It might surprise you to learn that approximately one in ten United States households owns at least one boat. For families that live near oceans, lakes, or rivers, boating has become immensely popular. However, owning a boat can pose a new responsibility that takes some adjustments.
It is important to keep your boat in good shape in order to get the most out of your investment. The more you use your boat, the more it needs your attention and care. Check out these seven helpful boat maintenance tips to keep your boat looking and running the best it can.
1. Inspect and Clean Your Battery
At least once a season, whether in use or in boat storage, you should always take a look at your boat’s battery. Batteries can degrade and incur damage over time. If left unchecked, they can even corrode and leak.
Be sure to clean any potential areas of corrosion as well as any points of connection with other wires. You should also test it to make sure it still holds enough charge. The last thing you want is for your boat’s battery to go dead while you’re out on the water.
2. Flush the Engine After Each Use
Every time you take your boat out on the water, your engine is exposed to elements like salt, sand, mud, and other various debris. In order to prevent these materials from causing damage, you should always flush your engine with fresh water after every outing.
Many boats come equipped with engine flushing systems of their own, which you should read your owner’s manual in order to use properly. If your boat does not have such a system, you can instead cover your engine’s water intakes and use running water from a hose.
3. Keep a Clean Floor
When you are out on choppy waters, you need to be able to rely on your boat’s floor to maintain traction. All manner of wetness and debris can mix together on your floor, creating both safety hazards and eyesores. Thus, keeping the floor of your boat clean is important both for your own health and your boat’s longevity.
You will want to scrub the deck to remove any potential stained or dirty areas. From there, you will want to vacuum up the excess dirt left loose on your boat’s floor. If you have any detachable carpeting on your boat’s floor, you will want to pull it off and clean underneath it as well.
4. Winterize Your Boat for Cold Weather
Your boat is every bit as likely to suffer damage when you are not using it at all and cold weather happens to strike. Most boats are built for warm weather and water well above freezing temperatures. Ice can pose a different, more serious hazard altogether.
Certain protective tarps can help protect your boat in the offseason. Nonetheless, a good boat storage facility can keep your boat safe through all kinds of winter weather, and could thus be well worth the investment.
5. Stay Attentive to Your Engine’s Needs
More so than any other part, the health of your boat’s engine goes hand in hand with the longevity of your boat. In addition, experiencing engine failure is a far greater risk with a boat than with other motorized vehicles. You never want to leave yourself open to the risk of being stranded in open waters.
There are many components of your engine you should monitor frequently. Always keep an eye on your oil levels to ensure they are never too low. Monitor signs of wear around any engine lines and stop corrosion before it starts.
Keeping a close eye on your engine will ensure you don’t have to experience a boat maintenance cost that’s too steep to manage.
6. Clean Windows
No matter where you store your boat or take it out for a ride, your boat is constantly exposed to the elements. The moisture can eventually leave your windows dirty and streaked, even if you are not frequently using your boat. You will want to stay alert to your windows’ condition to keep them from becoming too cloudy in the long run.
There are plenty of specialty boat cleaners on the market that you can use specifically to protect your windows. However, if you do not have the means, a common household window cleaner can work fine enough in the meantime.
7. Let a Professional Handle Your Boat Maintenance
If you’re out using your boat very often all throughout the warm seasons, then your boat may naturally be accruing more wear than you can personally keep track of as a non-expert. In such cases, you may reach a point where no amount of boat maintenance tips can substitute for a good professional boat maintenance service.
Professional boat mechanics know exactly which parts of your boat to monitor. They can upgrade any old parts, tune your boat’s machinery, and prove yet another worthy investment for any boat owner.
We Know How to Care for Your Boat
Looking for a storage company you can trust for boat maintenance and keeping your prized watercraft safe? Look no further!
At Ideal Storage, we understand the hassle of moving your boat to a new facility know exactly how to keep it safe and sound until the next time you’re ready to hit the water.
Contact us today and we’ll be happy to show you how we can offer your boat all the protection it needs.