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Being the owner of a boat is a thrilling position but comes with many responsibilities. The largest of those responsibilities is the maintenance of the boat, which includes keeping up its cleanliness. You’ll find many methods of cleaning your boat but the best among them is the use of a boat power washer. A power washer creates a power stream of water that breaks off the worst of grime such as algae and salt build up.
While a boat power washer is an excellent tool for cleaning your boat, it’s important to practice safety. Injuries are a common occurrence for those not trained with a washer, so to avoid any injury, professionals are here to help with the knowledge and gear to assist with any cleaning job.
Understanding the Basics of Boat Power Washing
Equipment needed in order to perform a boat power washing would be the power washer itself. It is important to understand what material you are washing in regards to the boat. To ensure that you are cleaning your boat in the proper fashion, you want to select the best power washer for the job.
This includes selecting the appropriate PSI (pounds per square inch) and GPM (gallons per minute).
When using a boat pressure washer you will want to take the following safety precautions:
- Wear appropriate gear such as gloves and goggles to shield your body from the high-pressure water and debris being cleaned off
- Being mindful of your surroundings, as to not accidentally spray in the direction of others
Preparing the Boat for Power Washing
Before you begin using a boat power washer, you’ll want to make some preparations before the water hits the boat. First thing you should do is remove anything loose from the boat as the high-pressure water from the washer could damage these parts.
Another aspect to this would be covering any area that could be negatively affected by the water such as any electronics or exhaust areas.
When water from the power washer hits your boat, you want to make sure that the right solution is being used. This depends on how your boat was made. For example, if your boat is built with a wood-frame, you would pick a solution that doesn’t contain the harsher chemicals as it could cause the stain to be stripped away.
Executing the Power Washing Process
When beginning the process of power washing your boat, you will want to begin spraying downwards from the top and continue to the bottom. While doing this, you should maintain a distance of about one to two feet away from the boat. This ensures effective cleaning while also reducing the chance of damage.
It's important to know the pressure settings when utilizing a boat pressure washer. The best pressure washer will have a range of PSI settings. The pressure settings come down to what material that the boat is made up of; tougher materials such as steel can take higher amounts of PSI but if you want to avoid any paint chipping and peeling, one should not exceed over 1500 PSI.
Tips for Professional Results
When the pressure washing process is done, your work is not over! If you want that professional looking clean-up job there is further work to be done. The drying process can be enhanced by the use of the Absorber . This item allows for the best absorption of water left over from the pressure washing. This helps to avoid any leftover streaks and water spots. Leftover water from pressure washing may cause your boat’s detailing to peel. One use of the Absorber gives expert results!
The Takeaway
When your boat is riddled with that hard to clean grime, a pressure washer is a must have! Before utilizing your machine it's important to use the proper gear and protection to avoid any possible damage to you, or someone else, or even your boat.
Remember to put away anything loose or valuable that could be damaged by the washing process. It is always best to section out your boat to evenly wash each section. These methods help the experts get the best cleaning results—and you can do the same by following them.