Preparing your boat for the upcoming season is an essential part of the boating experience. You need to de-winterize your boat, do any paint and repairs that are necessary, and stock up on the essential gear. Our professional staff can help you with any part lookup or gear you might need to get ready for this boating season. De-Winterizing Your Boat That boaters itch starts to take hold once the weather turns. There is nothing worse than not having your boat ready for the first good boating day. To ensure that you will hear your engines purr the first time you hit the water follow this dewinterization checklist. We have broken the checklist down into three categories. Boat Cleaning Once you have pulled your boat out of storage, the first thing you should do is clean it up. This is a good opportunity to give your boat some tender loving care, which will add years to the life of your boat. Dirt Removal Wipe down the interior, vacuum, and power wash the bottom. If your boats finish has become dull try Meguiars Three-Step Fiberglass Restoration System. Fix Damage Check for any gouges and scratches and take the necessary steps to repair those now. Marine Tex is a product that can fill any scratch. Protection Once the vessel is clean, you will want to apply some wax to keep the surface protected over the summer from any UV damage. Battery Once the boat is clean you will want to check and make sure you battery has the right fluid levels. You will also need to check the battery terminals for corrosion. If there is some corrosion present you will want to clean and lubricate them. Before you put the boat in the water, make sure the battery is charged at full power. Electronics If you disconnected any of your electronics or your horn over the winter this is the time when you will want to reconnect those. Test each item to make sure they are working properly before you set sail. Safety Equipment Get out any of the safety equipment that you put away in storage and give it a once over. Check and see if all of you life jackets are in good shape and working. You also want to make sure you have all of your state's safety requirements before you head out. This is also a good time to look over any tubes , wakeboards , skis , and other water sports equipment you may own to see if you need any replacements. Paint If you use bottom paint you will want to check the paints condition before you launch your boat. To keep any slime and barnacles from damaging your hull a fresh coat of bottom paint is a good idea. If you dont know what you need try our Paint Selection Guide . Engine Engine Muffs Get a Engine Flusher and test your engine with a garden hose before you take it out on the actual water. This will alert you to any potential problems before you are stranded on the lake. Hoses Make sure all of the hoses you disconnected over the winter are reattached and are tightened with hose clamps . If you have an outboard make sure your exposed fuel lines are in good working order. Fluids Check all of your fluid levels (Gear lube, Oil, Gas, Coolant)and replace if any of the levels are low. Spark Plugs Fresh spark plugs keep a boat working in top condition. This is a good time of year to get a fresh batch in place. Water Pump Impeller Most manufactures suggest you change your water pump impeller every two to three years. When you fire you engine up with the muffs you should see a steady discharge stream. If this is not occurring you need to change your impeller. Propeller Do a quick inspection over of your propeller. Look for any dings, pitting or distortion in the propeller. If you spot any, a replacement is a good idea. It is also a good idea to keep an extra propeller on hand. Filters Look over all of your filter (oil, fuel, air) and if they need replaced you should do that at this time. Trailer Roller or Bunks Look over your rollers and bunksto make sure they are in good working order. If you check these things initially you wont have any trouble launching your boat. Registration This is something most boaters forget to renew or keep up on. Before you head out for the weekend make sure your registration is current so you dont receive any tickets before you even hit the water. Lights Hookup all of your lights (turn signal, brakelights, ect.) and make sure all of them are working properly. Winch Straps & Chains Look over your winch strap and make sure it is good working condition. It is a main holding point for you boat on your trailer and you want that to be in good shape. Winch Your winch shouldn't have any jerky movements. It should flow easily. If it is not, just take some grease and apply it to the stiff joints to free up some of the tension. Coupler Check the coupler and make sure the latch is working properly. You wouldn't want to be on the road and have that malfunction. Bearings You will want to repack your bearings with grease during this once over. The above dewinterizing tips are only a list of suggestions to do your boat. This is not a comprehensive list. Check your owners manual for complete instructions or consult your local boat mechanic. #Boat Maintenance #DIY #Maintenance
