Repair & maintenance guides

How to Clean Your Boat's Bilge (Legally, and Without the Smell)

Get oil, sludge and debris out of the bilge without pumping pollution overboard, choose absorbents that actually work, track down bilge odors, clear limber holes and the pump pickup, and dispose of the mess the right way.

How to Clean, Brighten and Protect Aluminum Pontoon Tubes

Get scum lines, algae, mineral stains and dull oxidation off your pontoon tubes without hurting the metal, the finish, you or the lake. Learn when mild soap is enough, when an acid brightener makes sense (and how dangerous some are), why painted and anodized tubes need different care, and how to polish and seal bare aluminum so it stays clean longer.

How to Clean, Protect and Inspect Stainless Steel Boat Hardware

Remove tea stains and rust from rails, cleats and fittings without scratching them, passivate stainless so it stays clean longer, understand why 304 and 316 behave differently, and spot the hidden crevice corrosion that weakens fittings from underneath.

How to Clean, Protect and Restore Non-Skid Decks

Get dirt, fish blood, rust and mildew out of textured non-skid without wearing it away, learn why ordinary wax makes it dangerously slick, and decide when worn non-skid needs a deck paint with grip additive or traction pads instead.

How to Clean, Remove Oxidation and Wax Your Boat's Gelcoat (Plus Pontoon Tubes)

Wash your hull the right way, bring back chalky, faded gelcoat with compound, and seal it with wax so it stays glossy and protected from the sun. Includes how to clean and protect the aluminum tubes on a pontoon boat.

How to Deep Clean a Boat Holding Tank

Clear the buildup that causes odors, slow pump-outs and false tank-level readings with a twice-a-year deep clean: pump out, rinse, soak with a tank-safe cleaning mix, slosh, pump out and rinse again, then inspect the tank and fittings while they are clean.

How to Detail Your Boat's Interior (Vinyl Seats, Carpet, Storage and Drains)

Give your cockpit and cabin a proper detail. Clean marine vinyl without stripping its UV protection, wash snap-in and glued-down carpet, clear out cup holders, storage boxes and their drains, beat mildew and pink stains, and know which household cleaners to keep off your boat.

How to Dry or Replace Waterlogged Boat Seat Cushion Foam

Stop the soggy-seat problem: find out why the foam inside boat cushions holds water, dry it out the fast way, and choose the right replacement foam (standard, closed-cell or quick-drying reticulated) so your seats stay dry, firm and mildew-free.

How to Dye-Test Swage Fittings, Chainplates and Toggles for Cracks

Use a visible dye penetrant kit (cleaner, red dye and white developer) to find hairline cracks in stainless rigging fittings that your eye and a magnifier can miss, learn how to read what shows up, and know what the test can't tell you.

How to Fill Old Screw Holes in Fiberglass Decks and Hulls

Close up the holes left by removed cleats, rod holders, electronics and trim so water can't reach the deck core. Covers simple epoxy fills, the overdrill-fill-redrill method for cored decks, a gelcoat finish, and why holes below the waterline are a haul-out job.

How to Find a Leak When Water Gets Into a Pontoon Tube

A pontoon that sits low on one side, lists or sloshes when you rock it probably has water in a tube. Learn how to confirm it, drain it, track down the pinhole or cracked weld, and choose between a temporary patch and a proper weld repair.

How to Find and Fix Leaking Deck Hardware (Rebedding Cleats, Stanchions and Tracks)

Track down the cleat, stanchion base or track that is dripping into the cabin, then remove it, seal the deck core and bed it again with the right sealant so the leak stops for years instead of weeks. Catching it early protects the deck core from rot.

How to Find and Fix Leaking Rivets on an Aluminum Boat

Almost every older riveted aluminum boat weeps a little water. Learn how to find the leaking rivets, tighten the ones that are loose, seal the rest with a flexible epoxy, replace the bad ones the right way, and know when a crack or corrosion needs a welder.

How to Find and Seal Hull-to-Deck Joint Leaks

Track down water that sneaks in where the deck meets the hull, prove it with a careful hose test, and reseal the joint with or without pulling the rub rail. Fixing it early protects lockers, wiring and the deck core.

How to Find Soft Spots and Wet Core in a Fiberglass Deck

Tap, press and meter your deck to find wet or rotting core before it spreads, track down the leaking hardware that let the water in, and decide whether a small DIY injection repair will do or the deck needs a pro to recore it.

How to Find, Drain and Reseal a Wet Sailboat Rudder

Most fiberglass rudders eventually take on water, and trapped water can freeze and split the blade or quietly rust the steel frame inside. Learn the warning signs after haul-out, how to drill drain holes and dry the rudder over winter, how to seal it before launch, and when a rebuild or replacement is the safer call.

How to Fit, Support, Clean and Store a Boat Cover

Make your mooring or storage cover last for years by getting the fit right, supporting and venting it so water never pools, using a cover that's rated for the highway, cleaning and re-waterproofing it the right way, and fixing small tears before they grow.

How to Fix a Loose Boat Seat Pedestal, Base or Leaning Post

Find out why seat pedestals and leaning posts work loose, through-bolt the base with a proper backing plate, deal with soft or rotten floor under it, and keep swivels and slides working smoothly so your helm seat stays solid in rough water.

How to Fix Leaking Hatches and Portlights

Find out whether a leaking deck hatch or portlight is failing at the gasket, the lens or the frame, then fix it with the right seal or sealant. Learn when crazed or cracked acrylic needs a new lens and what never to put on plastic windows.

How to Improve Cabin Ventilation with Solar Vents, Dorades and Hatches

Moving air through a closed boat is the cheapest way to stop mold, mildew and musty smells. Learn how much air your cabin needs, where to put intake and exhaust vents, how solar vents and dorade boxes work, and how to add one without letting water in.

How to Inspect and Clear Cockpit Scuppers and Deck Drains

Most boats that sink at the dock fill up from the top, through clogged scuppers, cracked drain hoses and leaky hatches during a heavy rain. Learn how to trace every drain, clear clogs, check flappers, hoses and clamps, flood-test the cockpit and keep drains working in freezing weather.

How to Inspect and Exercise Seacocks, Through-Hulls and Hose Clamps

Check every hole in your hull below the waterline, work each seacock open and closed, and inspect the hoses and clamps attached to them. A single failed fitting or hose is one of the most common reasons boats sink at the dock.

How to Inspect and Maintain a Boat Lift (Cables, Pulleys, Motor, Bunks and Storm Prep)

Inspect the cables, pulleys, motor, wiring and bunks on your boat lift, center the boat correctly, and prepare the lift and boat for storms and winter. Cable failures and overloading from rainwater or snow are the most common ways lifts drop boats.

How to Inspect Sailboat Chainplates for Leaks, Cracks and Hidden Corrosion

Check every chainplate above and below deck for leaks, rust, cracks and a wet deck around it, reseal the ones that leak, and know when the plates need to come out for a proper look. Chainplates tie the mast to the hull, and one hidden failure can bring the rig down.