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Old     (BLucas86)      Join Date: Apr 2016       03-20-2018, 9:44 AM Reply   
Morning WW,

My RZX3 is going to spend it first summer in a boat lift on the water (May- Oct). I am very OCD about keeping the interior and exterior polished and wanted to see what creative ideas you guys have on keeping these beautiful rigs presentable for a full season? Also, best practices for Spiders/ Hornets...I also have the Tige Cover ALL cover, and im hoping this makes life easier.

Currently use a combo between Hula Boat Care and Boat Bling products. I have had success in the past with Babes Boat soap, but trying to decide if I'm going to rinse it each weekend or continue the "wipe down" process that I've done the last few years to keep her looking like new.

I do plan on getting it professionally detailed before the start of the season to make sure she starts off with a good waxin'.

Let me know any tips/ tricks, as I'm stoked to get her settled in, in her new home.

Cheers,
B
Old     (tampawake)      Join Date: Mar 2008       03-20-2018, 10:10 AM Reply   
I have never understood owning a premium expensive boat and not buying a touchless cover.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BLucas86 View Post
Morning WW,

My RZX3 is going to spend it first summer in a boat lift on the water (May- Oct). I am very OCD about keeping the interior and exterior polished and wanted to see what creative ideas you guys have on keeping these beautiful rigs presentable for a full season? Also, best practices for Spiders/ Hornets...I also have the Tige Cover ALL cover, and im hoping this makes life easier.

Currently use a combo between Hula Boat Care and Boat Bling products. I have had success in the past with Babes Boat soap, but trying to decide if I'm going to rinse it each weekend or continue the "wipe down" process that I've done the last few years to keep her looking like new.

I do plan on getting it professionally detailed before the start of the season to make sure she starts off with a good waxin'.

Let me know any tips/ tricks, as I'm stoked to get her settled in, in her new home.

Cheers,
B
Old     (Mike88)      Join Date: Aug 2016       03-20-2018, 10:23 AM Reply   
Up here pretty much everybody use these kind of boat lift. It’s the easiest way to keep the boat clean all season long. The roof option is like 1,5K so it definitely worth it.
It keep away Bird sh*t, rain, sun ray, etc. I make a good scellant (better than wax for my opinion) before putting my boat in the water and never done another, just wash it rapidly each weekend because I’m a maniac. But it always look like new and will always be. Just because it’s well protected.
Never understood people who buy 100K + boats and pass over the 1K option to keep it in good condition in the long term.
So my best tips would be get you a roof top!

You definitely see the hull difference between a boat who is always roof protected or one that is simply covered with the oem boat cover. Even after a simple summer or 2.
Especially when you love black hull (like me)
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Last edited by Mike88; 03-20-2018 at 10:28 AM. Reason: Tapping
Old     (xxrb2010)      Join Date: Jan 2014       03-20-2018, 11:38 AM Reply   
I use babes boat products exclusively every week, 303 once a month, wax every month or two and I have a full cover down to the waterline plus the boathouse roof that goes beyond on every sides. I do not like touchless cover as bugs got inside and where I reside there are a lot of bugs even if I treat. My cover takes about 2 to 4 minutes to put and remove, I cover it every night, not a big deal at all.

Boat is still looking like a showroom boat after many summers. It all depends on how much elbow grease you are willing to spend
Old     (Smoothie)      Join Date: Feb 2018       03-20-2018, 11:57 AM Reply   
Anyone use anti damp stuff during the summer? Gets pretty muggy here in Georgia and seats can get mildew on them, especially covered.
Old     (BLucas86)      Join Date: Apr 2016       03-20-2018, 1:01 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by tampawake View Post
I have never understood owning a premium expensive boat and not buying a touchless cover.
Its going in a completely shaded/ covered boat slip that only gets some sun on port side of the transom at sunrise.

Id assume my coverall cover actually seals the interior and tower/speakers more than the touchless design? Ive always assumed the touchless covers were just designed for UV protection.

