[sixgun95]

Just picked up my first boat, 07 Caparral Sunesta 214 and I have no idea how to care for the hull/interior after boating, Lake use only. Do you dry it, wash then dry? What about the interior, remove the snap in carpet and rinse/wash? I really want to keep this beaty looking new.

[evilratgirl]

Sixgun, I've often wondered if your question can actually be taught.

You'll get a ton of suggestions for products for your hull/interior. The real secret is in using them correctly. More importantly actually the touchy feely, almost becoming intimate with every groove and rise. Some people don't have the patience to understand this.

I've been on filthy lakes where I've had to wash my boat as soon as I got back. Usually the major detailing in the spring is fine for most of the summer. When you pull the boat out the water ya check the boat, clean the clingies off the trailer, make sure nothing is going to blow out on the way home.

As far as the carpet, again common sense. If wet get it up so it can dry somehow. I don't have carpet but others will be more help here.

One comment I read on this site some time ago "It's better to buy an older boat from an anal owner then a newer one from a clueless owner". For some of us, our boats are a passion, something you feel.

You will get nicks and bangs. Things will break. Understanding how things feel when they're right, clues you into when things start going wrong before big problems develop. Lake use only really simplifies things.

Sorry about the long post but how to keep a boat looking and running like new is a pretty complex generality.

[tashasdaddy]

one of my boats is a chris craft 230 deckboat, similar to yours, i never put the carpet in mine, it's rolled up in the garage attic. we always washdown after any use, and flush the engine 5.7 Volvo Penta. we carry a small aray of cleaning supplies for food and drink spills. much easier to take care of immediately. if fishing, get any fish blood up as soon as you can, sunbaked gets hard to deal with. also keep it covered, and the interior will last so much longer.

[rndn]

I had a black and red Baja and found the best way to keep the waterline area clean is to wipe it down with a towel right after you get it on the trailer. Don't do anything else first. It kept the maintenance down to something I could live with. Doing this after you have a good boat wax applied is what I should have said. It will keep the boat looking new for weeks instead of scrubbing each and every time you get back home. It is important to do this immediately before the water dries up from the sun. I should mention I only boat in fresh water so I have no idea if this will help with a salt water launch.

[sixgun95]

I am very good and anal retentive when it comes to taking care of my things. I guess maybe I should of asked what product do you clean the exterior / interior gel coat with? What do you use for a protectant? What do you use on the vinyl interior?

[rndn]

A good marine cleaner and separate wax would be great for the gel coate surfaces. Interior vinyl surfaces Armor All or equivelant. Be careful with the vinyl seats with anything that will make them slippery as you will do a fair amount of sliding around while boating. It could also be very dangerous if you slipped out of the seat at the wrong time.

[Speedo]

I use armorall on the vinyl and rubber and have recently used a gel wax made by Turtle Wax that you apply on wet surfaces (after you wash it).

I vacuum just like I would my car. If the interior is really wet, snap out the carpet and let it dry in the shade so it doesn't fade. Towel out the rest of the interior and wipe everything down.