Boat Maintenance and Protection

Every boat needs to be maintained and protected. Fortunately, routine maintenance and small repairs aren’t that tough, but in the long run, more than just a polish is needed. A little ”elbow grease” will definitely pay off.

Wash your boat. It may seem strange that boats that spend a most of their time in water will still need a bath; but water, especially saltwater, will leave a residue. Salt will corrode metal fasteners and hardware.Use a long-handled soft-bristle boat brush and good quality soap. Marine grade “boat wash” is especially formulated for your boat’s gelcoat, but regular car wash soap or, as a last resort, use laundry soap in a pinch.

Change Your Oil. Just like cars, motorboats also need an oil change. How often depends on the boat. A good rule of thumb is to change the oil every 100 hours of operation or at least once a year. Unfortunately, there aren’t any convenient garages for boats, so you may have to change your boat’s oil yourself. Luckily, changing the oil in your boat’s engine is easy with the right tools. You’ll need an extractor pump to remove the oil, an “oil wrench” and a lot of rags to clean up afterward. To avoid really messy oil drips under the engine and oil filter, use absorbent pads.

Check the Propeller as part of your pre-launch routine for outboard or stern driven boats. Sailboats of course will have winches for the sails which will need cleaning, and every boat will need to be “winterized”.

An essential element for all boats is a quality canvas cover to protect against the elements. CMC Canvass LLC is a company that provides all weather protection to boats and structures that need special protection from the elements.