Wash and wipe down your boat at least once a week.  Washing helps prevent stains from black streaks, acid rain, and bird droppings.  Plus it just makes your boat look better - you need to get all the pollen, salt, and dust off your boat.  Waxing regularly makes it easier to wash.  And don't forget what you can't see!  Bottom growth diminishes speed and uses extra fuel.  Left unchecked, barnacles will invade the gelcoat, leading to costly fiberglass repairs.

Cleats, rails, and other hardware should get a coat of wax now and then to keep them looking brand new.  

Never, never ever put wax on a painted or varnished surface.  Why?  You'll find out the next time that you try to paint a surface that has previously been waxed.  The paint won't adhere to even the slightest remaining wax.

Cleaning Product Recommendations

  

ENGINES

  

Start your engines and run them up to operating temperature frequently. 

  

An internal combustion engine needs four basic ingredients to run efficiently and last a long time.  They are: clean oil (lubrication), clean fuel, clean air, and a cooling system to remove excess heat.

  

Oil:  Let's start with the oil  You should check your oil level with the dipstick on a regular basis, say every time you get fuel.  If, however, you are on a trip, you should check it at least once a day.  You must change both the oil and the filter at regular intervals recommended by the engine manufacturer.  If that information is not available, then every 100-engine hours is the next best thing.  Engine hours, on most boats, are recorded on the tachometer.  Good oil does not wear out, but it does get dirty, so use the right oil for your engine and change it often.

Fuel:  There are two things that can mess up the fuel supply on a boat:  Water and Dirt.  Invest in a good filter/water separator and make sure that you always carry a spare replacement cartridge.  On a diesel engine, problems are almost always fuel related.  You can't have a filter that's too big or have too many of them.  If you store your fuel for an extended period of time (3 months or more), you should consider adding some type of fuel stabilizer to it.

Air:  Your engine requires lots of air.  Check your flame arrestor located on top of the throttle body or carburator, if you have a gasoline engine, for oil grease or dirt.  Remove the flame arrestor if it is dirty.  Clean it with a non-explosive cleaning solution.  DO NOT run your gasoline engine without the flame arrestor!  On a diesel engine, check your air intake filter periodically.

Cooling:  Engines use the water that they are sitting in to remove excess heat created by the burning of fuel during operation.  You should find out what type of cooling system your engine uses (Direct or Closed).  However, no matter which system you have, both use the water around them for cooling.  Each engine has a water pump that pulls water from the lake, river, or sea and sends it through the cooling system.  Knowing where the pump is located and how to install a new impeller is a necessity.   The pump is usually installed on the outside of the engine and is belt driven.  Carrying a spare impeller can save much time and money when you really need it.

While your engine is doing its job by pushing you through the water, check your engine monitoring gauges regularly and learn what they read when everything is normal.  If your oil pressure starts to fluctuate or go down, SHUT your engine down, chek the oil level, and look for signs of oil where it doesn't belong.  If your temperature gauge starts to climb, STOP  your engine Immediately and look for the problem, most probably a broken hose or the water pump.  DO NOT try to coax an engine that has little or no oil pressure, or one that is overheated, back to the dock or the launch ramp.  If you do, you can plan on probably buying a new engine!  Listen for a change in the sound of your engine.  This is generally a sign of engine trouble.

  

PROBLEMS and POSSIBLE CAUSE/CORRECTION

  

ENGINE WON'T START

• Fuel tank empty,
• Fuel line improperly hooked up-check both ends,
• Engine not primed,
• Engine flooded-look for fuel overflow,
• Clogged fuel filter or line,
• Spark plug wires reversed or disconnected.

STARTER MOTOR WON'T WORK (ELECTRIC START)

• Gear shift not in neutral,
• Defective starter switch,
• Battery dead,
• Battery connections loose or dirty.

LOSS OF POWER

• Too much oil in fuel mix,
• Fuel/air mix too lean (backfires),
• Fuel/air mix too rich,
• Fuel hose kinked,
• Slight blockage in fuel line or fuel filter,
• Weed or other matter on propeller.

MOTOR MISFIRES

• Spark plug damaged,
• Spark plug loose,
• Spark plug incorrect.

POOR PERFORMANCE ON BOAT

• Wrong Propeller,
• Engine improperly tilted,
• Bent propeller - usually you will have a vibration,
• Improper load distribution in boat,
• Heavy marine growth on boat bottom.    

  

If you'd like to watch a video with detailed information about diesel engine cooling systems, electrical, fuel, exhaust, bleeding the diesel, batteries, troubleshooting, maintenance, diagnostics, turbochargers, blowers, filters, and more, then I suggest

Marine Diesel Engine Maintenance

  

If you have a gas engine, then watch 

Marine Gas Engine Maintenance

  

BILGE PUMPS

  

Make sure your bilge pumps are free of any debris.  The slimey build up of oil and grease cut down on the pump's efficiency.

There are not many bilges that can boast that they've been oil free.  Every bilge has had an oil or fuel spill at one time or another.  So before pumping out the bilge, check to make sure it's oil free.  Cleaning oil and fuel out of the bilge is really quite simple.  Add a generous amount of dish washing detergent (Joy works great) to break up the oil.  Mix the detergent thoroughly throughout the bilge.  With absorbent paper towels or sponge, absorb the oil residue floating on the surface and setting on the bottom.  Put the oil residue in a plastic bag lined with newspapers and deposit it at a proper oil desposal site.  To prevent spills into the bilge when you're replacing your oil or fuel filters, line the area with newspapers or paper towels, then wrap a plastic bag around the filter before breaking it free. Any spills will drain into the bag instead of the bilge.

Before you empty your bilge, think about the consequences.  "The Federal Water Pollution Control Act prohibits the discharge of oil or oily waste into or upon the navigable waters and contiguous zone of the United States.  If such discharge causes a film or sheen upon or discoloration of, the surface of the water, or causes a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water, Violators are subject to a penalty of $5000."

  

BATTERIES

  

Check the fluid level in the battery cells approximately every four weeks, and more often in summer and hot zones.  The fluid level must be between the lower and upper markings.  Replenish only with distilled water.  Do not use metal funnels.  Coat battery terminal clamps with silicone grease.  Keep battery clean and dry.  Use only a battery charger designed to charge automotive/marine batteries when batteries are disconnected from the boat's electrical circuits.

  

ELECTRONICS

  

Try all of your navigational devices such as VHF radio, GPS, Radar, etc.

Turn on the navigaion lights, then walk around your boat and make sure they are all working.  Port (red), Starboard (green), Masthead (white light facing forward), Stern light (white light facing aft), and Anchor light (all-around white light showing for 360 degrees).  Also, while you're at it, make sure your horn works.

  

DOCK LINES

  

Check your dock lines and fenders at least once a week.  Check your lines for chafing and other signs of wear.  According to the insurance industry, most insurance damage claims are not for damages sustained at sea, but are claims for damage done while the boat is in its own slip!