circular motions and allow to work for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Rinse down thoroughly with freshwater. For heavily discoloured areas, repeat step two.

Person wearing green rubber gloves applies detergent to a dirty surface with a sponge.

Cleaning and protecting aluminium

  1. Wash your aluminium boat or rigging with boat shampoo and freshwater.
  2. Apply aluminium oil to a microfibre cloth. Use nitrile gloves. 
  3. Rub in the oil in small circular motions.
  4. Allow the oil to dry for 3-5 minutes.
  5. Wipe down the surfaces with a microfibre cloth.

Person wearing black nitrile gloves polishes a metal surface with a green cloth and applies Biltema Rigg Protect to clean and maintain the rig.

Mending gelcoat damage

  1. Make sure to remove all loose gelcoat.
  2. Sand the areas clean with K180 sandpaper.
  3. Clean the damaged area with acetone.
  4. Mix gelcoat filler ”series” with hardener.
  5. Apply the filler with a putty trowel and allow to harden. Filling may need to be performed twice.
  6. Sand the filler with wet sandpaper, in stages up to K1200.
  7. Polish the area afterwards with rubbing, polish and lastly wax. A polishing machine is a useful tool.

Two images show hull repair: On the left, a person wearing a grey glove cutting away damaged gelcoat with a hobby knife. On the right, a person wearing a black glove is applying filler with a metal spatula.

Two images show the completion of boat repairs: On the left, a person with black gloves sanding filler with a sanding block. On the right, the finished hull with a smooth and even surface.

Polishing metal

  1. If the material is heavily corroded, it may need to be roughened with a nylon disc, and then sanded afterwards with wet sandpaper.
  2. Apply metal polish, spread a thin layer over the area.
  3. Polish with a polishing pad on a screwdriver. Start slowly and increase the speed.
  4. Wipe down the area with a microfibre cloth.

Two images show the treatment of metal fittings on a boat: On the left, polishing compound is applied to the fittings, on the right the metal is polished with a polishing disc mounted on a drill.

Freshly polished metal fittings on a boat, surrounded by a blue cloth and tube of polish - the surface appears glossy and shiny.

Removing anti-fouling paint

  1. Cover the ground where you will be working with a tarpaulin.
  2. Mask off the waterline with masking tape.
  3. Apply anti-fouling paint with a wide paintbrush or roller that can handle solvent.
  4. Allow the product to work for 1-2 hours. (For best results, cover the area with painter's plastic.)
  5. Scrape off the paint with a putty trowel or paint scraper(e.g. 65 mm), gather the waste into a container and hand it in to a recycling station.
  6. Rinse down the surfaces thoroughly with freshwater.
  7. Sand the surfaces lightly before applying primer or sealer with K180 sandpaper.

Left: a person applies painter's tape to the hull of a boat to delineate the work area. Right: applying paint remover to the black bottom paint with a brush.

A person wearing black work gloves scrapes bottom paint off the boat hull with a spatula after applying paint remover. Painter's tape is visible at the top as a demarcation.

Applying anti-fouling paint

  1. Cover the ground underneath the boat with a tarpaulin.
  2. Mask off the waterline with masking tape.
  3. Apply sealer or epoxy primer for optimal adhesion.
  4. Mix suitable anti-fouling paint thoroughly with a mixing stick.
  5. Apply the anti-fouling paint with a wide paintbrush, or roller (e.g. 100 mm). Apply an additional coat at the waterline, rudder and keel.
  6. Remove the masking tape.
  7. Gather all waste and sort as hazardous waste.

Left image: A person applies painter's tape to the waterline of the boat hull to protect the surface. Right image: A person painting primer or bottom paint on the hull with a paint roller wearing black work gloves.

Left image: A person is applying black bottom paint to the boat hull with a paint roller, close to the painter's tape. Right image: The painted boat hull with an even coat of black bottom paint and the painter's tape still in place along the edge.

Polishing the boat

Rubbing 

  1. Clean the hull with boat shampoo and freshwater.
  2. Use a polishing machine and apply rubbing to a polishing sponge. Begin by carefully spreading the product over the hull.
  3. Begin polishing at the lowest speed, work on areas measuring 80 x 80 cm. Work horizontally and vertically.
  4. Allow the product to dry and wipe off excess rubbing with a microfibre cloth.

Left image: A person is holding an electric polisher with a green polishing disc against a blue boat hull with white trim. Right image: The same area is being polished with a yellow disc, and there are clear differences in gloss and colour where the polishing is in progress.

Polishing patern

Polish according to this pattern for good results.

Diagram of a polishing patern when polishing the boat.

Polishing the boat

  1. Apply polish to the pad and spread out on the hull. For best results, use a polishing machine, or a polishing sponge. 
  2. Begin polishing at low speed on an area measuring 80 x 80 cm, and avoid direct sunlight.
  3. Gradually increase the speed of the polishing machine, work horizontally and vertically.
  4. Allow the product to dry until a matte surface is achieved.
  5. Wipe down with a microfibre clothor a clean polishing sponge.

Man uses electric polisher with round polishing disc to polish a dark blue boat surface. Polishing agent is applied and distributed in circular movements over the painted area.

Waxing the boat

  1. Apply wax in circular motions with a microfibre cloth.
  2. Allow the wax to dry until a milky, matte surface is achieved.
  3. Polish off the excess wax with a polishing sponge.

Person applies boat wax to dark blue boat surface with a microfibre cloth (left) and then polishes with electric polisher (right). The product used is labelled “Boat Wax”.

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