Don’t wait until the last minute to commission your boat for summer. Many boaters will begin pulling their boats out of storage in the coming weeks and scheduling regular maintenance to get their vessel ready to hit the water. Here are the top three things to do when commissioning your boat for summer:
- Change the fluids
Much like a car, boats should have regular oil and filter changes, and gear lube should be added if necessary. - Run a full check
Do your lights work? Is your registration up-to-date? And when was the last time you had a full diagnostic done on your engine? . In general, overall tune-ups and a full diagnostic check are important to do every three to four years, due to the conditions of the northwest, so think back to the last time you had an overall tune-up — is it time for your next one? - Look over internal pumps and gauges
There are a lot of working parts inside your boat, such as the bilge and other pumps. These are extremely important, and should be checked each spring to ensure they’re running properly before you get out on the water.
As with most maintenance, the sooner you catch an issue or potential problem, the easier — and sometimes less expensive — it is to fix. Regular maintenance can often keep boats operating properly longer. We know this can be a lot to keep up with, especially when you’re trying to get out to enjoy the spring. Instead, schedule your spring maintenance with a professional team to make sure that when that first nice day happens, you’re ready to hit the water.