Jet Ski Detailing Tips
Oh the pains we take to look good. Nobody likes their ski particularly when joining a group for a complete day's trip, as though it was pulled from the side yard looking. For many people in wetter climates, mold and mildew can grow quickly, discoloring seats, traction mats and more (if abandoned to thrive ). Pollen, and waterspots are just as bad. In addition, when left untreated, the damage that neglect can occur can lead to permanent wear and tear, if not expensive to fix.
The automobile itself was the very same used for all the 2019 product photography and video; the first media introduction; automobile demonstrations and much, much more. By the time we obtained it, signs of wear were everywhere -- despite its brief 20-plus-hours of operating time. Like rescuing a mistreated or neglected puppy from a shelter frankly, our hearts a bit hurt. From that point it was our mission to bring its luster that was as-new back.
As always we whipped out our pressure washer and hauled off as much of pollen this dirt and dirt with our 25-degree nozzle. We also arrived close to attempt to burst off some spots where sap had collected. Not because we prefer it over any other manufacturer, but because we've got a ton of it to use. Plus, it really does do a nice job.
The first issue pertains to a couple of decorative choices Yamaha designers are hip on for some time now: white bumpers, rub rails and seats. Evidently, every one of these items are made from different materials, get damage and require solutions to be washed. For 2019, the newest FX models include portions of plastic bumpers, both in the front in addition to at the corners. The six bits (three at each end) are made from durable vinyl that also happens to be textured.
The texturing of these pieces also makes them porous, meaning that dirt, grime and other contaminants may embed themselves making cleaners ineffective. We tried the usual suspects: vinyl cleaners, general surface cleansers and even PWC cleaners to no avail. What we did discover was that cleaner applied to a microfiber towel works well. Modern non-chlorinated brake cleaners from brands such as CRC's Brakleen don't leech out precious oils from the plastic and can be non-flammable also.
We rinsed the bumper off, and applied a suitable vinyl protectant once happy. While our methods are unique, we also don't wish to leave those harsher substances on the plastics. We also purposefully avoided any brokers or cleaners as it could discolor the Yamaha's traction mats or blue highlight components.
The rub rails that are snowy are not anywhere near as porous but may be stained almost as easy. And like the bumpers, we watered the rail down once we were done and coated it. We've heard that Magic Erasers do often leave a compound film that was visible on darker plastics, so after we were done we were mindful also to wash off it, and also to use it on white.
White vinyl chairs are not anything new to watercraft the materials used are. Yamaha's new WaveRunners employ a durable canvas which is not slick like vinyl chairs of yesteryear. These new seats reflect warmth and deliver traction and enhanced grip without chaffing exposed skin, so that they won't scald after sitting in the sun too long. Together with the new material comes new ways of treating them. Cleaners that are vinyl simply aren't able to penetrate the fibers that are tightly woven.
We were not happy with the results and tried a bit on a rag in a section of our brake cleaner. So we skirted off to a local boat dealer for suggestions. While we had been revealing discoloring from dirt and exposure to the elements, we weren't showing signed of those dreaded"pink mold" which frequently appears with white seats.
Not a slick coating however an actual fabric cleaner, we found the Babe's Seat Soap divides into the seat material with a little scrubbing with a microfiber towel and lathers quickly. Babe's worked well on the snowy panels but struggled to actually deliver the finish we wanted onto the chair's darker center section. While, not as effective in cleaning the white parts, it did get the past couple of spots from the panels. Therefore a marriage of both is what we found are the most effective.
Much to our chagrin, the gorgeous CNC-cut Hydro-Turf traction mats are also a huge pain in the butt to find mud from. The pressure washer couldn't do it. Not one of our plastic or upholstery cleaners could cut the mustard . The mats feature an extremely fine pattern that Georgia mud has simply resisted and refused to leave. Upholstery Cleaner to work.
Purchased following smoothie was dumped by a toddler that is very angry at the family car , the industrial-grade upholstery cleaner has been our option when it came to restoring and cleaning our traction mats and boy, did it not disappoint. Scrubbing the wealthy oxidizing foam to the mats has been all it took. We shattered down the mats using a towel and BAM! They looked as good.
Being left outside, the WaveRunner had collected quite a lot during a Tennessee springtime, also needed a tiny bit more detailing than what we've given to previous loaner units. This meant whipping out that the detailing"toothbrush" to get in the smaller cracks and cracks. One particularly spot was the top of the steering cowl and that the difference between the LCD camera dash, where pollen and leaves had nested. That required a little bit of time, but the correct tools makes for easy work.
While sitting at the chair, we guessed it was the right time to put in our Factory Yamaha Accessories' RAM mount cup and puck holder. Both of these things didn't arrive with our FX HO a little under a month ago, but were"should have's" on our list. We have a Garmin GPS that people use regularly for information and navigation gathering, and would be lost without it. So too was the cup holder, which allows for taller water bottles and drinks to be carried without the fear of toppling out at rate. (FYI, Yamaha sells and bundles each of these electroplated hex-head screws separately, so listen to order so.)
Speaking of hardware, we noted that many people online were painstakingly having them replated or simply replacing them with stainless steel and removing the exposed hex-headed screws all. This is due to the fact that the coating on the factory screws is lean, and does not guard against rusting, scaling and discoloring well at all. While nowhere near as permanent of a repair, we found simply scuffing them on a red Scotch-Brite pad to knock the loose scaling off and dusting them with a couple passes of Rust-oleam semi-gloss enamel (along with also a pass of gloss to repeat the factory sheen) created for a good semi-solution.
The final act of the day was also our most. To many, there is no increased technology than ceramic coatings. As the substance that is hard-bonded provides a near-perfect shielding layer finished paint and rightfully so. The process is exceptionally laborious, if done wrong, can actually damage paint and other surfaces and requires several hours to apply. Considering this, marine and automotive cleaner and detailing pioneer, Meguiar's developed an innovative Hybrid Ceramic Wax.
The spray comes out as a thick, high viscosity spray that may go on all surfaces (including stickers, plastics, and even upholstery, even though we avoided the grip mats and seats, in addition to the touchscreen). We all dried the ski completely -- not needing the numerous moves a wax job usually requires and wiped down.
Spraying from the top down with a"strong stream," we rinsed the Yamaha right down another time. Per Meguiar's,"that the hydropower of the rinse will spread the product, coating all the exterior with our Hybrid Ceramic security " After doing so, we dried off the ski again, and viola! We had a recently ceramic-coated WaveRunner. Overall, the process took us but that included quitting to try new and innovative ways to rid those pesky spots -- so expect to spend the time replicating our results and shooting pictures.
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