Preventive Maintenence For Boaters

By Duncan L Lee

We’ve all the heard the sayings. An ounce of preventative is worth a pound of cure. Pay now, or pay later.

It all adds up to the same thing. If you take the time now to take care of your boat, it will save you money in repairs down the road. With that in mind, the following maintenance list should be done after every outing.As you will see, it is not just maintenance you will be doing, but inspection as well. That way you can catch some problems before they become bigger problems and cost you a whole lot more money.

You will need the following:

• Motor Flusher(also called “rabbit ears” or “ear muffs”)
• Anti-corrosive/Lubricant Such as WD-40 or Quick-Lube
• Garden Hose and outdoor spigot

1. Flush out your engine. Attach the motor flusher to the garden hose and place muffs over water intakes. Turn on the water, start up the engine and allow the water pump to do the rest.
2. Place a finger in the outflow of water. This does a couple things, first off the flow should be fairly strong and consistent. If it is not, there may be an obstruction. Shut everything down and clean out the flow tube using a small piece of wire, wiggling it back and forth. Start everything back up. If it is still not flowing correctly you may need a new water pump. The second thing you are checking for is that the temperature is good. The water should be warm but not hot. If it is hot, shut everything down and consult your mechanic.
3. Continue flushing until the water runs cool. Once it is cool, do not turn anything off or disconnect anything, simply move on to the next step.
4. Disconnect the fuel line and allow fuel in carburetor to burn off. Once the excess fuel has been used up, turn everything off and remove flusher.If you have a battery switch, turn this off as well.
5. Take off engine cowling. Check for leaks in the fuel and water lines. If you find leaks, consult your mechanic. Wipe down everything and spray with anti-corrosive, paying special attention to moving parts like cables and valves. Replace cowling and wipe it down.
6. Inspect fuel primer bulb. If you find any leaks or cracks, replace it.
7. Check fuel line. Again, replace if you find any damage in it or the clamps on the fuel line.
8. Inspect fuel tanks for damage or corrosion. And, you guessed it, replace or repair if needed!
9. Ensure tank vent is unobstructed. This needs to allow air to escape whenever fuel is added.
10. If this is your last trip for the season, drain fuel and bring to proper recycling facility. Never reuse old fuel.

That’s it! It doesn’t take long, but this maintenance list, done regularly, should help keep you running smoothly and identify small problems before they become big problems. Be careful about becoming complacent. It is very easy to think you can skip some of this because you just did it recently, but remember that it is better to spend time checking for problems now than to be out on the water and find out once it is too late. Hope this helps some of you keep your boats running smoothly, and until next time, see you on the water!

For discount boat parts, electronics or gear, head over to Great White Parts.

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Why Clean Your Boat’s Hull

By Tui Timoko

Why clean your hull? Maintaining a good cleaning and inspection routine for your vessel is the key to top performance, greater fuel efficiency, and unsightly machinery/anti-corrosion system failure and reduces the chances of cross contamination of marine pests. Marine pests love a grubby hull – they can take hold in the fouling fuzz and before you know it, they can quickly establish themselves, potentially seriously affecting marine habitats, food chains, fish stocks, not to mention your vessels performance by blocking intakes/discharges, jamming speed logs, covering sounders, shafts and propellers.

When should I clean it? We highly recommend in water cleaning of your vessel once a month, regular cleaning with a soft sponge or cloth rather than a harsh removal aid such as a Scotch Brite or scraper can prolong the life of your antifouling saving you time, effort. At the very least you should check that your boat is free of bio-fouling growth such as seaweeds, barnacles, mussels and oysters before leaving your home region.

What’s in it for you? • Regular, professional servicing by qualified, experienced commercial divers • Extend the life of your antifouling and running gear • Reduce vessel running costs (lower fuel consumption) • Increased performance • Enhanced appearance • Satisfaction of knowing exactly what lies beneath

How is the vessel cleaned? Divers use either a soft sponge, industrial brush, scotch Brite, scraper or mixture of all, dependent on the required effort to remove the fouling.

They start on the water line making sure not to go above the antifouling, onto the gel coat to avoid scratch marks. Divers can work above the water line if required. Once the water line is complete they drop down, working their way forward and aft along the vessel until they reach the keel making sure to cover and clean every fitting and section of the vessel. The running gear is then cleaned and inspected, all work is recorded and a full photographic report can be supplied.

Kia ora My name is Tui Timoko.

I am a ex navy gunner/diver, I am currently the director of SEA AND LAND TRADE (salt for short) SERVICES ltd.

We are a net working based company with its roots in commercial diving we offer all sorts of tradesmen and professional to cater your every day needs-Whether its personal for the offshore and the oil industry or a handy man for the around home tasks, we aim to cover all your requirements and needs and be your one stop trade shop.

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Wet Or Dry Boat Storage, Which is the Better Choice?

By Ben Pate

Boats offer hours of pleasure to their owners and guests. Boats allow people to access parts of lakes and the coast that people without boats cannot reach. There you can picnic swim or fish in less crowded waters. If your boat is small, then storage may be simple. You just load the boat back onto your trailer and head home for storage. This gives the advantage of being able to take you boat to different lakes in order to launch it. For larger boats, storage is more of a problem and you may need to choose between wet or dry boat storage marinas.

A wet storage marina can offer many advantages. First and foremost, your boat is ready take out at a moment’s notice. Often wet storage marinas offer electrical power that allows you to keep batteries charged using a battery keeper. While most wet storage marinas do not offer covered storage for your boat, there are some, which do offer this option for smaller boats. Enclosed storage protects your boat from sunlight and many of the elements that may cause the exposed portions of your boat to break down.

