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By "The Rescue Guy" Boating season will be on us before you know it so it's time to prep your boat for Spring. Some boaters seem to think that means throwing back the cover and gassing her up but they will suffer for it eventually. A little bit of attention goes a long way toward increasing your boat's life expectancy and maintaining optimum performance. If you winterize your boat, and you all should unless you use it regularly all year long, then de-winterizing is your first step. As I've said before (see previous post Boat Storage & Winterization Guide), if you own an inboard or stern drive boat that has been professionally winterized it is best to take it back to those same professionals to have the process reversed. Yeah sure, if you are mechanically inclined you can probably do it yourself but you better not miss a thing. One forgotten drain plug, one missed hose connection and you can cause all kinds of things - none of them good! Newer model Mercruiser owners enjoy a single point cooling system drain that makes this process pretty foolproof. The rest of you better check the steering wheel as the standard method of keeping track of removed drain plugs, clamps, etc., and indicating the boat has been winterized, is to place these items in a ziplock bag and zip-tie it to the steering wheel. Very often it is accompanied by a colorful tag that boldly states "WINTERIZED". Outboard owners have it easy as they can usually just hook-up the battery, back it in the water and go. If fogging oil was used during winterization it may spit, sputter and blow smoke for a bit until it clears but that's about it. Occasionally this will foul spark plugs in which case they should be replaced. And, of course, if you're lucky enough to own a 4-stroke outboard there will be oil & filter to change if that wasn't done at winterization. Now here's a piece of advice you need to perk up and listen to - CHANGE YOUR LOWER UNIT OIL!!! Doesn't matter if it's a stern drive or an outboard - CHANGE YOUR LOWER UNIT OIL!!! This too may have been done at winterization and it doesn't matter when, as long as you have it done at least once a season. Yeah, yeah, most manufacturers recommend changing it every two years but it's simply the most effective and inexpensive boat insurance you'll ever buy! So - CHANGE YOUR LOWER UNIT OIL!!! Sometimes referred to as "gear oil" or "gearcase oil", this is also something that can be done by anyone with common sense and mechanical ability. The thing to remember is that lower units have two drain plugs, one at the top and one at the bottom. They will not drain properly if you don't remove both and then they are refilled from the bottom up. What's that you say? YES, from the bottom up and if you can't grasp the concept then I say again, take it to someone who knows what they're doing! Today's engines don't require much in the way of tune-ups but older ones still do and there are tons of older ones out there. There's nothing like a new set of spark plugs and a carb job to perk up an old outboard and your wallet will appreciate the fuel savings gained. Carb jobs, however can get expensive fast! Depending on the model, your outboard could have 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 carburetors and obviously, the more you have, the higher the bill will be. The best insurance for avoiding this costly repair is religious use of fuel stabilizer during winter storage and long dormant periods (30 days or more). Many thousands of inboard and stern drive boats are also carbureted but, fortunately, only have one. And, of course, ALL inboard and stern drive engines also need oil & filter changes either at winterization or de-winterization. "When" oil should be changed is an age old quandry. Some say before winter storage so nasty, contaminated oil doesn't sit in the engine during this period, others say after so you don't risk contaminating fresh oil with condensation while stored. My personal opinion? Doesn't matter, just as long as you do it once a season. Now on to Spring cleaning. There is no better way to maintain optimum performance than to clean your boat's hull or pontoons. Have you seen those boats with icky green hulls from sitting in the water all the time? Well, you have no idea how much that "ick" will slow you down! Getting it off can be quite a drag too, particularly if it has built up over a long period of time. An acid wash and some serious scrubbing is the only way to do it. (Note: Acid wash is formulated for the hull's material type. Fiberglass and aluminum require different acids - get the right one!) If you do attempt to acid wash your hull, be sure to follow the instructions and observe all safety precautions! A-C-I-D is the key word here people! It's nasty stuff and you don't want to get it on you! Avoid the need for this extreme measure by power-washing the hull every time you take it out of the water, or giving it a good "blow-off" at a car wash on the way home. If your boat "lives" in the water you'll need to get in there with it occasionally and scrub it by hand. And finally, fiberglass hulls benefit greatly from a good coat of wax. It keeps the build-up from, well, building up! While we're on the subject of cleaning; it certainly doesn't hurt to keep the inside of your boat clean too. No, cleaning seats won't help the performance by any means but it certainly makes them last longer, increases resale value and does wonders for "pride of ownership". Plus it's kinda like when you were a kid, you just got new shoes and you swear you can run faster and jump higher. I swear, it seems like they really do run better when they're clean - try it. If you're like me, cleaning is the biggest drag of all! I hate cleaning period, and I hate cleaning boats even more. But there are folks out there that will do it for you and do it well. Some of them, like the Mobile Mermaids here in Hot Springs, will even come to you which saves you the trouble of dragging it out and trailering. How's that for convenience? Give them a call and tell them Clay sent you! Well, there you go. Now you're ready for another exciting boating season so have fun, be safe and may the Lake Gods bless your boating ventures! Otherwise, give me a call because you know...I am the Rescue Guy! Thanks...........Clay If you'd like to comment on this post please use the Contact form.
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Prepping Your Boat For Spring
