My first year with a boat on a trailer

last year my boat was docked at the marina. this year I'm gonna pull it out of the water everyday. I'd like some tips on a good routine. The boat is black (see profile pic) so I'm guessing it's extra care?
so after a good day of boating....you would:

wipe it down ( which product?)
remove the drain plug?

sorry if I sound like a total newbie but I'd rather ask than mess up my boat.

pull her out, a nice wipe down with Babes Boat Butter on the exterior followed by a nice wipe down of the interior with Babes Seat Soap. Pull out the trash and cover. Plug could be pulled if you have the memory to put it back in before re launch. I only say this cuz youre used to leaving it in so it would be a thought process change.

Give it a nice wax, then wipe down after use to prevent water spots...

Removing drain plug is a good idea... get into a routine of boat prep at the ramp otherwise you'll forget and have a soggy boat

I don't like to cover mine personally. I find it dries much better with the wind screaming over it on the way home. Also--cover is just a PITA.

vinegar and water is cheap and works great for water spots

thanks for the advice guys.
I need to cover the boat since I'm not towing it back home. it's staying on a lot next to the water.


what's the use of removing the drain plug besides getting rid of the water? once it's empty, can you just put it back?
so I need to get some of that babes stuff..

Pete,
Sharp boat. We typically own a black boat and pull it out after each use as well. We pull out and then get the crew to pitch in in wiping it down with either:
-Babes or a mix of Vinegar/Water and a splash of liquid car wax all mixed in a sprayer (if nothing else at least wipe in down good with your towels)
-We never pull the drain plug. Seems pointless to me and eventually you will forget to put it back in.
-The wife usually wipes down the interior and throws everything out of the boat for people to grab and put away.
-Strap the boat to the trailer and go

Every several times out we will throw a coat of wax on the boat at home, but generally if you keep up on the wipe down you can keep it looking new. If you already have some waterspots uses some serious elbow grease and some Meguiars hard water spot remover and then immediately wax it.

Good luck. Believe it or not I would always choose to trailer my boat. I can always keep my eyes on it and I always know it is being cared for. Plus it gives me the ability to launch in different locations freely.

exactly what jason callen said. Each and every time - no fail.

^^thanks for your input!
so removing the drain plug is kind of useless?

and get yourself some microfiber towels for the wipe down. works much better than regular towels - and prevents the swirl marks that youll see real easily on a black boat.

Pete - I never remove my drain plug. I dont get any water in my bilge area ever - so no point in taking the drain plug off.

list of things I need to get

bucket of babes
microfiber towels (babes I'm guessing?)
friends willing to help with the wipe down

I guess I could run the bilge pump while we're cleaning the inside instead of removing the plug.

Sounds like you're going to be storing your boat outside? That is a pretty big reason to pull the plug each time.

yes the boat is stored outside.

I don't mind taking the extra 2 seconds the pull it , I just don't understand why. Moisture in the bilge? what about bugs crawling in there?

Well if you keep it outside and it rains hard for a few days straight, you're going to have a flooded boat since the water cannot drain with the plug in.

good point. do they sell some kind of screens for the drain hole? something that would keep the bugs out

I always pulled the plug in my super sport. I had a cover similar to yours pete and the front part can sag and funnel the water right into your boat.

Nice looking boat!

I'm with Stanfield on that one, just make it a part of your routine. Before you hook the boat to the truck, put the plug in.

Also don't worry about friends willing to help with the wipe down, if they are willing to go riding on your boat, they have lost the "optional" part of wiping down the boat.

Another good thing we have used when parking the boat outside is a tire cover. We built some out of a 2x4 and some ply wood. It acts as a chalk as well as keeps the sun of your rims/bearings/tires.

I agree, my boat stays outside and even with the cover on the boat gets water in it, not a big deal but with the plug in you will have water in the bildge, covers are not completely water proof.

^^thanks mate!
yes I know about the bow cover, happened twice last year!this one time we had a huge storm and I was nervous at night so I got out of bed, went to the marina to find another 210 sinking...the teak plateform was 2-3'' under the water. The guy didn't empty his rear wedge tanks and he didn't turn the bilge pump on...un-snapped the cover, emptied the ballast, flipped the bilge pump, wiped the interior down after standing there in pouring rain for half an hour... I'm pretty sure I saved the guy a whole lot of trouble/money. 2-3 weeks later I ran into the guy and told him the story. He couldn't believe it. He had been out of the country for a month..
oh and my 210 was allright except for water sitting on the bow cover.

Make sure you treat your cover with a water repellent, since it could be sitting in the rain for extended periods of time. I would also recommend taking the drain plug out every time.

(Message edited by pnichols on April 28, 2009)

I remove my plug to let the water drain out, she sometimes pisses for about a minute, but i have a completely different boat that gets water in it a lot coming in and out. Also, I don't want water in there that keeps moisture inside, especially since the cover stays on most of the time.