Good call on a dehumidifier of some sort. Would love to hear what works, something that doesn't require to be plugged in.
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Old     (BLucas86)      Join Date: Apr 2016       03-20-2018, 1:12 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by xxrb2010 View Post
I use babes boat products exclusively every week, 303 once a month, wax every month or two and I have a full cover down to the waterline plus the boathouse roof that goes beyond on every sides. I do not like touchless cover as bugs got inside and where I reside there are a lot of bugs even if I treat. My cover takes about 2 to 4 minutes to put and remove, I cover it every night, not a big deal at all.

Boat is still looking like a showroom boat after many summers. It all depends on how much elbow grease you are willing to spend
Always willing to throw in some elbow grease, just not looking to have to do 2-3x more when storing on the water and hoping to hear some best practices. I have a friend that swears by the ceramic coating, but i've also heard folks unhappy with it.
Old     (bbeach)      Join Date: Jul 2002       03-20-2018, 1:26 PM Reply   
Best thing you can do for it is keep good wax on it - wipe it down each time - keep it covered - and lastly open most of the compartments when covered and keep a small fan in there circulating air.
Old     (JR_88)      Join Date: Jun 2015       03-20-2018, 2:18 PM Reply   
I've never used damprid or a fan and so long as the cover is moderately breathable or you consistently clean the seats [monthly] then you shouldn't have problems with growth. Treating spiders - the only way to rid the dock of them is to get cans of Raid and then kill on contact. Best to go down at dusk with a flashlight and watch them come out for easy pickings. The DIY combo of vinegar and coconut oil for prevention is a waste of time. Grab a short broom and attach it to the dock for easy clearing of spiderwebs.
Old     (xxrb2010)      Join Date: Jan 2014       03-20-2018, 6:10 PM Reply   
I use a breathable cover and while it is highly humid during the summer time, no issue with mildew at all. There is also always a breeze on the boathouse, so that might have an impact or not, I do not know.

I will be cautious about electrical apparels under the cover, as It always smell a little bit of gas for a few seconds when I remove the cover. I do not use anything special inside the boat during the summer time.

Last edited by xxrb2010; 03-20-2018 at 6:13 PM.
Old     (xxrb2010)      Join Date: Jan 2014       03-20-2018, 6:14 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbeach View Post
Best thing you can do for it is keep good wax on it - wipe it down each time - keep it covered - and lastly open most of the compartments when covered and keep a small fan in there circulating air.
Agree with everything but the fan, see my comments about gas vapors earlier.
Old     (xxrb2010)      Join Date: Jan 2014       03-20-2018, 6:19 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by JR_88 View Post
I've never used damprid or a fan and so long as the cover is moderately breathable or you consistently clean the seats [monthly] then you shouldn't have problems with growth. Treating spiders - the only way to rid the dock of them is to get cans of Raid and then kill on contact. Best to go down at dusk with a flashlight and watch them come out for easy pickings. The DIY combo of vinegar and coconut oil for prevention is a waste of time. Grab a short broom and attach it to the dock for easy clearing of spiderwebs.
Do the broom on spider webs when I see them, and spraying professional products every month or so before leaving for the week, so I reduce the risk of cancer later , or I hope so. I use https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/ with Talstar pro and suspend SC every other.
Old     (Bakes)      Join Date: Mar 2010       03-20-2018, 8:30 PM Reply   
Fan blowing into bilge will eliminate gas vapors. They just go out the side engine vents. I have a fan on a timer that runs for 30 minutes 2 times a day. Absolutely ZERO musty boat smell or vapor smell with the fan.

I’m not sure a small dehumidifier is going to do squat in Houston.

Last edited by Bakes; 03-20-2018 at 8:35 PM.
Old     (Smoothie)      Join Date: Feb 2018       03-21-2018, 5:44 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakes View Post
Fan blowing into bilge will eliminate gas vapors. They just go out the side engine vents. I have a fan on a timer that runs for 30 minutes 2 times a day. Absolutely ZERO musty boat smell or vapor smell with the fan.

