Getting your boat out of storage and getting ready for another summer of wet and wild fun is something that most people look forward to for a long time. It is NOT, however, as easy as flicking a light switch. You can’t just take your boat out of storage and throw it in the water – doing so could damage your boat and create a dangerous situation for you and your passengers. If you really want to make sure that you’re spring-cleaning your boat the RIGHT way, there are a few key things to keep in mind.
Begin the De-Winterisation Process
Putting your boat into storage for the winter requires you to go through a pretty lengthy process to make sure that your precious investment survives the season in one piece. Based on this, it should come as no surprise that getting your boat ready for the water again requires what is essentially the inverse of that process: de-winterisation.
Start with the engine and look over your boat from bow to stern, performing maintenance as required. If you didn’t change the oil at the end of last season, for example, you’re going to have to do it now. You’ll also want to flush the cooling system, replace the antifreeze, change the batteries, perform a thorough engine test, etc.
A Bow to Stern Inspection
You’ll also want to work your way along your boat, thoroughly inspecting areas such as the fuel system, belts, cables and hoses and more. While there are certain things that you will have to do every season to get your boat ready for the water again, there are certain things you’ll only have to do if a problem has arisen.
During this time, consider the following:
- Give your fuel system a quality inspection and be on the look out for leaks or other damage to fuel hoses, connections and even tank surfaces.
- Check ALL belts, cables and hoses for cracks that may have arisen during winter storage. Remember that even if they’re not visibly cracked, they could still become brittle and give you a problem later on.
- Inspect ALL electrical connections. Make sure they’re clean and tight and free from corrosion. Remove all corroded terminals and use a wire brush to clean them THOROUGHLY.
- Go through all of your safety gear and make sure that you have everything needed for all the fun and excitement that awaits. Always make sure there are enough life jackets for passengers, but use this as an opportunity to replace any old jackets or other equipment that have seen better days.
Boat Licence Training
Getting your boat ready for another season of fun on the water is one thing – making sure that you’re ready is something else entirely. This is a large part of why taking a maritime training course from Maritime & Safety Training is so important, as whether you’re going after your boat licence in NSW or Victoria or just want to brush-up on your boating skills, it can make sure that you have everything you need to enjoy yourself in the safest possible way at all times. To find out more information, or to schedule your course today, please contact Maritime & Safety Training at your earliest convenience.
