The ice is gone and the weather is warming up here in Michigan, which means it won't be long before people start putting their boats back in the water for the summer months. But before they do, there is some spring time maintenance that should be taken into consideration to help prevent problems that may eventually keep you off of the water further into the season.
One of the first things you should do is inspect your fuel system for any leaks or damage. While doing this, pay close attention to the fuel hoses, connections, and the tank. When looking at the fuel hose, look for any sign of softness, brittleness, or cracking that may have happened since last season. You will also want to replace any components that may be bad as well as make sure that all clamps and fittings are tight. The last thing to keep in mind dealing with your fuel system is the fuel you put into your boat. You do not want to fill your tank with any fuel that has more than 10% ethanol because it will eventually cause damage to your motor.
Next, you will want to check your propeller for any nicks, dents or distortion. If you run your boat with a damaged prop, it can cause quite the vibration and damage your drive train. You will also want to check and see if it is on securely and that the bearings do not need to be replaced. Along with your prop, inspecting your prop shaft is not a bad idea either. With this, you will want to make sure that the prop shaft is still straight and does not have a slight bend in it from possibly hitting your prop on any unseen hazards the previous season.
After looking over your prop, you will want to move to the engine. While doing this, look over all of your belts and cables closely. Over time, or even during storage, belts can become weak or brittle and may start to form cracks. When checking the belts, make sure that they fit around the pulleys tightly so that they won't slip while the engine is running. One sign that a belt is worn and needs to be replaced is black residue by the pulley that can cause it to fit loosely.
After that, you will also want to check all of the fluid levels such as oil, power steering, trim reservoir, and coolant. Before going out, you are going to want to make sure that the engine oil, filter, and drive lubricants get changed if they had not been changed during the winterizing process of your boat at the end of the last season.
Lastly, you should check and go through all of your safety gear that is on the boat. You will want to make sure that you have plenty of life jackets on board to account for all of the passengers you intend to have or can have. It's not only making sure that there is enough life jackets, but making sure that the life jackets will properly fit your passengers. This means making sure you have children sized life jackets for any youngster you plan to have on your boat. Adult life jackets will not be safe for children to use. After you have all of your flotation devices accounted for, make sure that you have the right class fire extinguishers, that they are fully charged, and that they are stowed in an easily accessible place.
Going through this check list for spring time maintenance is not mandatory, but it may save you some headache down the road one way or another. Whether it's a prevented mechanical failure or saving yourself a ticket because you have the proper flotation devices on your boat, it's worthwhile. Going through your boat and making sure that these things are checked before your season kicks off will only help ensure that you have a great summer on the water with friends and family.