KEEPING YOUR VESSEL SHIPSHAPE

Part 1: Boat Maintenance starts with a good wash

By Craig Stubbs

IT is no secret that the word BOAT,is an acronym for Bring On Another Thousand.Our beloved craft truly can be money pits of the highest order,and every other week they seem to need some sort of care,attention or investment to keep them on the water.

At the same time,they are a source of so much pride,joy and special memories that it somehow makes it all worthwhile and we open our wallets to keep our much loved vessels on the water.

If we factor in that a new 19ft vessel equipped with 4stroke motors and some electronics will set one back around a million rand,we are talking big money here.So,whether you’ve invested a small fortune in a new vessel,or are wanting to keep your “older”vessel in tip top shape,there are a few things you can do to maximise your vessel’s longevity and minimise surprise costs.It all begins with maintenance.

Over the course of a few articles,we will look at tips and tricks as well as some DIY work that you can do to save yourself money.

Firstly,you want to avoid sudden,unexpected and hefty costs,as these can stop your boating journey in its tracks.The best way to avoid those is via regular thorough inspections to catch things early.

I am fastidious about my vessel’s maintenance and cleanliness,and most clients or mates who step on board Stubb’Sea know this or comment about it.For me,the first maintenance inspection subconsciously takes place every time I wash my boat,which I do after every trip at sea.

My routine is very consistent and works well for me,so I will share it with you and hope you find it useful.It has three components:“After Every Trip”,Quarterly”and “Annually”,and I will break this series of articles into three parts too,to align with those segments.

After Every Trip BOAT WASH

My tools of the trade are as follows:

•20L bucket (Builders Warehouse has a large yellow bucket that is very hardy)

•A decent quality high foam car wash (I like the Shield Splash 5L)

•A container of Pine Gel multipurpose cleaner (secret ingredient)

•A decent broom with long,soft bristles.Purpose-made boat brooms are hard to find on our shores and can be ridiculously expensive to import,but having gone through literally dozens of different options,I really like the Addis Securilock Soft Broom which is tough and ticks a few boxes for me.I find a lot of brooms break at the neck or don’t have the correct dimensions/bristles,while this one is both robust and offers a nice cleaning profile.

Washing my boat actually begins out at sea with is a five minute process I do after packing away the rods.I keep a medium bristle hand brush and cloth on board and,with a bucket full of sea water,quickly go around the vessel and scrub/wipe away any blood,bits of bait and scales that have collected while fishing.

If you are anything like me,you enjoy a cold beer at the clubhouse after a fishing session,and leaving a dirty boat baking in the sun while you are having a beer will make the actual boat cleaning at home infinitely more difficult after the dirt and grime have dried in place under the sun.A little pre-clean out at sea makes a huge difference.

Once I’m home,I make my washing mix out of the car wash,adding a handful of Pine Gel and warm water which I agitate quite aggressively with my broomhead.This creates a very foamy mix that quickly and easily cuts through most dirt, salt and mess that one gets on a boat after a day on the water.

Before I wash the boat,I remove the drain plugs from the craft’s hull.Take note of how much,if any,water drains out when you do this.I will explain why a little further down.

After a quick spray down with a hosepipe,I use my broom to liberally dispense my washing mix and clean as I make my way from bow to stern,covering all the superstructure,stainless steel,fittings as well my motor cowlings.Once that’s done,I hop overboard and clean the outside of the boat and motors with the same mix.

With the right “foam”in your mix,this process is quick and efficient and seldom needs more than a few passes.Those long,soft broom bristles do a good job of getting into nooks and crannies with minimum effort.If I come across any stubborn fish,blood or bait stains,then I just slop on a handful of Pine Gel,give it a quick brush,and the mess is gone.

Once that is done,a spray down with a hosepipe washes away the soap and bubbles and one is left with a nice clean boat that also smells fresh thanks to that Pine Gel.

I don’t like using high pressure cleaners on boats,with the exception of the outside of the hull/trailer,because under extreme pressure,water can get into places that it’s not welcome,and it can also damage and lift paintwork.

Tip:Never wash your boat with Sunlight liquid or Handy Andy-style chemicals.They are highly abrasive and the strong chemicals will damage your paintwork finish over time,sttripping protective coatings on painted surfaces.

Apart from leaving the boat in its best condition possible, this wash gives me a “once over”on my vessel,where I would hopefully have noticed any minor defects or issues that have crept up on me.It helps me catch them early before they become big costs.

