Bringing That New Look Back!!!!
Going into the heart of the winter season there are cold fronts that are more frequent and harsh. With cold fronts come low tides, north winds, and cold weather. This means that I spend a lot more days off the water. Beside cleaning and relining rods and reels, organizing hooks, lures, and other tackle, I like to use this time to clean and wax my boat inside and out.
Keeping a good coat of wax is very time consuming and down right hard work, but this is a must to make that gel coat shine for years. Let s start with the non-skid deck since it has direct exposure to sunlight and wear. Being in the charter business I put my boat to the test. And I have people that wear all types of shoes (most not being boat shoes) so I need to have a good coat of wax to keep it protected. The problem with non- skid decks is that you can t use your traditional wax that wipes on and off due to the rough texture. I have found a wax that is a spray wax made by Woody Wax that is easy to apply and leaves a superior coat. This is called Non- Skid spray wax. You simply clean your hull and while it s still wet take a soft deck brush, spray the wax on the brush and apply it to the deck. You will see a film and as the film gets thin spray the brush as needed. Once you have covered all your non-skid area, all you have to do is rinse thoroughly. You will see the water beading up and then you have a good wax coat!
The second area that is important is the sides of the boat. This is the area that you will use your traditional wax. Again, like most, you get what you pay for. When you choose a cheap wax your going to pay in the long run if you decide to keep your boat for a long time. I like the Triple X wax from Woody s Wax for light oxidation. For heavy oxidation they have a product called Triple X paste Wax. Note: if you use the paste you might have to buff out as this is very thick. For most light wax you just wipe on a light coat with a cloth or wax pad, let it set until its dry, and using a terry cloth just wipe off.
There are some other products that I like to use to clean the console. Since most of the electronics are mounted on the dash you probably want to keep water off of the area to protect it. I use a spray called Carnauba spray wax by Woody s Wax. I like to use paper towels or a fine cloth and just spray the gauges, windshield, and anything else on the dash. Just wipe them off and you have put a coat of wax that is good for about six months.
One last chore I like to do when I m doing my annual boat wax is flush my outboard. Since I run my engine in shallow water, sand, grass, shells and who knows what else gets sucked up into the passages and pump on the engine. I like to use a flush on my engine that will break down the debris that gets stuck in the engine over a period of time. Woody s Wax has a flush kit that has all the fittings and is easy to use. This will clean your engine and lubricate it internally to make it last a lifetime
Once you have cleaned your non- skid deck, boat sides, and flushed the engine, you should start using a boat soap that keeps the boat clean and not making the deck slippery, as well as putting a light coat of wax every time you wash it. I use Ultra pine boat soap. This will make that wax coat last longer so you can spend more time on the water and less time working!
I hope the product above will help you get your boat back to that new shape, or just keep it looking good. The products mentioned above are good products and work great. Most can be found at your local tackle store or can be ordered online at www.woody-wax.com Tight lines!
Captain Jason Prieto is a native resident of Tampa and has fished Tampa Bay and its surrounding waters for the past 20 years. He is owner and operator of Steady Action Fishing Charters which is based out of lower Tampa Bay. To book a charter, you can reach him at 813-727-9890 or www.steadyactionfishingcharters.com. If you would like to catch him on the radio tune into Outdoor Fishing Adventures Saturday mornings from 8am to 10am on 1040AM ESPN radio. Tight lines!!!