Tips On Boat Maintenance Long Beach CA

By Anthony Cole


When boats are well maintained, they will be safe at sea. It is very essential that regular maintenance is done so that boats last longer and so that the lives of passengers are not put at risk. If there is poor maintenance, there will be various problems at sea, which could lead to disasters. In consideration of boat maintenance Long Beach CA residents should consider various useful tips. Maintenance of boats involves a host of activities.

There should be servicing of engines once a year. It helps a great deal to follow guidelines given by manufacturers during motor servicing. You will need to replace spark plugs, oil filters and also grease the engine after every 75 hours. Oil should be kept clean and at the right levels. Routine check on the cooling systems will ensure such systems do not malfunction.

One of the practices that can be carried out easily and without professional assistance is cleaning of the boats after trips. This should be done with soap and water. Wood, metal areas, fabric and glass surfaces are parts of the boat that have to be cleaned. You should use safe and high quality products for cleaning. Some of the equipment that will be needed are scrubbing brushes, rubber buckets, special cloth and cleaning brushes.

Water pumps should undergo regular checking to ascertain that they have the right discharge strength. You will need to change pumps yearly, though it should be more frequent for boats used in shallow areas and murky waters. The boat battery also needs to get changed four times each year. The batteries used should be marine versions and not car batteries. They will also need regular top up with distilled water when levels reduce. Besides, connections should be secure and tight. Batteries must be well ventilated.

Spark plugs should always be changed with engine service. It is important to carry spare plugs so that they may be changed while at sea if need be. There should also be the correct size of spanner. Fuel lines need to checked a minimum of 4 times a year. One should look out for leakages in hoses, corrosion and dirt. Fuel filters are supposed to be changed 1 to 2 times yearly.

It is important to keep tanks topped up more so when the boat is not in use. This prevents condensation from forming in the tank. In the event that there are external tanks, they should be washed once every year, though this could be more. At the same time, oil levels must be checked around four times a year. Oil in the boat is accessed via a drain screw found in the gear case.

You would need to check propellers for any damages or for presence of rubbish. It is possible for fishing lines to stick around the shaft, making water to leak in. They will need to get removed whenever there are leakages. It is advisable to carry propellers around so that in case of any problems, they can be changed.

Maintenance of boats should be done by professionals at all times. There are numerous experts in this industry. The most qualified should be chosen for the job.




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