Boat covers – Protection from leaf stains on your boat’s gel coat.

Boat Covers really help during this wet weather.

Gold Coast Boaties are enduring wet weather and storms this spring.

Rain, leaves, and debris hammering your boat? No boat cover?

Rain, well that’s not so bad, however, the leaves that fall can stain the fibreglass and that’s what we will address as best we can today.

The stains can vary from leaf to leaf depending on the particular tree. It is the oils in the tree leaf that can carry the stain deep into the gel coat.

Firstly, sunlight can usually do the trick on its own and obviously is the non-labour, no cost treatment option. The sun can bleach stains out completely within a week or two. Give this a go first.

If this doesn’t work the next best option we have found is a mix of 50/50 bleach and water, spray on (in the shade if possible), leave for 5 minutes and return. The chlorine bleach will attack and neutralize the tannins.

The result can be like a new boat with little effort however you may have to re-wax as bleach does strip the wax.

Other options we have heard of:

Cut a potato in half and rub on the area, the protein and starch acid can sometimes emulsify ‘natural stains’. If it doesn’t work, well no harm to your boat.
1/2 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 cup ammonia mixed in 3.5 Litres warm water mixed in a spray bottle.

As always prevention is the best medicine so a good boat cover will eliminate the effort required altogether.

Click to view more of our Custom Boat Covers.

Gold Coast marine upholstery provide courtesy on-site quotes. However, as always, during spring and leading into summer, the wait times are growing.

If you need work before the Christmas break you need to get in quickly.

You can make contact with us HERE.

Properly Prepping your boat for storage

Prepping your boat for winter storage

It’s still way too nice out there to put the boat away, that’s if you ever do as some of us really enjoy the cooler weather.

If you do let your boat hibernate in the winter here’s some great tips to keep it in good condition. You don’t want to pull out a smelly mouldy boat when summer hits again.

Mould and mildew are the enemy, the spores are everywhere and a cool, dark, poorly ventilated area are just what they want. If you have areas that are soiled they’re going to love it even more. For this reason, it’s very important to thoroughly clean and disinfect all areas before storing. It helps to use the humidity absorbing products for stored boats (get these at your local chandlery or online).

Here are some pointers to keep your boat tip top while in storage.

Wash and wax your boat.

Wash and disinfect carpets, floors and all surfaces.

Remove cushions and other items that are mildew prone and store in a dry well-ventilated area.

Make sure during your last trip out you note any necessary repairs and maintenance, sort out your repairs now if possible, when the gorgeous weather returns you want to pull your boat out and go. You don’t want to be fussing while everyone else is enjoying the water.

Any cracks in the hull can worsen during storage too so fix them asap.

It’s a good idea to remove electronics, including your battery and store in a warm and dry place. Clean your battery terminals and give them a grease. You can also give your battery a good charge and check fluid levels.

To avoid engine trouble you can top up your fuel tank and add a fuel stabiliser, make sure to run the engine for a good 15 mins to make sure the additives reach the fuel already in the fuel lines and engine.

Check your engine oil and replace filters, you can also flush the coolant system with water and if necessary add antifreeze.

Another good idea is to run non-toxic antifreeze through the intake lines, y-valve, macerator and discharge hose, Drain your fresh water tanks and water heater, and then you should add a non-toxic antifreeze to your water tank and pump it through the plumbing, including ice makers, A/C pumps, sump pumps, fish wells, bilge pumps, and that shower on the transom.

Wow, alot of work but oh so worth it, come summer you’ll be ahead of the rest and you know you’ve done your absolute best to keep your boat in top condition.

Boat Covers – Gold Coast

Boat Covers, Why do we need them?

The Gold Coast is a beautiful place to play on the water and we want our boats to look and perform to their absolute best. This is why we need to think about boat covers.

Have a little read below to find out the benefits to having a boat cover, there are many reasons we find them so necessary.

Keep your boat clean

One of the best ways you can protect your boat on our beautiful Gold Coast is to invest in a boat cover. When properly fitted, a boat cover can increase the longevity of your boat by up to 30 percent.

A cover can prevent scratches, dents, sogginess, washed out carpets and fading. Keep your colours vibrant, don’t let the sun turn your seats and fabric dull and lifeless.

It will also greatly reduce dirt, dust and grime buildup, you’ll spend less time cleaning and have fewer repair and replacement costs.

Your cover also keeps bugs, critters & bird droppings out, lets face it you don’t feel so great out on the water in a dirty poop covered boat!

Keep your boat safe

A boat cover is also a great way to avoid and deter casual theft of your parts and equipment (the most stolen boat items are outboards & electronics).

Its not hard for a passerby to grab a battery, paddles etc from your boat in the open, its much harder if you have to get in and under a cover so deter them, make it difficult and they’ll be much more likely to walk on by.

Prolong the life of your investment

As with all cherished belongings you want to protect and extend the life of your craft.

Your boat is a major investment and prolonging the value is another reason for keeping your boat performing and looking its best. If for some reason you decide to sell or upgrade a well looked after boat is obviously going to have a higher resell value.

Ultraviolet rays can fade the colours in your carpets & rubber components can break down causing cracks and weaknesses to many parts, all of these areas have an effect when it comes to selling your boat.

Long term storage care

A boat cover will keep out nesting animals and rodents when your boat is in long term storage, another problem with these animals is the chewing on your wiring.

Boat Covers are custom made to provide entire boat protection, these can be clipped into place or used with a draw rope to save applying clips to your vessel. The amount of coverage can be varied depending on your particular style of boat. Have a think about your needs and get that boat covered, Don’t forget we provide free quotes and advice so if you are looking at getting a new cover or replacing your existing one give us a call, we’re here to help.

Boat Upholstery Advice

Boat Upholstery and Marine Trimming

People have so many questions and rightly so…

What are boat covers made from?

What are the best materials to use for my bimini?

Where can I buy boat upholstery?

Who fixes boat upholstery?

Can I just fix the covers I have?

These are all questions people ask online every day and need answers for, there really is more than just one answer. What you need is dependent upon your boat, your location, your storage area, your budget etc.

If you are unsure just give us a call, we can offer advice over the phone (without trying to sell anything to you; and that’s important). Feel comfortable calling and asking for advice, we’ve got the answers for you, that’s why we’re boat trimmers.

What size boat cover do I need?

Do I really need a custom made boat cover?

How long will my boat covers last?

How do I care for my boat upholstery?

It really can get confusing for people out there, We’ve provided some hints and tips on cleaning your boat upholstery so there’s a start for you. Click Here

We’ve also offered some advice about the best materials to use and why. Click Here

Hopefully, this helps answer some of those questions you may have, give us a call for other advice without worrying about a sales pitch.

Many customers are grateful and surprised when we tell them “hey you don’t have to get new covers yet, a good clean or simply a re-stitch is all you really need right now”.

There are many options, sure if you want brand new covers we’re here to help however we are more interested in happy loyal customers here at Gold Coast Marine Upholstery.