Prep Your Boat For Spring With Marine 31

Prep Your Boat For Spring With Marine 31

When the temperature goes up, it’s time to get those boats back on the water! But is your boat ready for spring? After some winter months either in storage or just not being used, your boat will need some sprucing up before it’s ready for your first trip on the water. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, Marine 31 Boat Care has an entire line of products designed to keep your boat clean, protected, and ready for spring! Check out our quick spring prep guide below!

Step 1. Wash.

Even if you’re able to have your boat put in storage (which we realize can be pretty pricey), a thorough wash is still a necessity. Think of all the dust, dirt, and other debris it’s been exposed to – even with a boat cover, the contamination will need to be washed away (and no, the water in the lake or ocean doesn’t count as a wash!).

Depending on your preference, you can use either the Marine 31 Gel Coat Wash And Wax with Carnauba in a bucket or foam gun, the Marine 31 Port to Starboard Rinseless Wash with Carnauba Wax (also in a bucket but without the gallons of running water), or the Marine 31 Stern to Bow Waterless Wash And Wax with Carnauba that will save you time AND water!

It might seem counterproductive to wash your boat before going onto the water but it’s worth the added effort when your gel coat stays shining all the time!

Washing a boat outside with boat wash Washing a  boat with a waterless boat wash

Marine 31 Gel Coat Wash And Wax with Carnauba

Step 2. Polish (Optional)

If you followed our guide for getting your boat ready for fall, you can probably skip this step as it’s been in storage or not used as often. However, if you haven’t polished your boat’s gel coat in a while, spring is the best time to do it.

Depending on how contaminated your gel coat is, there are multiple products that can be used to remove swirls, light scratches, and oxidation that may have occurred during the colder months. If your gel coat needs a two-step polish, check out the Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy-Cut Oxidation Cleaner (step 1), and the Marine 31 Gel Coat Final Step Polish (step 2). If your boat only needs a quick once-over, you can use the Marine 31 Captains One-Step Compound And Polish to save some time.

Polishing a boat with a machine polisher Polishing a boat with a machine polisher

Marine 31 Captains One-Step Compound And Polish

Marine 31 Gel Coat Heavy-Cut Oxidation Cleaner

Step 3. Mildew Removal

Mildew seems to grow in the blink of an eye and if your boat is stored or covered in an area that isn’t climate controlled, you may have some mildew growth over the winter months. Luckily, Marine 31 Mildew Stain Remover makes quick work of removing any mildew staining.

Once all of the mildew is gone, be sure to use Marine 31 Mildew Stain Guard to prevent mildew stains form happening in the future!

Mildewed Boat Seats Before Using Marine 31 Mildew Remover! Mildewed Boat Seats After Using Marine 31 Mildew Remover.

Marine 31 Mildew Stain Remover

Marine 31 Mildew Stain Remover Gel

Marine 31 Mildew Stain Guard

Step 4. Protect

Once your boat has been cleaned, polished (maybe), and rid of all mildew, it’s time to make sure it’s protected from the elements with a coating or sealant. As you probably know by now, a coating is the one of the better ways of protecting. It lasts longer, provides a slick shine, and can sometimes even be easier to apply than a wax or sealant.

If you’re looking for the longest lasting coating for boats, check out the Marine 31 Vessel Coat UV Pro. This coating provides a longer-than-average flash time which gives the user plenty of time to work and ensure even coverage.

If you’re short on time, or just don’t want to apply a coating, check out the Marine 31 Gel Coat Spray Wax Plus. This spray-on wax provides plenty of UV protection and won’t take as long to use as a coating would.

However, no matter which method you prefer, ensuring your boat’s gel coat is protected at all is of the utmost importance – after all, you don’t want to have to correct the oxidation that can occur if not protected!

Prepping the surface to apply a boat coating Applying a boat coating to a surface

Marine 31 Vessel Coat UV Pro