Is it necessary to clean a new boat before applying Poly Guard?

Skipper July 3, 2013 Ask The Skipper

Eric Phinney asked:

I plan to apply Poly guard to my new, out of the box, pvc inflatable. Must I clean with Speed Clean first?

Answer:

For your convenience, I’ve highlighted the hyperlinks. Click on the hyperlink to get more information about the selected product.

It’s important to clean your new PVC inflatable with Speed Clean prior to applying Poly Guard. When the PVC fabric was manufactured, an excess amount of plasticizer was added to act as a roller lubricant which remains on the surface. Over time this will wear away or be cleaned away but it must be removed before applying Poly Guard.

Poly Guard contains similar plasticizers so that each time it’s applied, it replaces plasticizers lost to the sun and environment. This is one of the technologies that extends the life of your PVC inflatable. If, however it is applied to a new boat that already contains plasticizers on the surface, it can react and create a sticky surface that is very difficult to remove.

Regular use of Speed Clean and Poly Guard protection can extend your PVC boats life considerably, probably to the same life as Hypalon.

Thanks for your question.

Captain Aurora
Richard Kittar