One of the top priorities on board ship is keeping any passengers safe, and since they tend to spend most of their time on board on deck, it makes sense to ensure your ship’s flooring is well maintained.
Without proper maintenance, a ship’s deck is subject to damage from elemental exposure and water damage, and therefore protecting your ship’s deck surface is the best way to guard against potential accidents.
Sealing Cracks
If you ship goes to sea in heavy weather or rough seas, water is likely to get onto your deck. When this is combined with high traffic from footfall and movement of cargo, it is easy to see why wooden decks often crack and break. Without attending to this type of damage, these cracks and breakages will be subject to more wear and tear, growing in size and resulting in accidents. To rectify the problem, cracks must be sanded down and then sealed with a proper sealant.
Waxing And Polishing
To avoid excessive wear to the flooring of your boat, it is possible to protect and maintain the surface for longer by polishing the deck and adding a wax coating. Polishing ensures that the surface is smooth before it is protected with the wax that ensures easier cleaning together with an appealing finish. Before restoring your deck or adding a protective coating, however, you must ensure the deck is clean otherwise you will find dirt is forced more deeply into the crevices of the flooring.
Cleaning
It is important to use a good quality cleaner such as a non-abrasive mild soap when cleaning the deck of your boat that will remove any salt, grease and dirt while keeping the old wax coating intact. Once you have used the cleaning solution on your deck, be sure to rinse down the topsides to avoid damage from the build-up which may collect.