If you are unlucky, some of this debris finds a way past the filters and damages the injector pump or the engine. There are also devices available at hardware stores that can be preset to shut off the water supply automatically. In some parts of the country, where winter means several months of bitterly cold weather, storing boats ashore is the norm. Stranded single-conductor wire is called hook-up or primary wire. When you select boat cable, type 3 is better, tinning is essential, and you want the highest heat rating-designated on the jacket as BC5W2 (105¡C in a dry environment, 75¡C wet). Is There a Difference Between Saltwater and Freshwater Motors? In an emergency, a quick glance at a seacock will tell you whether it is open or closed. Even a brief cold spell that lasts only a night or two can do considerable damage. Follow Manufacturer's maintenance schedule or use factory-authorized mechanic. The pump fails and the boat sinks. Removable transducers and impellers must be locked in place securely or they can work loose and sink the boat. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Let’s face it, Murphy’s Law was most likely drafted with boating in mind. The 9 Best Yachting Life Jackets Rated & Reviewed. By dutifully emptying the bilge periodically, a bilge pump can actually hide a problem--until the pump clogs or the battery goes dead. Some voltage is used up pushing the current through the wire. A bellows that is suspect should be replaced. It should be noted that thru-hulls above the waterline are not required to have seacocks and most donât. Avoid products that contain alcohol, which attacks O-rings and other rubber parts in the fuel system. It’s the one asking which of the following is recommended maintenance for an inboard boat, offering you a multiple choice of responses. Here are some links to a few of those topics: Pontoonopedia is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Inspect the rudder and rudder post to make sure they aren't bent or damaged. There are also many other reasons that boats sink underway, however, which have nothing to do with loose hose clamps or broken fittings. Failure to close thru-hulls is a major cause of loss in the BoatU.S. The boat gradually filled with water and sank. Use only a heavily reinforced hose, especially at cockpit drains. These maintenance tasks include: All inboard engines will get dirty, with debris accumulating and affecting performance. Keith, the "Boating Guy," answers your questions! If the rating is in watts, divide it by 12 (assuming a 12-volt electrical system) to convert the rating to amps. This list does not represent everything you should check but does give good suggestions of where you should start. Inspect the hull for blisters, distortion, and stress cracks. All too often, skippers rely on bilge pumps to bail them out when they canât visit their boats. Boat Maintenance: How to Maintain a Boat. Due to the daily heating/cooling cycle, a small amount of moisture will condense out of the air every day. Capt. GM recommends 40wt. Life jackets should be securely stored in the forward v-berth compartment Deteriorated engine and hull zincs should be replaced if corroded Keep expired flares 1 year after expiration without replacing them Click here to access our online ordering system. Because both motors are very different, their methods of maintenance are different as well. Making the ground wire yellow rather than black reduces the likelihood of confusing a DC ground wire with an AC hot wire-also black. Doubling the straight line distance to the battery or electrical panel is not adequate. Hoses and hose clamps (two at each fitting below or near the waterline) should be inspected and replaced as necessary. Don't forget to inspect flares, contents of the first aid kit, fire extinguishers and life jackets. One reason is whenever a boat leaves the dock, someone is aboard, which leaves open the possibility that the leak will be discovered and the problem corrected before it sinks the boat. Stiff operation or a crunching sound indicates a potential problem. How to Work on a Superyacht: All You Need to Know to Apply, How to Charter a Yacht: A Guide on What to Look for and Why. ... incidentally, can usually be made like new by a prop shop. boat, motor and trailer cost is less for an outboard jet giving it the advantage. A cracked thru-hull at the boot stripe or a cutout at the transom for an outboard motor well that isn't protected by a splash guard means that, as a practical matter, the boat has to sink only an inch or two before it floods and heads to the bottom. The best choice for most 12-volt wiring projects is duplex safety wire, where the twin conductors are red (positive) and yellow (ground). A complete safety inspection of the engine, hull, and other systems should take, at most, only an hour or two. However, diesel power isnât offered for the overwhelming majority of powerboats â those from 1⦠Check power steering and power trim oil levels. V-Drive motors are stowed under the transom seating, with a Prop and Rudder built into the hull (underneath the boat). Don't make your task more difficult by taking on contaminated fuel. The wire must be copper, but even copper corrodes in the marine environment, and corrosion is the primary cause of electrical failures on a boat. Zincs that disappear after one season indicate a serious problem with the boat's bonding and/or electrical system. The table shows what size wire is required to deliver adequate voltage to the other end. A dead or low generator battery can be boosted from the mains or house and vice versa, depending on location. Finally, for whatever reason, muskrats and other water-swimming vermin like to chew on outdrive boots. It is recommended to replace engine and hull zincs if they are deteriorating or corroded. Your engine manual should specify. Rubber that looks dried out and cracked (cracks are most likely to appear in the creases) needs replacing.If possible, store the outdrive down, which eliminates most creases and prolongs the life of the rubber. On other boats, hoses slipped off, a raw water heat exchanger burst (end cap), and a plastic muffler split open when the engine backfired. Check rods, connection parts and outer jackets by working the wheel or throttles back and forth. Saltwater Care and Maintenance After running your boat in saltwater, it is always best to run the … Replace any hoses that are suspect. Taking off the hose also assures you that the valve has closed properly. Check power steering and power trim oil levels. Stoves and remote tanks should be examined for loose fittings and leaking hoses. Gate valves are prone to failure and are not as reliable as seacocks. Outboard Boat Maintenance & Inboard Boat Maintenance. Basics of Inboard Boat Engine. If you are lucky, this contamination simply plugs your primary filter and starves the engine of fuel until it dies-hopefully not at some critical moment. Every boatowner should own a wire stripper and a good-quality crimper. Never twist wires together to make a connection, and never wrap a bare wire around a terminal screw. And in the long run, a little elbow grease will definitely pay off. Big or small, basic or souped up, there is one thing every boat needs. 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