A Quick Guide to Proper Boat Maintenance

You spend a decent amount of money on a boat, but that’s only the beginning. To keep the vessel running efficiently, you need to perform proper boat maintenance. Below, you’ll find a guide to help you keep your boat going for years.

Wash It Regularly

You should clean your boat in the same way you wash your vehicle regularly to keep away dirt and grime. Regular cleaning will help stop the spread of invasive species. It’s especially important if you’ll be moving your boat from one body of water to another.

Saltwater will erode the finish over time if you don’t clean it. A dirty hull can correlate to spending more money on fuel because it won’t be operating efficiently.

Perform Boat Engine Maintenance

Checking your engine regularly will help it perform more efficiently and last longer. There are a few things to check, such as debris in the water intake, fishing line or excessive oil buildup in your propellor, and the fuel level, before launching.

You can perform some tasks to avoid taking your boat to the mechanic. For example, you can change the spark plugs when they need replacements. Inspect for rust on the clamps weekly. You can even replace damaged fuel hoses yourself.

Check Your Safety Gear

You wouldn’t want to be in the middle of an emergency and find out you don’t have enough life jackets on board or your flares don’t work because they’re expired. These are situations you never want to experience on the water.

We understand that accidents happen, which is why you have safety gear aboard the boat. Check the expiration date for the fire extinguisher and flares, and replace them quickly if they’ve expired. Make sure you have an appropriate number of well-fitting life jackets on board.

You should become comfortable with all of the above boat maintenance items to ensure you’re caring for your boat correctly. After all, you spend decent money yearly on it; you need to respect and care for the vessel.

When moving the boat to storage or across the country, you need to hire a reputable boat moving service. One Call Logistics is a company you can trust and depend on to get your boat where it needs to be in a timely manner.