I’m not sure a small dehumidifier is going to do squat in Houston.
What kind of fan do you use? Sounds like a good plan.
Old     (DealsGapCobra)      Join Date: May 2010       03-22-2018, 10:00 AM Reply   
Subscribing as my boat will spend its first summer on a lift this year.
Old     (sidekicknicholas)      Join Date: Mar 2007       03-22-2018, 10:40 AM Reply   
I'm in Wisconsin, the boat is on the lift from ~End of April / May til End of September

I try and do a thorough cleaning in the fall before we put it away, and a touch up and make sure we treat / protect all the vinyl. I always do my maintenance in the spring vs the fall (unless its critical).

As far as on the lake storage, I use a similar setup to Mike88 ... lift that comes in and out seasonally. We have a Floe Maxis lift which is pretty nice for boats with a tower... it was a realllllly deep canopy that opens like a clamshell to drive in/out. Once we got the height dialed in it protects the hull for 99% of the sun each day. Sunrise for a bit and sunset for a bit will get sun on the bottom of the hull.

I've had zero spider issues with this lift, I have a lot of lights on the dock that attract bugs and the spiders seem to stick around there vs. the lift. Birds also haven't been an issue with this new Maxis lift. Previous ones I would get some trying to nest but usually a few music CDs / DVDs on a string was enough movement to keep them from getting comfortable.

This was right after we installed the Maxis ... so the height wasn't quite right yet (eventually more boat was covered by the canopy), but it shows the motion. Runs from a wireless keyfob so you can open close as you approach



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ1vSPnQrvI
Old     (tampawake)      Join Date: Mar 2008       03-22-2018, 1:43 PM Reply   
I dont have an answer for you on the touchless. I tell you after having a boat on a lift and normal cover similar my transom got killed and faded as well as one side it was black. You could always have someone add curtains to the side of that cover. What is nice about touchless is your leave your tower up everything and its ease of use. To me your boat would breath better under a touchless too. Your boat is SICK your gonna have a kick ass summer no matter what!!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by BLucas86 View Post
Its going in a completely shaded/ covered boat slip that only gets some sun on port side of the transom at sunrise.

Id assume my coverall cover actually seals the interior and tower/speakers more than the touchless design? Ive always assumed the touchless covers were just designed for UV protection.

Good call on a dehumidifier of some sort. Would love to hear what works, something that doesn't require to be plugged in.
Old     (infinitysurf)      Join Date: Apr 2017       03-22-2018, 7:45 PM Reply   
I keep mine at house in covered garage, so I don't have to install my cover or worry about sun....but I do run a fan on it after every outing to dry everything out. I use a simple box fan to dry out out transom lockers under the ballast bags every other outing after pulling bags up (always moisture under the ballast bags on the carpet)....and commercial style fan (not sure what they are called but restoration companies use them to blow air under carpets and thru houses after getting water damage) for drying out entire boat, this fan screams and I can put it in back of boat pointing forward with compartments open and it will dry out my entire boat after a really wet day in hour or 2 (I have deckadence floor so that dries easy, mostly the carpet in lockers and under seats as well as gear that I want dry). Have done this for years and never once had my boat smell bad. (when I take trips out of town with boat, I take the box fan and run it overnight with cover installed. I have never had gas smells in my boat, but you could leave the plug to fan outside the cover of boat if you are worried about that, but doubt that vapor would be an issue with moving air. Only that moment when fan is turned on do you have the risk of sparking I believe).
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       04-01-2018, 6:38 PM Reply   
Simple....Cover the whole thing to keep bugs and sun off.
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Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       04-02-2018, 5:28 AM Reply   
Mine doesn't go over the tower but you need to cover your hull. I fought a black hull for years compounding it and waxing it. Only to have it come right back in a few months. Since I got a cover that goes down to the water line. There is no need to compound it anymore. 1,300 from skiboatcovers.com and they where really good to work with.
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Old     (acurtis_ttu)      Join Date: May 2004       04-02-2018, 6:53 AM Reply   
based on the pic your storing on conroe. They have quite a few restrictions on docks up there. Your best bet is Tim's idea....cover the entire boat. IF you dont want a new cover have side skirts added to your existing cover. I kept a boat on lake houston for 7+ year
Old     (simplej)      Join Date: Sep 2011       04-02-2018, 9:18 AM Reply   
We've kept ski boats this way for my entire life.

