Cleaning the boat using pressure washer

BigJoe

BigJoe

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We are probably old school, when it comes to washing our boat, as we use hot water, wax soap, scrubbing brush, and a water hose.

I have noticed that more and more people are using pressure washers.

My question is this..................... is it just laziness, or does using a pressure washer get the boat cleaner.
 
BigJoe said:
We are probably old school, when it comes to washing our boat, as we use hot water, wax soap, scrubbing brush, and a water hose.

I have noticed that more and more people are using pressure washers.

My question is this..................... is it just laziness, or does using a pressure washer get the boat cleaner.
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They come into their own if the deck has a textured surface eg Treadmaster. Nothing else will get that stuff clean.
 
A pressure washer is excellent when used gently on textured non-slip surfaces. It should never be used on wood or fabric. Otherwise, I use a microfibre mitt and sudsy water.
 
Got to be used carefully and on certain areas only. It destroys unvarnished wood, lifts sealant edges and finds voids under the gelcoat by punching through it. But used carefully, it's a great help on plain gelcoat and definitely a good way to clean non-skid patterns. A stiff brush works fine too though (and also can do damage if not used carefully, although it'll be more obvious then).

For below the waterline cleaning it's pretty much standard, although boatyards often use a high-power version that packs more punch than the garden variety Kärchers, which struggle with hard fouling.

I've seen a guy in Brighton regularly clean his teak deck with one. After half a year, he was through to the fibreglass deck underneath :hopeless:
 
Yngmar said:
Got to be used carefully and on certain areas only. It destroys unvarnished wood, lifts sealant edges and finds voids under the gelcoat by punching through it. But used carefully, it's a great help on plain gelcoat and definitely a good way to clean non-skid patterns. A stiff brush works fine too though (and also can do damage if not used carefully, although it'll be more obvious then).

For below the waterline cleaning it's pretty much standard, although boatyards often use a high-power version that packs more punch than the garden variety Kärchers, which struggle with hard fouling.

I've seen a guy in Brighton regularly clean his teak deck with one. After half a year, he was through to the fibreglass deck underneath :hopeless:
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+1
I know someone who paid £250,000+ for a new boat with teak decks: next year asked the marina to clean it: they pressure washed the decks and new smooth but grimy teak but suddenly had deep grooves in the grain of the wood, ideal for collecting dirt.
 
Only use them on underwater surfaces, they can do mucho damage, when in the wrong hands, as has been stated
 
Champagne Murphy said:
They come into their own if the deck has a textured surface eg Treadmaster. Nothing else will get that stuff clean.
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I thought that, but I now believe that 16 years of pressure washing destroyed my treadmaster. It wore it away and exposed patches where the bonding wasn't all it could have been.
On GRP and below the waterline it does a great job, especially with a bilge keeler where it is difficult for a less than fit body to easily get to!
 
Champagne Murphy said:
Only if you’re daft enough! :D
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Not me but the guy employed by the company who cleans my boat once a week.

Take not of where I am and you may understand.

These are the attachment that should be used for treadmaster deck covering

Best-Pressure-Washer-Rotating-Brush.png
 
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Rogershaw said:
Not me but the guy employed by the company who cleans my boat once a week.

Take not of where I am and you may understand.

These are the attachment that should be used for treadmaster deck covering

Best-Pressure-Washer-Rotating-Brush.png
Click to expand...

......cleans your boat once a week! Wow!

I probably pressure wash my Treadmaster about every five years, and have very occasionally dosed it with a cheaper version of Patio Magic. I do however have a deckwash hose, so I suppose the deck gets washed when the anchor is lifted. There's also spray on the deck, to say nothing about the rain. It's standing up well to that treatment.
 
And also underwater when used by poorly trained personnel. My saildrive gaiter was blasted off and I know it had been properly fixed because I did it - with the approved two pack bostik adhesive and very careful preparation. As a result I had to do it all again including removal of the old adhesive which was a sod of a job. No apology from the yard.?
M.
 
sealegsjim said:
Yes you do. The professionals in my marina use pressure washers all the time
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See post #8 - they may be paid but are they professional if let loose with a pressure washer on decks? Apart from wrecking teak, and finding/creating leaks, they can open up pinhole voids in textured deck mouldings.
 
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NormanS said:
......cleans your boat once a week! Wow!

I probably pressure wash my Treadmaster about every five years, and have very occasionally dosed it with a cheaper version of Patio Magic. I do however have a deckwash hose, so I suppose the deck gets washed when the anchor is lifted. There's also spray on the deck, to say nothing about the rain. It's standing up well to that treatment.
Click to expand...

Its not me I pay some one to wash my boat.

I do have a deck wash hose on deck with either fresh water or sea water but mostly use that to cool the deck in summer otherwise its just too hot to walk on in bare feet
 
NormanS said:
......cleans your boat once a week! Wow!

I probably pressure wash my Treadmaster about every five years, and have very occasionally dosed it with a cheaper version of Patio Magic. I do however have a deckwash hose, so I suppose the deck gets washed when the anchor is lifted. There's also spray on the deck, to say nothing about the rain. It's standing up well to that treatment.
Click to expand...

Its not me I pay some one to wash my boat.

I do have a deck wash hose on deck with either fresh water or sea water but mostly use that to cool the deck in summer otherwise its just too hot to walk on in bare feet
 
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