Boats are large, fascinating vehicles that can help you turn an ordinary outing into one you’ll never forget. But, because they are machines that have many different parts and mechanisms, good boat maintenance is required to ensure your boat stays afloat. Inexperienced people may think that taking care of a boat will be a hassle, but if you remain diligent and develop good habits, you can make sure your boat runs smoothly for many years to come.
In this article, we will tell you all about a few straightforward things that you can do to protect and take care of your boat.
Maintenance Tips That You Should Consider For Taking Good Care Of Your Boat
If you want to keep your boat in good shape, you most likely take your boat in to see a technician for routine boat maintenance every now and again. However, did you know that there are plenty of things that you can do yourself to care for your boat? You don’t have to be a trained boat mechanic to do little things here and there that’ll help your valuable vessel.
A few things that you might want to start doing for your boat are:
1. Keep An Eye On Your Boat’s Engine. Your boat’s engine is what gets it to go – it’s extremely important! The last thing you want is to prepare for a fun day on the water, drive out into the ocean with your boat and then get stranded in the water because your engine broke down. Routinely checking on your engine – even if you haven’t noticed any weird sounds or issues – can help you keep it running like it should.
Therefore, one of the first things you should do when conducting boat maintenance is to check on your engine. You should look for visible signs of damage, your fuel levels and anything else that could affect its performance.
2. Regularly Check Your Propeller. Your propeller is just as necessary as your engine because it works with it to get you moving. If your engine isn’t working, your propeller won’t be going anywhere, and if your propeller isn’t working, your engine isn’t going to be much help.
Always take a moment to check up on your propeller and make sure it’s doing alright. Clear away any debris that’s caught onto it, and if you notice any noticeable damage, you might want to call up a boat mechanic to get that dealt with properly.
3. Keep Things Neat And Clean. One of the best boat maintenance practices to prevent nasty masses of algae or mould is to clean your boat before it gets dirty. Even if your boat’s hull or floor is just a little messy, you should still take the time to clean it off. Otherwise, you may find yourself staring at a horribly messy boat in the future that’ll take more time to clean up.
4. Maintain Your Battery. Your battery helps your boat run, so it would help if you maintained it properly and made sure to take the recommended actions to keep it working well.
5. Flush Your Engine After Every Outing. Salt crystals or dirty debris from the water can build up in your engine, which can then cause it to deteriorate or break down. You can prevent this buildup by flushing out your engine with clean, fresh water after every outing.
6. Routinely Inspect Your Boat For Visible Damages Or Signs Of Issues. Even if your boat is still running fine, it will help if you regularly conduct quick visual inspections of your boat. If you notice any signs of mildew or algae buildup, rust, damages or anything else that could grow worse, you should try to have your boat taken in for professional boat maintenance.
7. Prepare Your Boat If You Know You Aren’t Going To Use It For A While. Are you putting away your boat for a little while? Instead of simply covering it up and hiding it away in storage for a little while, it would be best if you correctly prepared it. An experienced technician can help you learn the best ways to put your boat in storage safely.
8. Regularly Have Your Boat Seen By A Trusted Professional. All of these tips are great for keeping your boat in good condition, but you should never rely on do-it-yourself boat maintenance alone. A trained technician can spot issues that you’d never notice, and they can give you the best tips and tricks to being an intelligent boat owner.
Need More Help Maintaining Your Boat? Here’s Where You Can Go
At Welch Marine, we are proud to help New Zealand boat owners keep their beautiful vessels stable and well-maintained. We provide people like you with several wonderful services to help you out, like marine repair and marine electric servicing.
Or, if you have any specific concerns or questions about your boat, you can reach us directly through our contact page or by calling 027 452 5859.
Enjoy thrilling outings with your well-maintained boat with help from our excellent team at Welch Marine.