Your Summer Boat Refresh List

Summer is here, and it's time to refresh some products to get you through the season.

Whether your boat just came out of winter storage or it's been running year-round, the same things wear out. Dock lines get fuzzy at the splice. A faint chalk shows up on the gelcoat where the wax used to be. Fenders carry months of salt haze that wipes off but should have come off in spring.

After a few months your boat starts to look a little tired and needs some attention between service intervals. The water doesn't seem to bead up quite as well. The surface starts to look a little dull. Maybe you didn't wash it as thoroughly as you should have the last few times you used it, and there's some salt or corrosion building up. There's some water in the bilge and you think, "is that pump working?" Throughout the summer there are some easy things you can do to get you through.

We see it every day at the shop. Most of it is fine. Some of it isn't.

Here's what we'd actually grab now before the summer picks up, so you don't have to find it when you need it. Not a generic list.

Safety First

Plus peace of mind when the Coast Guard or marine patrol pulls you over.

PFDs Pull every PFD out of the locker. Any cracked, water-stained, or moldy from sitting wet? Replace them. You may not care, but the Coast Guard does. The kid-sized one still fit your kid? They grow faster than the foam degrades. Confirm you have an immediately accessible Type IV throwable on board. It's the item most boats are missing. Shop the Safety collection.

Nav lights Check every nav light to make sure it actually turns on. Bulbs fail without warning, and if yours don't work you're not legally visible at distance. If you need new ones, consider LED. We stock Perko, Lumitec, Hella, and Attwood. Shop the Nav Light collection to find your replacement.

Visual distress signals Pyrotechnic flares expire 42 months from manufacture. If yours are over, you're out of compliance, full stop. Two options: replace them with new flares, or move to an electronic distress signal like the ACR ResQFlare or the Orion Electronic SOS Beacon Locator Kit. USCG-approved, never expires, runs on batteries. Most of our customers are making the switch.

Bilge pump float switch Run your bilge pump dry for 30 seconds to confirm it kicks on. The bigger risk is the float switch. If it sticks or fails and water starts filling the bilge, you don't know until it's too late. We stock the Ultra Pumpswitch for a reason. It's the most reliable float switch on the market. Shop Bilge Pumps and Accessories.

Mid-Season Touch-Ups

A good boat soap The right boat wash makes a difference. Not too harsh to damage finishes, but it still needs to work. Some soaps contain SiO2 that enhances shine and protection. Pull from our Summer Refresh collection for soap options.

Spray wax or sealant coating A ceramic spray coating is the easiest mid-season way to keep your finish looking sharp. Buys you a few months of the same protection as a full wax application. Quick to apply, no machine needed. Pull from our Summer Refresh collection for ready-to-go options.

Microfibers, mitts, and brushes All of these quietly pick up dirt and grime over a few months. Toss whatever's been living in the dock locker since fall. Get fresh microfiber wash mitts, microfiber drying towels, and a softer-bristle brush for non-skid. Cheap, replaceable, makes a noticeable difference in finish.

Moving parts A quick spray-and-wipe on any metal parts subject to corrosion. Hinges, steering, engine bay, electrical blocks. Super Lube silicone spray is the easiest way to keep things looking and functioning well.

Fuel filters Your primary Racor filter is the cheapest, easiest way to keep your engine running well, even when it's not technically due for service. It's been picking up the junk that's been collecting in your tank over the last few months. Shop our Fuel Filters collection to find your match.

Keep It Looking Good at the Dock

Dock lines Nylon double-braid loses roughly 30% of its working load after a year in the sun. If the eye splices have gone fuzzy or the lay feels stiffer than it used to, replace, don't patch. Size to your boat: 3/8" for sub-25 footers, 1/2" for 25 to 32, 5/8" for 32 to 40. Shop our double-braid dock lines →

Fender covers A quick wash isn't fixing fender covers caked in salt and pollen. The abrasion is already done. Replace and you get clean lines, better protection, and you stop scratching your topsides every time the boat bumps a piling. Megafend neoprene covers are what most of our customers run.

Summer Accessories for You

Apparel Yours is tired, blood-stained, and that smell sticks around even after a wash. Grab something fresh from our apparel collection. Hat, sun shirt, t-shirt, or all three.

Sunscreen The sunscreen tube that's been baking in the bow locker since last summer? Yeah, that one. We stock Sun Bum.

The short version: make a pass through your boat. If something looks like it's been on board too long, it probably has. Most of these items are under $50. The difference at the end is a boat that looks like you're back on it.

Questions about what your specific boat needs? Text us at 561-267-6069. The team will get back to you the same day.