Boat Maintenance Tips
Boat maintenance is just like maintaining your land vehicle. Moreover, if you own a boat, it needs to go through regular maintenance to avoid any disturbance on your boating day. Expert boat technicians point out most of the time the problem occurs in the electric or fuel system of the vessel. We have listed some tips to help you with basic boat maintenance.
BOAT MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Preparing and following boat maintenance schedules can save you from trouble. Most marine craft services are related to the cleaning of the boat with fresh water and keeping the boat’s engine well lubricated to avoid oxidation. Following these boat maintenance tips can help you avoid any marine craft problems and save you from costly boat repairs:
BOAT ENGINE MAINTENANCE
Inboard boat maintenance that includes engine and propeller shaft maintenance is essential for the boat owners. One needs to follow a few basic steps for engine maintenance.
- Read the boat manufacturer’s guide for engine service. Most manufacturers recommend engine maintenance every year
- Flush out the engine after every boat trip
- Regularly check engine oil and use quality marine engine oil, not an automotive one
- Check the prop shaft for any fishing line damage
REGULAR BATTERY CHECKS
It is important to conduct a boat inspection before every outing to save yourself from disruptions. Checking the battery is an essential part of boat maintenance and you need to follow some simple checks for the battery before boating.
- Make sure cables are tight to the battery terminals. Loose battery terminals can’t charge or start the engine
- Ensure connections are not corroded
- Keep your battery filled with distilled water
- Use a battery charger during outings to keep the battery charged and avoid any problems
FUEL LINE MAINTENANCE
Keeping a fuel system intact is essential in any vehicle or marine craft. Following tips will help you in fuel line maintenance of a boat:
- Check for any corrosion or possible leakages in the fuel line
- Use gasoline with no Ethanol or E10 fuel from the reputed seller to make sure it is fresh
- Carry out fuel filter inspection to make sure it is free from water
- Use a 10-micron fuel filter that separates water completely
- Use marine specific fuel stabilisers to prevent oxidation and corrosion
MAINTAINING HULL OF A BOAT
Hull is designed to carry the load on a ship. Boat owners need to follow the instructions for maintenance of the hull as it is a notable part of a ship.
- Check for any dents or scratches
- Ensure that the navigation lights on the hull are working properly
- Look out for any water leaks on the inside of the hull
- Test the bilge pump and make sure it is functioning
- Use bilge pump cleaners to remove debris and dirt
FEW IMPORTANT BOAT MAINTENANCE TIPS
The above-mentioned boat parts and systems are very important to maintain. However, there are some more important maintenance tips to follow regularly as it will also count in technical inspection for boat registration in Dubai:
- Check electric lines to prevent any fire hazards and replace damaged fuses
- Replace spark plugs as water can corrode them
- Check for water in the fuel as it may disturb the performance of an engine
- Replace damaged fuel hoses
- Check all the fluid levels such as engine oil, coolant and power steering fluid
- Ensure fire extinguisher systems are in working condition
- Wax and polish the boat deck and hull
This was all about boat care and service. There are tools and products that boat owners can keep for regular boat care.
REGULAR BOAT CARE PRODUCTS AND TOOLS
Boat owners can keep some supplies and boat repair kits for the regular service of marine craft. The following tools will help in boat care and service:
- Tools such as pliers, screwdriver, and adjustable wrench for minor repairing and fixing in the boat
- Anti-corrosive lubricants
- Spray wand and soap designed for boats
- Digital multimeter to check batteries and fuses
- Motor flusher
- Wire brush for cleaning
These are a handful of tools that will help you with minor boat repairs and service. However, one can also choose to get boat repair and service from boat service centres.
BOAT MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE CENTERS IN THE UAE
Some of the top-rated boat repair shops in the UAE that will help you with boat engine repair and regular maintenance tasks are as followed:
EXCLUSIVE MARINE
Address: Level 13, Marina Plaza, Dubai Marina, UAE
Contact: +971-4-427-1199
Email: info@xclusivemarine.com
JALBOOT
Address: 7th Floor East Tower, Abu Dhabi Mall, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Contact: +971-2-245-8281
Email: info@jalboot.ae
D3 MARINE
Address: W-129B, Dubai Maritime City (DMC), Near Port Rashid, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Contact: +971-4-564-5593
Email: info@d3marine.ae
BLUE WAVE SHIPS & BOAT MAINTENANCE SERVICES
Address: M45, Musaffah, Abu Dhabi, store 53, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Contact: +971-54-308-2781
FOSRAMS
Address: Industrial Area 4, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Contact: +971-6-533-0460
Email: admin@fosrams.com
Regular boat maintenance is necessary to have an exquisite boating experience. Since boat maintenance has become easy with numerous boat service companies, you can opt to buy a new or used boat in the UAE.
Stay tuned for more information on marine crafts, their maintenance and boating safety on the UAE’s top auto blog.