Harmful Products for Your Boat

Whether you’re buying your first boat or your longtime watercraft in good shape, it’s important to take care of your treasured investment. To extend the lifetime and performance of your boat, we’ve consulted our customers and service department to find the best practices to keep your boat fresh and avoid damaging it so you’re always ready to tear up the waves.

Avoid aerosol sprays. Sunscreen and bug sprays can harm the curtains and windshields of your boat. While sunscreen is an important part of boating, opt for lotion or spray on the dock.

Wear the right shoes. Make sure that you’re not wearing shoes with hard bottoms or dark soles. They can be slippery, which could cause an unwanted injury, or they could mark up your boat.

Choose the correct cleaning products. Did you know that bleach isn’t good for your boat’s cushions? When exposed to the salty sea air, the seams and threads on your cushion will rot over time if they have been cleaned with bleach. It’s also wise to avoid Comet and Soft Scrub, since they can dull the finish on your non-skid and metal, and Dawn is known to take the shine out of waxed finishes.

Water + Metal = Rust. This should be Common Sense 101, but you’d be surprised to learn how many of us often forget that when metal is left to sit on water, it rusts.

Wax on, wax off. Choose a boat soap with wax on it for additional shine, and use a soft bristle brush to get the job done.

Here at Hanckel Marine, we make it easy for you to find products that will keep your boat in tip-top shape. We sell a wide variety of boat care items that can help you avoid the pitfalls of cleaning incorrectly. We’ve learned from others’ mistakes so that you don’t have to. Come see us today to make sure you’re using the correct products for your boat!