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How to Prepare Your Boat for Spring

August 30, 2020
For boat owners, there will always be a time in the year where the boat needs to be taken out of storage and sent back onto the water. This is usually during spring. However, there is the matter of proper maintenance. If you just store your boat and send it back to the waters without any preparation, you’re likely to reduce its lifespan and you’ll have a rickety, dangerous boat instead of a safe voyage.

If you want to avoid the hassle (and potential life-threatening situation), here are some tips on how to prepare your boat for spring.

Get Ready for the Upcoming Season

It’s not just the boat that needs preparation for spring. You might also want to see if you are ready for the season ahead. For starters, you might want to sign up for a boat safety course. This is the perfect time to obtain a boating certificate if you don’t have one yet.

 

Next, you should take the time to sit down and brush up on your familiarity with the boat, especially if you haven’t used it for a long time. The best way to start is by bringing out the boat’s owner’s manual and consulting it for the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance procedures. Furthermore, you should check the boat itself and refamiliarize yourself with its components and any features it may have.

Get a Technician or Mechanic to Perform a Maintenance or Tune-Up



It is always a smart idea to leave things to the professionals. In the case of preparing your boat for spring, you can opt to hire a technician or mechanic to take a look at your boat, just to see if there are tune-ups or repairs needed. Make sure you hire one who is certified by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) or a similar accreditation board. There are a number of things that need to be considered before you leave the dock:




  • Inspection of all the safety equipment on board, which includes flares, personal flotation devices, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc.

  • Checking if all the important parts of the boat are functioning, such as the lights and the motor.

  • Checking for any issues with the electricals, and whether the battery is functioning, charged, and properly secured.

  • Ensuring that there’s no excess water in the bilge.

 

  • Checking of the fuel levels, and inspection of the fuel tank for any leaks or dents.

Practice Getting In and Out of the Water Safely

It may sound simple and unnecessary, but many lives could have been saved if the boat owner only spent their time practicing getting in and out of the water safely. This includes the proper observation of launching, checking the engine temperature and mentally preparing on what to do in case it is overheating, and training oneself and the boat passengers on safe boating practices. Make sure you go over these before the boat even touches the water.


Always Remember That Every Boat is Unique



To get your boat water-ready in time for spring, you also need to remember that each boat is unique and each one will have different needs and requirements, whether due to its size, manufacturer, model, etc. Make sure you have access to all pertinent information and keep it memorized in case the information becomes necessary during the trip. Once you have everything prepared, it may finally be time to enjoy a fun and safe boating season.

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