We use the factory cover. Though we are shaded by trees until about noon.

My advice is this.

Get tower speaker covers and a swim deck cover to take care of those items.
Let the boat air out for like an hour after use before covering

Cover it when not in use. Wax it once a week, which is hard to do on a lift honestly as you cant get up super close

It will be fine. The hardest part is keeping crap from trees from getting, so make sure you can get a handheld vacuum. Even covered it finds its way in, particularly putting it on and off. A big canopy would totally ruin our view down the lake so that is a no go for us.
Old     (srock)      Join Date: Mar 2002       04-03-2018, 4:30 AM Reply   
Wax once a week??? That's is excessive. With a full cover I wax twice a year and I use the boat 10 months of the year. That is the advantage of keeping the sun off the hull.
Old     (infinitysurf)      Join Date: Apr 2017       04-03-2018, 4:41 AM Reply   
Cory with evolution covers is running a promo on swim deck covers right now....The R/R Series for $110, custom fitted to your boat. I just ordered one
Old     (Smoothie)      Join Date: Feb 2018       04-03-2018, 8:50 AM Reply   
I don't even fill up the gas once a week! Reached out to Evolution, I do need a swim cover.
Old     (simplej)      Join Date: Sep 2011       04-03-2018, 9:27 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by srock View Post
Wax once a week??? That's is excessive. With a full cover I wax twice a year and I use the boat 10 months of the year. That is the advantage of keeping the sun off the hull.
Well I should say quick wax- not full blown carnuba.


Hit it with the hot sauce
Old     (davesetter)      Join Date: Jan 2014       04-04-2018, 11:12 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by simplej View Post
We've kept ski boats this way for my entire life.

We use the factory cover. Though we are shaded by trees until about noon.

My advice is this.

Get tower speaker covers and a swim deck cover to take care of those items.
Let the boat air out for like an hour after use before covering

Cover it when not in use. Wax it once a week, which is hard to do on a lift honestly as you cant get up super close

It will be fine. The hardest part is keeping crap from trees from getting, so make sure you can get a handheld vacuum. Even covered it finds its way in, particularly putting it on and off. A big canopy would totally ruin our view down the lake so that is a no go for us.


I blow my cover off with a leaf blower before taking the cover off. Problem solved!
Old     (simplej)      Join Date: Sep 2011       04-04-2018, 6:44 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by davesetter View Post
I blow my cover off with a leaf blower before taking the cover off. Problem solved!
That’s a good idea.

I usually just shake it off.

But getting a leaf blower is a project when you use the boat daily and it’s at the summer house
Old     (granddaddy53)      Join Date: Dec 2013       04-05-2018, 6:30 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by davesetter View Post
I blow my cover off with a leaf blower before taking the cover off. Problem solved!
BINGO +1
Absolutely the secret to s clean boat, if the cover dust isn’t blown off , you can do all you wsnt snd boat stays dirty and dusty to some extent with a dirty cover, once a year I wet vac vacuum the cover as I roll it to get inside, with this years oak pollen season I had to vacuum cover outside as I rolled it cause it was that bad and blower would only do so much

In normal conditions the blower is perfect, for those guys that have that dusty road to a lake, I would get a battery one to use at launch to uncover and launch

I never trail uncovered, keeps the boat so nice

Boat covered tower down under carport And circulating fan 365 days a year when stored with even the rear hatch openings propped on ballast bag opening screw plugs , all other compartments and cushions open and tilted

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