Preventing Corrosion on Your Boat

Once corrosion appears on your boat it can be difficult to get rid of! However, if not prevented or stopped, corrosion will eat away at important parts of your vessel till they need to be completely replaced. Fortunately, preventing corrosion involves some pretty simple maintenance tasks. If your boat has already been affected by corrosion, don’t worry! Our dealership in Houston, Texas, offers some of the highest quality boat parts at the best prices. If your boat hasn’t been affected by corrosion, or is still in its early stages, we encourage you to read our guide and follow its helpful advice. 

Cleaning 

Rinsing Your Boat 

Cleaning your boat is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can perform to ensure your vessel has a long life. The simplest way to clean your boat is to simply rinse and dry it. This should be done every time your boat leaves the water, whether it's saltwater or fresh. Saltwater is especially conducive to corrosion and this little step can do alot to prevent its arrival on your ship.

Washing Your Boat 

Washing your boat doesn’t have to be done very often and is a pretty simple task! Rinse your boat before washing it with a soap meant for ships and a soft brush. Afterwards you can allow your boat to air dry, or use a soft towel. This only needs to be done when your boat is visibly dirty. However, if you’re about to place your boat into storage for the off season, or it’s been over six months, we advise you also wax and polish your ship once it’s dry. This task can be a bit more time consuming, but still doable from your home. It’s important not to let the previous wax and polish deteriorate completely before servicing your boat again, as they provide an important layer of protection against corrosion and damaging substances. 

Cleaning Your Boat’s Extra Features

As this guide primarily focuses on preventing corrosion, we won’t go into the many aspects of boat detailing. However, we advise you to keep an eye on the stainless steel parts of your ship and inspect them regularly. While marine grade stainless steel has some corrosion resistance, it is still susceptible to deterioration. If the steel appears dirty simply wipe it down with a soft towel and dish soap.

Tools

Boat Covers

A boat cover is a simple and cost effective solution to keeping your boat safe from corrosion! Using a boat cover is as simple as placing the material over your boat and zipping, buttoning, or snapping it up. Before buying your cover ensure that it’s made of a breathable material that’s form fitting to your ship. The tight fit will keep precipitation out while the breathable material will keep condensation from forming! 

Sacrificial Anodes

This tool is admittedly a bit more complicated than a boat cover. In short, a sacrificial anode is a piece of metal placed on your ship to purposefully deteriorate. This deterioration is brought on entirely by corrosion and effectively protects your ship's other vulnerable parts from deteriorating by drawing the corrosion to itself. Before buying a sacrificial anode it’s important to measure the hull of your ship with a multimeter. This should measure your ship's voltage and allow you to pick an anode more susceptible to corrosion than your hull’s material. Aluminum is a popular choice for a sacrificial anode as it has some corrosion resistance, giving it a longer lifespan, but often isn't as strong as the material of your hull. 

Corrosion Appearance

While rust is an easy way to recognize that corrosion is present on your vessel, it is not what you should be watching for when looking for very early signs of corrosion. Instead, keep an eye out for blistering paint on your ship, likely below the water line. Not long after your paint begins to blister you’ll begin to notice a white powdery substance. These are the early stages of corrosion and it’s important that you act quickly. Purchasing a rust remover spray for boats and spraying the affected area is a helpful short term solution. But be sure to have the exposed areas underneath your boat’s paint recovered and protected with a wax or sealant.

Boats can take a lot of time and maintenance, but we assure you that your at home up-keep is doing wonders at keeping your boat in optimal condition. We here at LMC Marine want your boat to have a long life out on the water! If you run into any problems that may be beyond your expertise, or are just too costly to do from the comfort of your home, you can reach out to our service department here! Or, if you live in Conroe or Houston, Texas, feel free to stop by the dealership and ask our experienced team about any of your questions or concerns.