Why is boat soap so expensive?

[live bait]

Was just looking at the web site of a marine store, & the least expensive gallon of boat soap is on sale for $23.99, while a 100oz jug of car soap is less than $5.00. I trailer the boat & wash in my driveway, so having a soap made to work with salt water is not necessary in my opinion. Do I really need the expensive soap.
John

 

[jpd]

Environmental concerns?

 

[Chinacat]

Prolly like most other things the word “boat” in its name has something to do with
When I wash mine in the driveway i skip the boat soap and use dish soap just like when washing the car

 

[Roccus7]

Can't miss using Dawn dish washing soap for washing the boat. The use it to was oil-coated sea life...

 

[Leprechaun]

The problem with using Dawn or other such detergents is that they will strip whatever wax you have assiduously applied to your boat or car. I use whatever sudsing car washing soap my local auto parts place has on sale. Maybe $8/gal at most - and the boat comes sparkly clean. And no stripped wax.

 

[BoatGuy]

The problem with using Dawn or other such detergents is that they will strip whatever wax you have assiduously applied to your boat or car. I use whatever sudsing car washing soap my local auto parts place has on sale. Maybe $8/gal at most - and the boat comes sparkly clean. And no stripped wax.

This ^^^^^

I use car wash. It works. I do have deck cleaner that I use when it gets really badly stained. Is there a reason you have not considered car soap

 

[Chinacat]

The problem with using Dawn or other such detergents is that they will strip whatever wax you have assiduously applied to your boat or car. I use whatever sudsing car washing soap my local auto parts place has on sale. Maybe $8/gal at most - and the boat comes sparkly clean. And no stripped wax.

For clarification when i referred to the on land wash thats the initial preseason before wax pre launch washing
Once its in the water for the season, its nothing but overpriced boat soap

 

[poorrichard]

The above is correct. Dish soap has surfactants in it. They will strip the wax off the car or boar.

Once and a while you can get away with dish soap but don't use it all the time.

 

[Chinacat]

The above is correct. Dish soap has surfactants in it. They will strip the wax off the car or boar.

Once and a while you can get away with dish soap but don't use it all the time.

Depends on the brand and type soap no?
Of course i got no clue what a surfactant is???‍

 

[poorrichard]

surfactants break down fat, and waxy substances

Dish soap needs to break down fat, cooking oils ect

 

[live bait]

Once again the NYA brain trust has come through with what I wanted to hear, no more expensive boat soap for my boat, hope it doesn't mind, car wash soap from now forward. Still don't know why boat soap is so expensive, although I will accept the only reason is because it says boat, or marine on the jug.
John

 

[cany]

Once again the NYA brain trust has come through with what I wanted to hear, no more expensive boat soap for my boat, hope it doesn't mind, car wash soap from now forward. Still don't know why boat soap is so expensive, although I will accept the only reason is because it says boat, or marine on the jug.
John

I think jpd nailed it

 

[tjd2320]

In my experience, when you add Marine to anything, price goes up by at least 2X.
I go to the local Auto Supply store an buy a car wash with wax. Cheap & works great.

 

[Brushfly]

I'm not sure Simply Lemon has those surfactants in them. Anybody know? I've been using it for some time now and don't see it killing my wax but then again, fishing fly and lt. tackle 99% of the time, I don't soap the boat down very much unless there's blood about.

 

[Robert Upton]

Phosphates! Car washes as apposed to a good boat wash are typically higher in phosphates. It's kind of a big deal. It gives the nasty brown tide food!

 

[jpd]

Phosphates! Car washes as apposed to a good boat wash are typically higher in phosphates. It's kind of a big deal. It gives the nasty brown tide food!

Yep, but the OP mentioned that he trailers his boat and washes it in his driveway - which would be like washing a car.
However, some storm drains here empty right into LIS so you'd still have that issue with feeding the algae.
Years back some local kids groups stenciled outlines of fish next to storm drains that fed directly, it was surprising how many there were.

 

[Robert Upton]

Oops! Sorry, ( In my driveway!). My wife always tells me to read ALL THE WORDS! Lol ?