How Often Should You Wax Your Boat? 

With boating season starting up, waxing our boats is at the forefront of our minds. To many, their boats are their pride and joy and they want to preserve the boats paint or gelcoat. And if you’re thinking like that then you may be asking yourself… “Can I wax my boat too much?”, “How often should I wax my boat?” and “How long will wax last on my boat? “ The following article is designed to help put all of this into perspective. 

Chances are if your boat is your pride and joy you spend a lot of time washing and cleaning your boat. But there’s more to maintaining your boat than simply picking up a Wash Kit, rinsing her down, and giving your boat a good bath. 

Waxing your boat can provide additional benefits, which washing your boat every week can’t. 

When Should You Wax Your Boat? 

The frequency you wax your boat can depend on a variety of factors including; age, location, gelcoat quality, and the products you use. For the most part, we recommend waxing your boat quarterly (once every 3 months). Saltwater and the sun are harsh and staying ahead of oxidation is key to preserving your boats finish.

Can You Wax Your Boat Too Much?

No matter where you live, north or south, cold or warm climates proper boat care should be a continuous process. Waxing your boar helps to increase the longevity of your gelcoat or paint and helps make cleanup much easier. No, waxing too much won’t cause any harm to your boat but you do hit a point of redundancy where you’re seeing no additional benefits and the extra effort yields no benefit.

Different Types of Wax

In your journey for finding the sweet spot for waxing your boat, you need to land on which type of wax you want or need.

• Polymer Sealant
• Liquid Wax
• Carnauba Wax
• Cleaner Wax
• Paste Wax 
• Spray Wax

When diving into waxing your boat you have to ask yourself a few questions first and this will guide you with the right wax for you for today. Some provide more durability, others provide ease of use, and some lay in the middle.

Spray Wax 

Looking for quick and easy, go with spray wax. After washing down your boat these spray waxes are quick and effective for simple protection in between a major waxing. Spray waxes are also typically a more cost-effective option. 

Cleaner Wax

Cleaner Waxes are great middle-of-the-road options. They provide easy-on/easy-off liquid formulas and give your boat a brilliant shine. Cleaner Waxes allow you to bring out some luster in your boat without having to go through the backbreaking task of compounding and polishing your boat.

The downside is that cleaner waxes are not the longest-lasting options on the market. Once they wash off, your boat will go back to looking how it did before being waxed.

Polymer Sealants

My preferred wax choice for your everyday wax needs if you stick with a quarterly wax regiment is a liquid polymer sealant. Polymer sealants provide the perfect blend of ease of use and durability. Something like our Sunscreen polymer sealant is easy on/easy off liquid that can be applied by hand or machine. 

Paste Wax

Paste waxes are old school and what you probably watched your parents/grandparents use on their cars back in the day. Many contain carnauba, which provides a deep lustrous gloss. These waxes are probably the least user-friendly. They have a tendency to become hard to wipe off if you let them sit too long and require a ton of elbow grease. You know you’ve used a paste wax by the end of the day! 

Why Wax Your Boat

There a countless reasons why you should wax your boat. Here are a few key ones that will get you motivated to keep a good coat of wax on your boat.

Protection from the elements 

For most of us storing our boats inside or completely covered isn’t really an option. By nature boats live in the harshest environment mother nature can throw at them. The sun and salt can take their toll. Over time, causing oxidation which will give your boat a dull listless appearance. You can protect against harsh oxidation by applying premium waxes regularly to your boat. There are a ton of great waxes and sealants to choose from to provide unbeatable protection. 

Resale Value

When the day comes to sell our boats and move into another exciting vessel, we want to get the most money possible. One of the easiest ways to leave a great first impression is by having a shiny boat. By regularly applying wax to your boat you help to keep your boat in Bristol condition, which helps increase the resale value. 

Imagine walking up to a boat for the first time and it’s all chalky, the first thing that will run through your head is what else has this owner neglected since owning this boat.

Save Money In The Long Run

In the grand scheme of things waxing your boat often can save you money. Re-spraying or painting your boat is expensive. So staying on top of your boats appearance will help to keep your gelcoat or paint in pristine condition. Reducing the risk of needing to repair and re-paint your boat. Short-term expenses or a long-term expensive project, the choice is yours.

Makes Cleanup Easier

Consistently having a fresh coat of wax on your boat makes cleanup after a day on the water that much easier. Salt, fish remains, and yard dirt all clean up much easier on a waxed boat than on a porous non protected gelcoat. Which leaves you with more time to enjoy the boat and less time cleaning.

Pride

If all of the above doesn’t perk your ears then maybe the pride of ownership will. Nothing beats walking down the docks and as you approach your boat seeing it flawlessly glisten under the warm sun. This solidifies that all the hard work, effort, and money you spend on your boat is in fact the right choice. A small amount of effort to wax your boat yields surprising results. Waxing your boat is a personal choice and it’s hard not to see the value in doing so. Feeling proud and the financial benefits can be amazing. If you haven’t looked into your different wax and protection options for your boat, now would be the time to do so.

So, How Do You Go About Choosing The Right Wax For Your Boat? 

We’ve convinced you that it’s a great idea to wax your boat on schedule but now how do you go about picking one. I outlaid the basic different options of wax above. You need to figure out what you’re looking for out of your wax. Is it durability? Ease of use? Price? Or a combination? 

We feel the best boat wax is one that is affordable, easy to apply, and gives you long-lasting results. After all, waxing your boat is no small task. Sunscreen bridges the gap and provides you with all of these in one bottle of liquid bliss. Sunscreen applies easily by hand or machine, works perfectly with your quarterly wax schedule, and won’t break the bank, a little goes a long way.

If you want to learn more on how to properly wax your boat check out our article here.