It’s been a tough summer around Lake Chelan. Wildfires and smoke have disrupted plans, affected air quality, and kept some people off the water more than they expected. With conditions remaining difficult, many boat owners may be considering ending their season early and putting their boats away.
Before you cover, wrap, or store your boat for the winter, there’s one important issue to address: wildfire ash.
Ash may look like harmless dust, but it can create real problems when it sits on a boat’s surfaces or works its way into small spaces. The longer it remains, especially when combined with moisture, the greater the chance of staining, scratching, corrosion, and other damage.
How Wildfire Ash Can Affect Your Boat
Wildfire ash often contains fine, abrasive particles. Wiping it away with a dry towel or brush can drag those particles across gelcoat, paint, windshields, clear plastic, and other finished surfaces, leaving behind scratches or dull spots.
Ash can also react with water, morning dew, or moisture trapped beneath a cover. That mixture may cause spotting, staining, or corrosion on metal hardware, painted surfaces, vinyl, canvas, and upholstery.
Because ash is so fine, it can settle in places that are easy to overlook, including:
Air intakes and ventilation systems
Bilge areas and drains
Engine compartments
Upholstery seams and textured surfaces
Canvas tops and covers
Windshields, navigation lights, and electronics
Cabin and storage areas
If ash is sealed beneath a winter cover or shrink wrap, it may remain against the boat for months. Moisture can also become trapped, increasing the risk of staining, odors, mildew, and surface damage.
Clean the Boat Before Covering or Storing It
Ash should be rinsed away gently before the boat is scrubbed or wiped. A thorough cleaning should include the exterior, interior, upholstery, canvas, compartments, vents, drains, and other areas where fine particles may collect.
It’s especially important not to assume that wrapping or covering the boat will solve the problem. A cover protects the boat from new debris, but it can also trap existing ash and moisture underneath it. The boat should be clean and dry before it’s prepared for winter storage.
We know many boat owners are already dealing with enough this summer. Cleaning ash from every surface and hard-to-reach area can be a time-consuming job, and it may require more care than a typical end-of-season wash.
Mill Bay Marine’s detailing team is available to help handle the added challenges created by wildfire ash. We can give your boat the thorough cleaning it needs before winterization, storage, covering, or wrapping.
To help our neighbors protect their boats, we’re extending our detailing special through the month of August. Schedule your service now and receive 10% off boat detailing.
Let our team take care of the cleanup so your boat is properly prepared for the months ahead.
Call Mill Bay Marine today to book your detailing appointment.