Maintain Your Boat

Big or small, basic or souped up, there is one thing every boat needs. Maintenance. Fortunately, routine maintenance and even small repairs aren’t that tough. And in the long run, a little elbow grease will definitely pay off. Follow these steps to avoid costly repairs later.

Steps

  1. Wash your boat regularly. And if you boat in saltwater, rinse your boat thoroughly with fresh water after every outing to remove salt residue.[1]
  2. Use soaps and cleaners specifically made for boats. This is to protect your boat’s finish.[2]
  3. Change your boat's oil regularly. Four-stroke outboards, inboards and stern drive boats require regular oil changes. The frequency will vary by model, but a good rule of thumb is to change the oil every 100 hours of operation or at least once a year.[3]
  4. Check the propeller as part of your pre-launch routine. This is necessary if you have an outboard or stern drive boat. Use a deep socket to make sure the propeller nut is secure.[4]
  5. Inspect the propeller regularly. Remove the propeller several times during the season to make sure discarded fishing line hasn’t become wrapped around the propeller shaft. If it has, have your dealer inspect the gear-case, because fishing line can cause gear-case leaks and gear-case service is not a do-it-yourself job.[5]
  6. Scrutinize the propeller for other damage. While you have the propeller off, inspect it for nicks, dents and other signs of damage. It’s okay if your prop has chipped or damaged paint, but send it out for repairs if you find signs of impact. The smallest dent can cause your boat to lose 10% of performance and will burn more fuel than normal.[6]
  7. Put a liberal amount of waterproof grease on the propeller shaft. Re-install the propeller and hardware in the same order that you took them off, and tighten the propeller nut to the manufacturers specifications. Do NOT forget to put a new cotter pin in if you have an outboard.[7]
  8. Make sure to dry your boat so you don't slip.



Tips

  • A long-handled boat brush or a spray wand make washing your boat pretty easy, you can find it at your local marine retail store.
  • Unfortunately, there aren’t any quickie oil change shops for boats, so you have to change your boat’s oil yourself or take it to your local dealer.[8]
  • Changing the oil in your boat’s engine is quite easy—in most cases, easier than changing the oil in your car.

Warnings

  • If you’re tempted to let the chore of cleaning your boat slide consider this fact: a boat with a clean hull bottom is more fuel-efficient than a hull that’s covered with algae or other aquatic scum. A dirty hull can easily add up to 30% of fuel cost.

Related Articles

References

  1. ↑ https://www.boatus.com/magazine/2017/october/moving-from-freshwater-to-saltwater.asp
  2. ↑ https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/water-and-land/lakes/facts/boats-docks.aspx
  3. ↑ https://www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/changing-engine-oil.asp
  4. ↑ https://www.boatus.com/magazine/archives/how-to-fix-boat-propeller-problems.asp
  5. ↑ https://www.boatus.com/magazine/archives/how-to-fix-boat-propeller-problems.asp
  6. ↑ https://www.boatus.com/magazine/archives/how-to-fix-boat-propeller-problems.asp
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG3zmeljx4c
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZxHQnus-VI
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