Here in our tourist marina in Genoa we see boats of the most diverse types and different shapes every day. Enormous hulls, up to 75 meters in length, and decidedly smaller hulls, moored in our picturesque dock, among the typical Ligurian gozzi and Genoese leudi. Brand new boats and hulls from bygone times, boats used every week and boats that instead wait a long time for their owners, boats kept to perfection and slightly more neglected hulls, very clean boats and vessels that, instead, might perhaps need an extraordinary cleaning session. But why is it so important to regularly dedicate time to cleaning the exterior and interior of the boat, cleaning every environment and every element, from the deepest bilge to the mast, from the outboard motor cowling to the hull, to arrive at fender cleaning? Someone might carelessly think that it’s purely a matter of aesthetics. Obviously this is not the case: cleaning the boat carefully and regularly is also important from hygienic, economic, environmental and safety perspectives. Let’s see how and why!

Cleaning the boat the right way to ensure hygiene and healthiness

First of all, a clean boat presents a healthier environment. Let’s think for example of interior spaces, which if not constantly cleaned and aired can become breeding ground not only for bacteria, but also for mold: who would want to sleep in those berths? It should not be forgotten that very often on a boat you put your hands where you had just put your bare feet, and this says a lot about how important it is to keep the deck well clean. As for healthiness, then, regular and careful cleaning of the bilge as well as the hydraulic system and tanks is absolutely essential, to avoid unpleasant odors or even worse consequences.

It is therefore clear how important it is to proceed with a thorough sanitization of the entire boat at the beginning of the season, from the bathroom to the lockers, from the bilge to the deck, and then proceed during the season with faster and simpler “surface” cleaning sessions.

Boat cleaning to preserve its economic value

Time is money, certainly. And therefore the time spent cleaning the boat could be translated into an economic cost. Indeed: in the case where boat cleaning is entrusted to third parties, that is to professionals, you don’t even need to do calculations! But be careful: the lack of boat cleaning presents even greater costs. To make an extreme case, let’s think for example of a teak deck that is not cleaned or treated with appropriate products for quite some time. This is equivalent to “throwing away” the very value of this precious wood, which only if cared for in the right way can really last a long time. But let’s also think about sail cleaning, which becomes necessary to eliminate salt and thus reduce its fierce corrosive action, to make these elements last longer. And these are only two examples that prove how regular boat cleaning can actually translate into concrete savings!

Regular boat cleaning to reduce consumption

Certainly, one could definitely say that reducing consumption can also translate into economic savings. But reducing consumption means both saving fuel, and therefore money, and reducing the environmental impact of your navigation. And what “slows down” the hull, increasing consumption? Many things, including the presence of dirt on the underwater hull of the boat. Certainly, antifouling allows you to slow down the proliferation of algae and other parasites, but often these “obstacles” are created anyway, inevitably slowing down the boat. As friction increases, engine consumption obviously also grows: hence the need to keep the underwater hull clean, also to reduce costs and environmental impact.

Clean the boat regularly to increase the safety level

To have a more beautiful, healthier, less expensive and more environmentally friendly boat. And then? Then it is necessary to clean the boat to increase navigation safety. Here, this could even be the main reason that should push everyone to clean their vessel with commitment. The examples to make here would be really countless. Let’s think for example of the anchor chain. The boater who never proceeds to clean this fundamental connection might not notice at all the precarious conditions of a chain link, which could for example break completely during an anchorage mooring, pushing the boat who knows where towards other boats or towards rocks. But let’s think of something even simpler: those who don’t dedicate themselves at least once a year to maintenance and cleaning of the guardrails might find themselves with unnoticed corrosion at the level of the stanchions or lifelines. So then, at the wrong moment, one of these elements could give way, causing the person who had trustingly leaned on it to fall into the water. The concept is simple: a piece of metal corroded by rust, but dirty and therefore not seen, can become a big threat.

And again, let’s look at the engine compartment. When this is not sufficiently clean it becomes difficult to spot small leaks, which could be engine oil, fuel or other liquids: how can you know if the surfaces are not clean? Not noticing these warning signs could translate into finding yourself with a broken engine at the worst moment.

Better to clean in a sustainable and intelligent way

In short, cleaning your boat does not respond to purely aesthetic needs. So then, using the right products and scheduling regular cleanings over time, you will be able to have a healthy, safe, beautiful boat, valued to the maximum, and not stupidly polluting. From this last point of view it is good to emphasize that boat cleaning can also be done with respect for the environment, preferring ecological detergents. Finally, one last note: let’s try to be smart when we polish our boat, without shooting ourselves in the foot by nullifying our own work. An example? After cleaning the hull, let’s also clean the fenders, so we don’t end up dirtying what we had just polished!