Basic Boat Maintenance
October 7, 2008
Everything I was taught in the Navy (and it was a lot) included the use of adequate references. Use of the manufacturers’ books on boat, motor, trailer and all accessories as your final guide to taking proper care of your equipment just makes sense! These folks have almost as much invested in your satisfaction as do you and they want your repeat business. It’s one of the REQUIREMENTS of staying in business in the world today.
Don’t have the “books” for your boat, motor or trailer? NOW is a great time to get them. You bought older, used equipment? That makes it even more important to obtain the proper handbooks. Changes in fuels, lubricants and construction materials make it necessary, in my opinion, to go “By the Book” for most, if not all of your maintenance needs. You wouldn’t go out on the lake of river blindfolded, don’t blindfold yourself while caring for what for most of us is a major investment!
My references here are; “Owner’s Manual Lowe Boats”, “Honda Marine, BF25D-BF30D Owners Manual”, and “You and Your Trailer”, which I received with my Li’l Rider, Trailer. I purchased it in 1988 and I’m still using it! Yep, I believe in keeping the books as long as I keep the equipment and their installed accessories, such as fathometers and GPS Units.
Some of us may very well limit what we do for storage purposes, since we likely will have or boats “in and out” during the winter. Others, in more northerly, locations have to prepare to store in a deep freeze! All of this has an effect on what we do to get things ready. When I lived and guided in Maine, I stretched the season to about six months. The rest of the time the boat was either under tarps or, for the last couple of years, shrink wrapped, but always stored outside. You get to know pretty quickly, if you’ve made a mistake.
Keep It Clean
One thing that costs little and is always in order is to KEEP THINGS CLEAN. There are several advantages to this, the greatest of which is to let you SEE potential problems before the get really bad! Kind of like fish being easier to catch when they can be seen. Here in my new home, near Lake Powell, stripers sometimes surface in groups and I find them a bit easier to catch than smallmouth.
My military mind requires that maintenance be systemized, so I usually work top to bottom, front to back for general periodic maintenance. I star with the boat, bow to stern, then the motor, top to bottom, then the trailer, hitch to tail lights. No “religion” to this it just helps to keep ME straight.
After everything is clean, I start with the bow light. This takes only seconds - it either works or it gets fixed. Next is the trolling motor. Mine is a Minn Kota Power Drive which gets checked for function, then stowed and forgotten ‘til next use.
Now the forward T/M battery. Mine is located in the center well, just behind the foredeck and connected to only the T/M and bow light. When I clean it (baking soda and water) being very careful NOT to get it in the cells, I also check the water level.
Caution #1! - Always top off batteries with distilled water AFTER charging as the electrolyte will expand when charged and you will have to clean up the mess. What works for me is to be sure the plates are covered before the charge and full to the bottom of the filler neck after it.
Caution #2 - When charging, batteries produce hydrogen gas…you know, that stuff that blew up the Hindenburg? Use care around batteries being charged and gasoline both. Battery acid will dissolve both clothing and your skin. Always have fresh water available to flush any that you spill.
About all I have to do now is make sure the tie downs are tight and in place. Since the front of my rod rack is mounted on the battery box, I check that at this time as well.
On the front of my rear deck is my seat mount, which, like the battery box is primarily checked for security. Mounted next to the seat is the Fathometer/GPS unit and beyond checking it’s power and security, I pretty much leave it alone unless there is a known problem, or unless I’m ONLY working on that unit. The cooler and tie downs are about the only things left on the rear deck. Beyond that are the tie down and the drain plug on the transom and the boat is pretty much finished, bringing us to the motor.
Motor Maintenance
Hondas are all four stroke. Mine, a BF30, is 30 HP, tiller steer, electric start with power trim and tilt. ALL controls are handily located on the tiller. It’s a quick check to see if any oil has leaked onto the pad where I store the rig. I pop the hood for a quick check of the oil and a visual of everything inside, At the same time I check the condition of the prop, for dings and scrapes and the presence of the cotter key (don’t leave home without it). The hood goes back on, I hit the trim button briefly to make sure there is power present and we’re pretty well ready to go.
This is usually an after-trip and before-trip check that I make on the whole boat/engine unit unless I have known problems. With known problems, I take care of THEM, put everything back together after testing and pull the above maintenance inspection before thinking about going out again. This whole procedure probably takes less time than it does to read about it!
My rig lives on its trailer – a 1988 vintage trailer, galvanized, carrying its second rig. As far as I know, it still has the original bearings, with the original Bearing Buddies! I have absolutely no idea just how many miles are on it, but since it was originally purchased in Maine way back when, it HAS to be a bunch!
Every time I hook up to the tow vehicle, I check the hitch, the light connection, the winch and stand, and strap. I replaced the strap today, although the old one would probably have gotten me by for another year of two. Ten bucks isn’t worth the risk. Then I check the tire inflation and the function of all of the lights EVERY TIME! The condition of the frame and welds and of the tires are looked at as well and are a twice a year maintenance item.
So, does it work? Proof, at least for me, is that I have never had a boat or motor fail to get me back to a ramp I left YET!
I have towed a number of others in but never had to be towed myself. I have never had a trailer or trailer bearing fail me on the road. I’m a little reluctant to write this knowing full well it might jinx me, but true is true and I’ll not deny it!
I suspect it will work for you and increase your boating enjoyment and peace of mind as well.