I just bought a 2004 SD237OB. What is the best way to clean the bilge?

ronneed

I just bought a 2004 SD237OB. What is the best way to clean the bilge? Also what should I do to protect the seat cushions from the Florida Sun?

jbodollo

Not to sure about the cleaning your bilge but I use 303 Aerospace Protectent . Great stuff !! Used it on my last boat for eight years. The seats looked like new when I sold it. I to live in Florida and the sun is **** everything!

cjjjdeck

If you're wanting to clean your bilge area, you must be asking for a reason:

1) The bilge area is coated with or has floating some kind of messy/nasty stuff

2) There's a offensive smell coming from the bilge area

3) Just trying to keep up on maintaining a clean boat.

If it's reason 1 and/or 2, it will require a closer inspection as something is causing that condition and it usually isn't good.  Leaking fluids are most suspect (oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid etc.).  Those conditions must be investigated and addressed before cleaning.

There are a number of bilge cleaners on the market and available at all the local and online marine suppliers (Overton's, West Marine, iboats etc,), some have less environmental impact than others, all work pretty well, especially in reducing bilge odors.  There may be other cleaners others have had good luck with as well.  Bear in mind that you may need to apply the cleaner more than once if you are treating oily based residue.

I'm not sure what kind of bilge access the outboard version of the SD237 has (the I/O access is fairly open), but scrubbing where you can get at it helps too.  Of course, I recommend bilge cleaning while on a trailer or somewhere out of the water so contaminated water can be disposed of properly.