Many new boat owners don’t think about how the seasons will affect their boat from month to month. However, the truth about owning a boat is that where you live can mean drastic changes in weather throughout the year. And, if you want your boat to stay in top condition, you’re going to have to know the challenges each season brings. Take a look at this seasonal boat maintenance guide to learn how to keep your boat safe and well-maintained throughout the year.
Boat Maintenance in Spring
Spring is a fun time for boaters, as the weather is perfect for an outing on the water. But don’t get too ahead of yourself. When you’re taking your boat out for the first time in the spring, these are some items you need to pay attention to:
- Check the engine’s oil. Top it off and make sure that the engine oil is ready for another season. Also be sure to clean your oil filter.
- Spot-check your hoses. Make sure that the connections all look solid.
- Clean it. If you applied rust prevention solution while in storage, make sure to clean it off and flush it out.
- Inspect your fuel filter. Also check the fuel lines, o-ring, and control cables.
- Check your water system. Then, re-connect what needs to be reconnected. Finally, flush through the system to ensure it’s ready for more use.
- Add a coat of LifeWax. Doing this before taking your boat out is the perfect time for this task.
- Check the sanitation of your system. Make sure that the Y-valves and seacocks are in their proper positions (and not hanging overboard).
- Flush the freshwater system. Do this until you’re certain you’ve gotten rid of antifreeze.
Boat Maintenance in Summer
Let’s be honest—summer is one of the easiest months. If winter feels like a lot of work with little reward, summer is the opposite. Your boat is rejuvenated and ready for performance, and offers prime weather conditions to keep it in good shape. Here’s what to do:
- Keep your boat clean. Make sure that you have environmentally-friendly boat products
- Rinse/flush your sanitation system. This keeps it clean and fresh-smelling.
- Keep your boat’s vinyl protected. A product like VinyLIFE will keep your boat clean as well as offering some UV protection during the sunny summer months.
Boat Maintenance for Autumn & Winter
While the temperature’s up, you can keep with your summer maintenance habits, even through many of the fall months. But eventually winter comes, at which point you have to think about winterization. While the weather is still good in autumn, do the following to prepare for winter:
- Work antifreeze through your engine’s cooling system.
- Change both your engine oil and the oil filters.
- Inspect your propeller and look for damage.
- Apply a protective coat of grease to the propeller shaft if it’s in good shape—otherwise, you might want to think about replacement.
Prepare for any Season with BoatLIFE!
We hope this seasonal boat maintenance guide helps prepare you for all of the weather transitions throughout the year. With this knowledge and the right boat products in your corner, you’ll keep your boat in great shape for each season—and for many seasons to come.
