It’s Time to Shed the Coat and Take Out the Boat – CCI’s Mark J. Bollman Shares How His Company Can Prep Your Boat for Spring!
It’s Spring and time to sweep the cobwebs off of your motorboat. It’s a rite of passage for most boat owners—going over the vessel with a fine-toothed comb so it will be in tip-top shape in time for the season. And what may happen if you could find the boat looking rather dreary and far removed from the sparkling, streamlined watercraft you tucked in the marina boathouse last fall. A mouse could have chewed through a cushion and mildew and mold may have formed. What do you do?
Mark J. Bollman, President of Creative Colors, International, (CCI) the nation’s leading on-site repair and restoration franchise, shared his thoughts regarding what to do if you discover chips and cracks in your vinyl and rips in your floor covering and seats.
What is the number one tip for keeping a boat looking like new?(Mark J. Bollman) Keep your boat clean and properly conditioned. It’s the first line of defense. That includes wiping it down after use, especially if water gets all over the seats.
Let’s say a little mouse has found its way under the tarp covering your boat for the winter. Those creatures can do lots of damage! How do you decide whether to replace your chewed up cushions or repair them? (MB) It varies based on the piece that we are working on. But generally, your local Creative Colors franchise owner can come to you and repair something like a cushion for a price between $95 and $125. That can be as much as 90% lower than replacing the cushion!
Wait, I thought Creative Colors worked on vinyl and plastic and stuff like that! (MB) We do! But through our proprietary processes, we can fix a multitude of surfaces you would find on a boat, including fabric, flooring, upholstering, chrome and more! A great thing to do this spring is to ask a Creative Colors International consultant to come out to your boat to inspect all surfaces and fix what needs repairing.
What should 2-3 specific surfaces within a boat folks keep an eye on when getting a CCI quote? (MB) They should watch all the vinyl seating areas and then keep an eye out for mold and mildew damage.
What are spots that experience serious wear and tear that CCI can repair and restore to save boat owners serious money? (MB) People stepping on the back seats after getting out of the water from waterskiing or tubing can cause wear and tear. They just have a tendency to step on rear lower seats and cause stress to the cushions.
What is different about keeping a boat’s surfaces in good shape compared to a car? (MB) A boat needs to be protected from sun and water. Even the dampness when boats are left uncovered overnight can cause moisture/dew to sit on the surfaces of the boat and do damage.
Bollman adds that general care, cleaning, and protection is what helps make a boat last. He says keeping your watercraft covered when it is not in use will increase the life of the boat’s surfaces by keeping it from being exposed to direct sunlight day in and day out.
Don’t be the captain at the marina with faded vinyl, wood, and cloth surfaces! Keep up with your boat’s care and repair needs to prevent bigger problems later.
