Boat Maintenance: 5 Tips to Properly Care for Your Boat
Owing a boat comes with great responsibility. You can’t only take care of your boat when you de-winterize it because it can corrode over time, leading to significant structural damage. This will cause a major spike in the overall maintenance costs in the long run.
Even if you’re taking care of your boat from time to time, you should be careful with the products you use. For example, gentle acid washing pontoons won’t weaken the metal and, simultaneously, remove oxidization and stains.
Nevertheless, we have researched and jotted down the top 5 tips in this article to help you in boat maintenance. Read below to learn!
Tip #1: Keep an Eye on the Engine
The engine of your boat powers it to work its best. However, if you don’t regularly keep an eye on the engine, your cursing won’t be any less than a hassle.
You should always keep track of the engine oil. Make sure that it doesn’t reach the low levels. This will facilitate you in keeping your engine in great condition. Your boat manual will better tell you what oil to use and when to change it.
Moreover, if you hear different or weird vibrations or noises, you must immediately check your engine and contact the engine manufacturer for expert advice.
Tip #2: Assign an Area of the Boat to Dry Storage
If you always want to be ready on the go, you should create a dedicated dry-storage area in your boat. This will allow you to keep your boat clutter-free for better cleaning and well-organized to help you quickly find an item you need during cruising or even later.
You should invest in a dry storage compartment to store gear that attracts the most mold and mildew. If you want to store clothing or life jackets, ensure they are completely dried.
Tip #3: Keep Your Boat Clean
Not cleaning your boat regularly will lead to dirt and mold, affecting the structure and negatively impacting its performance. Furthermore, if you regularly clean your boat, you won’t have to spend a substantial amount of time later in the year.
Therefore, for boat carpets, you should vacuum and pressure wash them and dry them out nicely. In addition, you can use a high-quality scrub brush to keep the foredeck clean. For dry areas of the boat, it’s better to vacuum.
Tip #4: Cover Your Boat
If you don’t keep your boat indoors, you should properly cover it with a thick canvas to keep it safe from UV rays and debris. You can easily find it online. Make sure it’s heavy-duty, so it provides ideal protection against sun, wind, and rain.
Covering your boat is even more essential in winter, as you don’t want condensation in the boat, which can lead to mildew build-up.
Tip #5: Create Your Boat Maintenance Checklist
Last, but not least, no one knows your boat better than you. Therefore, you should create your own boat maintenance checklist to help you take care of the exterior and interior of the boat. Having a checklist will prevent you from “forgetting” about any part of the boat that needs to be taken care of over time.
Some maintenance basics may include oil pressure, thorough inspection, checking vents for blockage, and looking after the propeller.
