When using your Roundabout Watercraft, in either fresh or saltwater, there are some good regular maintenance items you should consider. This will not only help the look and feel of riding in your boat, but will more importantly help with the longevity of all of the components of the watercraft.
The Rinse
After every trip into the water, a good rinse off session should be in order. For saltwater guys this will get the salt off of your hardware, as well as out of the finer areas like hinges and crevices. Freshwater guys will find this will help with the “muck line” often found in backwaters and canal systems. This muck line can easily become a semi permanent stain. Lastly, bait fisherman will find this will help with the odor control of the craft – nothing stinks quite as much as rotted bait lost in a crack or stuck to the deck for a day or two.
Thin Oil
After every trip in saltwater, and after a handful in freshwater – it is a good idea to oil your hardware and hinges directly after you rinse it. This oil will allow for any remaining salt deposits to be blasted out and will protect these components from any rust that may occur while in storage.
Not all oils are the same, and as a matter of fact- I only trust one: Ultralube 4X. Reason being, even for silicon based sprays, most all of them say “DO NOT USE ON PLASTIC.” To prevent unwanted damage, heed this warning. Ultralube 4x is safe on plastics.
Another reason I chose Ultralube 4X is because it is a very thin oil. Thicker oils will attract dirt and grime. We actually want this oil to wash away easily to prevent this. This will happen in the rain as well as on the water, and that is fine This is basically a tip for during storage only.
UV Protectant
Not everyone thinks about this, but solutions like M Essentials UV Tech and Aerospace 303 offer a UV protection and rejuvenation, specifically designed for this kind of hull material. This helps control sun fade and rot, but will also restore any sun faded areas that may have occurred already. For new boats, this treatment will help keep them looking new.
This stuff is a little pricey, but goes a very long way. After several kayaks and boats, my same bottle is 80% full after 3 years of use. This includes the entire hull side as well as deck side of your boat. It even works on bungees and nylon webbing.
A pretty good schedule for this application is as follows:
Freshwater guys: Once per year
Saltwater guys: Twice per year
That’s it – your boat will thank you for many years to come.
