Boat care

Protecting the rudder and tiller when leaving the vessel unattended
The rudder and tiller will move around on the boat when the vessel is left unattended.

Reducing brass and bronze maintenance
Bronze or brass trimming features such as bells, cleats, winch heads, mast heads, gallows legs, wheel, gauge bezels, galley hardware, fuel caps etc look sensational and never more so than on traditional vessel. However, all copper-based metals such as brass and bronze go black in the marine environment in a matter of weeks, if not days. Boats with this type of decorative trim require an enormous amount of upkeep to keep that brightwork in good condition.

Preventing marine growth from building above the waterline on a long-distance cruising yacht.
Cruising yachts find they quickly acquire a ring of green algae growth on the topsides just above the waterline. It is very difficult to remove and despite best scrubbing efforts, it will continuously return.

Protecting a vessel from boot grit whilst being worked on ashore
Hardstanding boats are typically stored in mud yards that have been covered with shale or gravel. This sticks into the treads of work boots and as people come and go from the vessel it gets carried aboard and trodden in around the boat.

How to preserve teak work without continual maintenance
Most yachts have wooden details above decks providing warmth and traditional charm. This degrades quickly under strong sunlight (ultraviolet) and/or continual damp conditions. When it does the base coat will begin to deteriorate and start to separate from the wood leaving unsightly opaque blisters or worse damage the varnish to wood bond. Once the varnish has reached that stage the only option is to strip it all off and start again.Likewise some woods, particularly teak decking and gratings for example, can be selected to grey naturally but this is not the case with trim or detailing. Keeping this detailing woodwork in good condition requires a time-consuming routine of regular cleaning and sealing.

How to smooth out the black caulking in teak deck joints.
Manufacturers and suppliers of teak deck caulking recommend using a flexible putty knife to smooth out freshly squeezed-out caulking.

Reducing the chance of developing a diesel cabin odour
Changing the primary fuel filter and draining the bowl during an engine service runs a high risk of splashing diesel about the engine. Equally a badly sealed fuel filter can drip fuel. This fuel then sticks to the surface with the excess seeping down into the bilge. This causes the cabin to develop a diesel-mildew odour.

Preventing lifting soles boards from scratching surrounding vertical surfaces and jamming
Modern yachts tend to have lifting sole boards right up against vertical surfaces. In time these boards tend to swell and jam so they have to be yanked out. As this happens they strike and scratch the adjacent surfaces.

Protecting the topsides when coming alongside a rough harbour wall
Some harbour walls can be very uneven, rough or have posts imbedded, that make fender boards necessary to adequately protect the vessels top sides.

Protecting the topsides from the mooring buoy
Once the moorings have been picked up and belayed, the vessel has a tendency to run on pulling the mooring buoy tight against the hull. This also may happen whilst unattended on moorings. If wind and current are turning about or working in opposition, yachts have a tendency to press forward against a mooring buoy. Unfortunately many mooring buoys that have protruding metal parts can easily scratch and mark the topsides.