I usually let my boat dry out for a few hours when I get home, but if thats not an option, I usually use Damp Rid. It's an amazing product that draws the moisture out of my boat from the inside once the cover is on. I place four cups around the inside of my boat and the crystals draw the moisture into the cup and collects at the bottom. The next morning the inside is 10 times dryer than the night before.

http://www.damprid.com/indexd86f.html

Pete. if your worried about forgetting to put the drain plug back, do what I do...

On my boat key chain I attached a short ("1/2 long) PVC cap that my drain plug screws into. After I pull the plug I screw it into this cap and that way I will never loose it, and when I grab my boat keys It reminds me to replace the plug.

thanks michael and john for you advice.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Just curious if you have a trailer launching checklist? Nobody wants to be "that guy". Did you put the front trailer tire up? Are the lights hooked up? Anything left in the boat that will blow away on the highway? Once at the water did you release the back tiedowns? If not are you wondering why your trailer is floating? Did you put the emergency break on and more importantly did you release it when pulling out. Don't be that guy, have a checklist? I know I used to b that guy.
Enjoy the season

there's not a single chance I'm gonna be ''THAT GUY''....

I'm gonna have to tow it 100 yards from the grass to the ramp

but thanks for the heads up Dan

ive seen a tool that removes your plug and then you screw the plug into the tool and then the tool itself wraps onto the steering wheel. so you never forget to put it in. i for got who made the thing but it may be made by nautique. i always remove my plug

^^I'll try to find that tool!!!

thanks alan

I would NOT recommend the vinegar and water solution. It can strip off your wax. Get the Babe's Boat Bright. IT's a great product from a great company, and even with a generous wipe down every time out, you'll likely only go through one jug a season (maybe 2 if you ride 5 times a week). It restores your wax each time and doesn't smell bad like the vinegar (in fact it smells like awesome!)

Just my advice, i don't mean to insult any vinegar users, but I love my finish and I always have the shiniest boat around, even though it is older than me :-)

Jason Callen and I crew the same boat, follow that process and your golden. I would def pull plug everytime and leave is out, helps with getting rid of some of the moisture in the bildge between uses.

Brian- Yeah the whole vinegar thing sounds a bit sketchy (and must smell awful) . I need to locate a babes retailer in Quebec.

If it's fresh water. Clean out the junk, pull the plugs and prop the seats for air flow. Put on the cover and go home. Save the wax, wipedowns and seat protectant until you do an oil change. Spend all the time saved riding more often. The boat will be fine.

You want the plug out in case you ever have a problem with the cover and a lot of rain. I also find my dries better with the plug out.

(Message edited by srock on April 30, 2009)

You don't have to do the spray wax and seat protectant every time. However, unless you want to buff your boat every oil change, black or not, I highly advise against not wiping it down. Fresh water contains minerals and elements just like any other body of water.

If your worried about minerals and elements you need to rinse not just wipe. Don't stop there flush your engine as well. One step further, buy a filter for your potable water if you are concerned about water quality and spots. Fiberglass and vinyl would be the least of my concern over any metals or finishes if your water was that caustic.

Vinegar is a mild acid. It may stop water spots but it will probably remove wax as well. I use vinegar once a year remove salt build-up in my cooling system and heat exchangers on the salt water boat. Many people use diluted muriatic acid for the same chore.

babes - inside & out EVERY TIME. Takes 15 mins. Your done.

I surf a ton so pulling the drain plug is essential for me to get all the water out. I always pull it at the bottom of the launch which is steep then it's up hill to the prep area where I put it in. I usually wipe down the interior while waiting for the pick up then we wipe it down up top. It's no more than 10 mins once we're outta the water usually less.

Babes boat bright and the blue seat cleaner everytime and it'll look brand new all summer.

^^thanks hate

I have a black boat...trailer exclusively....usually one hour each way. I wax my boat at the start of the season and at the end (maybe once during the season if I get time)I also occasionally hit it with some quick detailer spray wax as well.
When I pull the boat out of the water I remove the drain plug. The ride home and gravity will take care of any water. I always have a spray bottle filled 50/50 with water/vinegar and a little bit of imitation vanilla extract thrown in for good aroma! We spray the boat down and wipe with micro-fiber towels. My boat is 3 years old and looks brand new with absolutely zero water spots. I wipe down the interior and clean out any trash, remove all wet towels and life jackets etc. from compartments. If the compartments are wet at all inside I leave the cushions off partially so air can ciurculate. The boat is then covered and stored in a covered storage building.

You mentioned a concern of bugs crawling in the drain plug hole... I wouldnt be worried about that at all. They can get through the entire perimeter of the cover. Unless it's air tight bugs can get in.