Maintenance Schedule For Your Boat

Boating is a recreational activity enjoyed by millions of people across the U.S. and the world. While boating is certainly enjoyable during pleasant weather, an essential part of boat ownership is maintenance.

While some boat upkeep is best left to the professionals, there are some DIY boat maintenance tasks you can tackle yourself with a little bit of elbow grease.

DIY Boat Maintenance

Washing Your Boat

The first and perhaps simplest task in proper boat maintenance is regular washing, especially after spending time in salt water. After returning from a salt water trip, rinse the exterior finish and metal parts of your boat with fresh water. Doing so helps prevent corrosion and keeps the finish looking great.

Oil Changes

Just like cars, boat engines need oil changes too. Four-stroke outboard and inboard motors and stern drive boats require oil changes at regular intervals. You should check your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommendation, but in general, a boat’s oil should be changed every 100 hours or once a year. The oil filter can generally be replaced every 3 months.

At D & R Boat World, we provide expert service for your boat, including oil changes. If you require on-site service and can’t get your boat to our shop, we can offer assistance with our heavy-duty, 40-foot trailers.

Battery Inspection

Another part of proper boat maintenance is inspecting the battery to ensure it holds a proper charge. Inspect the terminals and test voltage levels. This goes for both the engine battery and any deep cycle batteries used to power electrical accessories.

Inspect The Propeller

If you have an outboard motor or a stern drive boat, it’s important to check the propeller from time to time for impact damage. Even the smallest dent can affect your boat’s performance and its fuel economy. If you do find any damaged parts on your propeller, our service department at D & R Boat World can repair it.

If everything looks all right, you can apply a generous amount of waterproof grease to the propeller shaft to ensure it can spin properly and to prevent corrosion.

Professional Boat Maintenance

For maintenance that’s a little bit more involved, our expert technicians at D & R Boat World can offer assistance. We provide service for everything from regular tune-ups and oil changes to detailing jobs that help keep your boat looking its best.

Boat Engine Maintenance

A boat’s engine must be properly maintained to ensure it runs smoothly season after season. As part of this service, spark plugs are checked to see if they’re in good condition, and if not, then they are either cleaned or replaced. Engine belts and propellers should be inspected for signs of wear or damage as well.

Seasonal Maintenance

For boat owners, proper seasonal maintenance is important as well during two times of the year: winter, when your boat is put away for the season, and spring, when your boat is pulled out of storage and prepped for use again out on the water.

At D & R Boat World, we can help you with proper winterizing and refreshing in the spring before summer hits.

Contact D & R Boat World To Schedule Boat Maintenance Service

For professional boat maintenance service, you can count on D & R Boat World to provide you and your vessel with thorough attention and service. We have two convenient locations in Green Brook, NJ, and Brick, NJ, to serve our loyal customers. Give us a call at 732-968-2600 (Green Brook) to schedule an appointment or for more information on our services.