A Beginners Guide To Caring For Your Boat
So you’re the new owner of a boat? Congratulations! Or maybe you’ve had a boat for a while but you’ve still never quite managed to figure out this whole maintenance thing. You see your neighbour, Fred, attend to his boat every morning as if it’s some kind of rare exotic plant, but you just can’t quite manage it like he does.
Yes, owning a boat means taking care of your boat, or to use a different, yet frightening word, responsibility! We want to relieve some of that burden for you and believe it or not, taking care of your boat won’t just make her look good out on the water, but it will give you the confidence that she will run like a dream every time you treat yourself to a day full of sunshine, adventure and beer.
So for all you boat owners out there that haven’t quite got your head around this whole maintenance thing, here is a simple guide to taking good care of her (or him!)
The engine
The engine needs to be checked periodically - you’re looking for cracked hoses, corrosion and that it’s securely in place. Replace your cracked hoses from a range from our selection here.
The propeller
The propeller is critical to how your boat performs and should be checked every time before you go out. Make sure the propeller nut is secure and tight. Any small dents will make you burn more fuel. A few times a year take the propeller off to make sure nothing is caught in their and use some grease to lubricate the shaft.
The battery
You do not want to get caught out at sea with a flat battery! The battery is like the heart of your boat so treat it as such. Check the battery’s charge often and the connections for corrosion. Don’t ever try and skimp on a battery. What you need is something like our Century AGM C12-105DA Deep Cycle Battery.
The Bilge pump
The bilge, in case you were wondering, is the bottom part of the boat that collects excess water. The bilge pump is the bad boy that removes this water. Here’s a simple equation: bilge pump not working = boat sinking. Check the pump hoses for any debris and please make sure it’s working. Our Whale ORCA 500GPH 12V Bildge Pump 131410 ought to do the trick for you!
Oil and filter
Like your car, keeping your oil regular is 101 for boating care. Check your oil levels every time you go boating and fill up (with our top class oil) if it’s low. For every hundred hours of boating, change the filter.
Always inspect the hull to make sure it’s clean and free of cracks and blisters and make sure the drain plugs are in place. These checks will get you out of trouble from week to week, but you should think about getting a yearly schedule that you can tick off week by week. If you’re interested, we found a great one here.
OK, enough responsibility, now hurry up and get out on the water!