Dry boat storage-marinas also can offer many advantages to the boat owner. Boats are stored in dry conditions, usually inside a garage like structure. The structure offers protection from water damage as well as other damage from the elements. Dry storage will keep the finish and exposed upholstery of your boat looking like new for many years.

Storing your boat in a dry boat storage marina requires that the boat be lifted out of the water. Most dry boat storage-marinas offer a crane and track system that allows your boat to be moved into its storage slip. Stacked storage may be offered for smaller boats, but is not practical for boats with large masts. Very large boats may not fit into the facilities offered by dry boat storage-marinas.

Some boat owners use dry storage whenever they need to work on their boats. If this is your plan, be sure that such work is allowed in the marina you choose, since insurance policies often require that marinas do not allow for working on your boat. If you are allowed to work on your boat while it is in dry storage, this is a great time to inspect the boat for damage that may not be noticeable when the boat is in the water. Some work, such as replacing a propeller is much easier in dry storage.

The greatest disadvantage to dry storage is that the boat must be launched fresh each time you want to use it. It will need to be placed back on the track and sent back into the water. You may need to schedule this procedure several days in advance, so this may not be the best choice for spur of the minute people. Once the boat is in the water, it will need to come alongside a dock for loading of supplies, luggage and passengers.

Whatever method you chose to store your boat, you need to remember that there will be advantages as well as disadvantages of different Marinas Choices should reflect what works best for you and your boat. You can choose between convenience of wet storage and safety of Dry Boat Storage

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Essential Boat Maintenance Guide – A Weekly, Monthly & Yearly Checklist

By James Fletcher

Boating maintenance is vitally important. If your car brakes down you can simply call for a tow truck. Out on the water, a breakdown can turn deadly. Proper maintenance and inspections can ensure many years of safe boating.

Below is a list of weekly, monthly and yearly routine maintenance schedules.

Weekly:

Weekly tests should be done by the captain, before each trip out on the boat. These tests should focus on making sure the equipment needed for each voyage is working correctly. Be sure to check bilge pumps, navigation lights, bungs and washers, the steering column for stiffness and fuel level. Also make sure the radio is operating before heading out onto the water. You should also have a quick look around the boat to identify any potential problems or hazards.

Monthly:

Monthly maintenance should focus on checking engine oil levels, and other motorized equipment. Be sure to check the oil levels, monitor the ropes and lines for damage, oil the winch and check safety equipment for damage including lifejackets as well as the use by dates on flares. Give the boat a good clean and also check for any general signs of wear and tare. Inspect the blades of the propellor for damage and inspect all other electrical items such as windscreen wipers, engine tilt and anything else electrical.

Yearly:

Your motor should be serviced at least once a year or more depending on how much you use your boat. As the owner you should thoroughly inspect to exterior and interior of your vessel at least once a year. Look for cracks, chips, blistering, loose wiring, broken fittings and anything else unusual. If you cannot fix what you see be sure to raise the issue with your service agent before getting the boat serviced. Be sure to check grab rails and other fittings are secure and tightly fitted the the boats hull. Check the boats rollers to ensure they are running smoothly otherwise add grease as needed.

By abiding by these maintenance schedules, you will increase your chances of having many years of trouble free boating. Without proper maintenance you run a great risk not only to yourself but to your passengers as well. Be safe, and keep up on your maintenance and checks. James loves to go boating and fishing.

More great Fishing & Boating tips can be found at his site. Or for more boating tips visit: http://www.freeboatingtips.com/?p=54

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Boat Lifts Make Maintenance Easier

Written By M Jedediah

Taking care of even the smallest of boats can be a bit of a trick to ensure that every inch from stem to stern is covered. Whether it’s for safety inspections, cleaning or even maintenance, there are good ways to go about the jobs and bad ways. One of the easiest, however, is to employ the use of boat lifts to make reaching all sides – even the bottom – possible.

Boat lifts come in a number of different styles and sizes. Some are ideal for small boats, and others work better for larger crafts. The tie that binds them all, however, is the fact they tend to make routine maintenance and even docking a lot easier on their owners.

Many boat owners invest in boat lifts for a number of reasons. Not only do they make it easier to fully inspect a boat for cleaning and maintenance, they also make dry docking simpler. When a lift is used, a boat can be stored just above the water rather than having to take it in and out on each outing. This cuts down not only on the damage some water can cause to a vessel, but also on the time involved in getting a boat in and out of the water.

The different types of boat lifts include:

Four-point lifts: These lifts provide support one all four sides to ensure a boat is steady out of the water. They can range from those designed for small to medium sized boats to those for slightly larger craft. In most cases, these lifts work by having the boat park above them and then a switch is turned or a crank is cranked to elevate a vessel out of the water. They can range in price greatly.

Freestanding lifts: These boat lifts tend to offer full frames that encase a boat for storage or inspection. They can work on hydraulics or might involve the use of winches to raise and lower the boat into and out of the water.

Floating boat lifts: This type of lift is ideal for storage of a vessel and even for some maintenance. The one thing they don’t tend to offer is access to the underbelly of the boat. Still, these can be great for those who want to ensure their boats don’t sit moored for long periods of time taking the damage sea water and even lake water can dish out.

Elevator lifts: These lifts are generally used for larger boats. They operate in a similar manner to elevators, thus the name. These boat lifts are good for some maintenance work and also for helping protect a boat from constant water exposure.

Boat lifts just make it easier for boat owners to perform routine maintenance and provide their vessels with the benefits of dry docking without having to remove the vessels from the water entirely. They can cut down on the time involved in hauling a boat in and out of the water, too, which is always appreciated by boat owners. Those shopping for boat lifts will find the prices vary, but the benefits can make the investment quite worth every penny.

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