Care for your canvas & winterize your boat with our top tips
Sadly, fall and winter are rapidly approaching and for those of us who winterize our boats, it’s time to start thinking about and planning for the winterization process.
In today’s blog, we’re bringing you the Pursuit Boats factory’s top tips, hacks and advice on caring for your canvas and upholstery, and winterizing your boat so that it’s fresh, clean and ready for use next summer!
-
Canvas Care Hacks
The Sunbrella canvas - including seat and helm covers - that we installed on your Pursuit Boat can deliver years of enjoyment while looking good, with some easy maintenance techniques.
Once per season, the entire set of canvas - including those seat and helm covers - should be lightly scrubbed with a soft-bristled brush and a mild chlorine-free detergent.
Afterward, be sure to rinse the canvas thoroughly to remove any residual cleaning product.
Next, allow to fully air dry and then re-coat the canvas using 303 Fabric Guard for outdoor fabrics. This can be purchased online and through many marine retail supply stores, and may even be available at your dealer or marina.
If you ordered your Pursuit Boat with the white Stamoid material option for canvas enclosures, the cleaning process is the same as above with one exception: The 303 Fabric Guard does not have to be applied.
-
Loosen stubborn snaps with petroleum jelly
At one time or another, we’ve all experienced canvas snaps that seemingly require a mallet to get them on or a pry bar to remove them. The good news is that there’s a permanent solution to this problem and best of all, it’s quick and cheap and probably already in your medicine cabinet or your pocket!
Our favorite solution is to very lightly coat the snap socket with petroleum jelly - but be careful not to overdo it. The rule here is that a little goes a long way. This helps snaps go on and come off with ease.
And if you don’t have petroleum jelly? Grab a plain old chapstick. Nothing fancy. Keep it in your pocket and the next time you need to remove or refit canvas, simply coat the socket with a little chapstick. This lubrication makes snapping and unsnapping canvas covers quick and easy.
-
Winterize your boat with our top factory tips
While winterizing your boat is a foreign concept for many people, the reality is that for many others, it’s an essential process to ensure that boats are properly cared for throughout the harsh Winter weather.
The more complex winterizing processes, such as preparing your engines, generator, AC and water systems should be left for your dealer. These are very important and if not done correctly, could result in costly problems.
There are, however, a few safe and easy steps that you can take in your own capacity to prepare your boat for winter:
Remove all food and drink items from your boat. An exploded food carton or drink can - whether due to freezing or rotting - is a mess that nobody wants to deal with!
Next, remove all battery-powered devices (as well as the batteries from inside them) from the boat. This includes items like flashlights, handheld VHF, EPIRB units etc. as those kinds of batteries typically don’t fare well in freezing temperatures.
Then thoroughly clean and disinfect all hard surfaces to ensure that they’re dry. Apply a light coat of furniture polish on interior cabinetry to help retain the luster and protect the finish. And consider adding a new air freshener or two in the cabin to help the smell of Old Man Winter. Teak surfaces will similarly benefit from a light coat of teak oil - just remember to remove any excess oil after application.
Finally, remove all bed sheets and towels and be sure to take all of your cleaning supplies off the boat as well.
Conclusion
To help you ensure that your boat is ready for a summer of fun next season, we’ve given you our top tips straight from the Pursuit Factory to help you prepare your boat for Winter.
Clean and treat all of your canvas, and if you have any problems with stubborn snaps, a light coating of petroleum jelly in each socket will make snapping on and off a breeze.
Remove all food and drink items as well as all of your cleaning supplies and all bedding and linen. Clean and disinfect all interior surfaces and treat your teak while you’re at it.
Most of all, ensure that your boat’s mechanical and electrical systems are properly winterized by a dealer or other professional.
We hope that you found these tips helpful. Thank you for being part of the Pursuit Family of boaters!