WATERINTHEHULL

As I mentioned,before I wash the boat I remove the drain plugs from my boat’s hull.This is a major indicator of hull integrity or water ingress,and if you are seeing a lot of water draining from your hull when you remove the plugs,then you need to find the source.

The most logical place to start is below the waterline, because most water ingress comes via keel strips.Check your keel strip/s themselves are in good shape,and check the screws are all firmly in place.

If all looks good,then check motor mounting bolts and drilled areas below the waterline,and then check the perimeter of your hatches on your deck.Water on your deck should flow off the back of your vessel via the scuppers,but hairline cracks around hatches and in the transom area can lead to a surprising amount of water getting into your hull over the course of a day on the water.

In the next article I will go into further detail on how to repair any defects along your keep strips,and how to repair minor leaks or ingress points on your deck.

TELLTALESIGNS

Next up,I run my motors with ear muffs.This is a basic boating procedure,and one that I really encourage you to do after each trip without exception.

Boat engines are water cooled,so they suck in water via ports low down on the outboard,which flows through channels and veins around the powerhead,cooling it before the water is expelled from the motors via your tell tales.

If the cooling system is not flushed,salt quickly builds up causing blockages and corrosion.

While I am running my motors,I do a few quick checks.

First,are my “tell tales”jetting water at their usual pressure? If not,I run a short piece of blunt-ended wire up the exit pipe as grains of sand often get stuck in the pipe when beaching.If this doesn’t help,then I remove the cowling,disconnect the short piece of pipe between the engine’s water outlet and the tell tale and see if the blockage is within the engine or just in that short piece of pipe.

If the water is leaving the engine port without much pressure,again use that short piece of wire to gently see if you can dislodge the blockage,but don’t force it too far into the engine,as you don’t want to do any damage.Most of the time after a little prodding,the blockage will be removed and pressure will improve.

If water pressure is still low,you will need to remove your gearbox and check your impeller for wear and tear.The impeller is responsible for pumping water from the lower intakes of the engine up to the head where it is needed.If you’re not comfortable checking it yourself,you may need to take your engine to a specialist who can do a full diagnosis,as this is a critical element of the engine’s cooling system.

Second,while checking for water pressure from your tell tale,use your hand to test the temperature of the water.All engines seem to expel water at different temperatures,which is mostly between luke warm and warm,but if it is hot to the touch,this could show a problem with your cooling system.

Don’t go to sea if you notice overheating or low pressure water as this is just asking for trouble.

I’ve known of plenty of boats that get into trouble when motors go into “limp”mode or overheat.Often the owners knew full well that they had an issue,but just pushed it too far with that “one more launch,and then I’ll have it checked out”approach.

KNOCKKNOCK

Another thing I’ve witnessed many times is people putting their motors in gear and opening them up to a few thousand RPM when flushing them off with a hose.This makes a great noise and draws loads of attention,but serves little purpose other than to damage your impellers.Just run your motors in neutral for a minute or so,and then,in gear at minimum RPM for a few seconds to dislodge any sand that hasn’t washed out of your exhaust port.

Now,with your engine running,place your ear next to the cowling and listen for any strange knocks and noises.It’s amazing how “in-tune”one becomes with one’s engines,and you will quickly pick up any abnormal noise.Pay special attention to vibrations or knocking noises.

Once the motor are flushed and turned off,check your props are not loose and your split pin and nut are firmly in place.

Before I put on my boat cover,I turn my steering to lock on both sides to check for any unanticipated friction.Lastly,I check my hydraulic steering connections on the back of my steering system and hydraulic RAM with a flashlight for any fluid leaks.

Given that push-pull type steering units are sealed,it is difficult to inspect the internal workings,but check for any signs of corrosion and wear both behind your wheel as well as on your motor mount.

I’ve had a steering “go”on me while I was in the surf,and trust me,it’s not a pleasant experience and is one that you should rather avoid at all costs.

Once all those checks are complete,I open all my hatches and cupboards so that they can air dry,and I secure my boat cover in place.

This whole process takes around an hour,but it has enabled me to keep my vessels in tip top condition,and identify and fix many issues before they became big costs or,more importantly,affected my next trip out on the water.

Some of this information is pretty elementary,but they’re things many anglers overlook,and checks like this really do form the first line of defence against potential problems.

In the next article,we are going to look at quarterly maintenance,with some nifty “old school”tricks as well as some products that will keep your boat in great shape and significantly contribute to smooth operation and vessel longevity.

Till then,keep it clean,and see you on the water.