Boat owners can avoid major problems with routine maintenance
It happens every year, usually about the time January gives way to February and water temperatures on most lakes, rivers and streams begin inching towards the magical 60-degree mark. The fishing bug springs to life like a sun-starved wild flower reaching for a stark, blue sky.
Ideally, boat owners who have taken the time to do their homework will motor off into the wild blue yonder, reel in a few fish and have a good time doing it. Those who haven't may not be so lucky. Some may not even lose sight of the boat dock before trouble shows its craggy face, and that can be a blessing in the big scheme of things. Especially on big water.
Boat maintenance amounts to knuckle-busting, get-your-hands-dirty routines that nobody likes to perform until they absolutely have to.
Take it from someone who grew up around junk boats, homemade trailers and outboard engines older than Methuselah. Nothing can take the pleasure out of an otherwise fun fishing day than a breakdown that leaves you bobbing around in the water like a cork or waving a greasy T-shirt to alert a passerby for a friendly tow back to the ramp.
Tinker around with boats and motors long enough and problems are sure to surface. Fuel lines can rot. Batteries will fail. Carburetors and injectors can clog. Trailer wheel bearings can wear out. The list of things that can go wrong with a boat seems endless.
Some maintenance jobs are better left to expert hands, and it is never a bad idea to make an appointment with a reputable marine dealer/mechanic at least once a year for a routine inspection and service on your engine. It is always best to schedule the visit as early in the year as possible to avoid crowded waiting lists. Otherwise, you may have to leave the rig in a strange place for an extended period, smack in the heart of prime fishing season.
In the meantime, there are a number preventative maintenance drills that anyone with basic mechanical skills and hand tools can perform. The idea is to nip minor problems in the bud before they develop into something major that could leave you stranded or cost you a bundle in repair bills.
Here's a maintenance checklist to follow when performing periodic inspections on your boat, motor and trailer over the course of the year.
* Fuel Checks: This is a biggie. Gasoline isn't what it used to be. Modern fuels break down and go bad quickly. Cranking an outboard connected to a fuel tank partially filled with year-old unleaded could be a recipe for disaster.
Old gasoline should be siphoned from the tank and properly discarded. Refill the tank with fresh gas and add a quality fuel conditioner to prolong its shelf life.
STA-BIL recently introduced a marine-grade formula to combat against the damaging properties of ethanol blend gasolines, while at the same time helping to maintain fuel quality for several months. Ethanol is an alcohol additive that leaches moisture from the air. It can cause water to form in a fuel cell, damage inferior fuel lines and dissolve hardened deposits that can make a smooth running engine sputter.
Marine-grade STA-BIL is advertised to contain four times the fuel system cleaner and two times the corrosion preventer as regular STA-BIL. An 8-ounce bottle that treats 80 gallons retails for about $10.
* Fuel Filter/Water Separator: The fuel filter/water separator is intended to prevent dirt, water and other gunk from finding its way into the guts of the engine. Performance will suffer if the filter becomes clogged.
I recently experienced some minor performance issues with my Mercury 250 Pro XS. The engine ran fine at midrange speeds but lagged at top end. My outboard mechanic found the culprit in a jellylike junk caked inside the built-in fuel filter. There wasn't a lot of it, but there was enough to restrict the fuel flow and hamper performance at wide-open throttle. Replacing the filter solved the problem.
If your engine is not equipped with a 10-micron fuel/water separator, it would be a good idea to install one if the manufacturer recommends it. It is not a bad idea to replace the filter once a year, possibly more if the motor sees lots of use.
* Check fuel hoses/vacuum lines: Rubber fuel and vacuum lines can develop cracks or pin holes with age. Check all connections for leaks. All hoses should be supple, not brittle. A faulty fuel primer bulb can cause performance failures as well.
* Cooling System: An outboard engine cools itself by sucking in cool water through a water intake and spitting it out through an small hole found on either side of the shroud or cowling.
While running, the engine should displace a strong stream of water from the hole. If the stream is weak or nonexistent, kill the engine and inspect for blockage. Dirt dobbers are bad about clogging the output passage. If the passage is not blocked, it could be a sign of a failing water pump or a clogged water intake. Determine the cause and fix it before operating the engine.
* Gear Case Lube: Loosen the drain plug on the lower unit periodically to inspect the level and color of the lube. If the oil has a milky color, it could indicate that water has seeped into the lower unit through a bad seal. A trip to the engine doctor is in order.
* Prop Inspection: It is a good idea to remove the prop after every fishing trip to check for discarded fishing line that may have gotten wrapped around the shaft. Left in place, fishing line can eat through the seal and allow water to enter the lower unit.
* Jack Plate Connections: If your boat is equipped with a jack plate, periodically check the connection bolts to make sure they are snug. Make sure to grease hydraulic plates periodically to ensure smooth operation.
* Trailer Wheel Bearings: Nothing will spoil a good road trip faster than a trailer wheel bearing that flies to pieces in the middle of nowhere.
Perform regular inspections on wheel bearings and races by applying side to side pressure on the tire. If you feel any play at all, remove the wheel and tighten the bearing nut. If the play persists, the bearing probably needs replacing.
Trailer bearings should be greased at least once a year. Keep an eye out for seal leaks if the bearings are immersed in an enclosed oil bath.
* Tires and Pressure: Keeping trailer and tow vehicle tires filled to the optimum pressure extends their life and improves the fuel economy. Always check for good tread before taking to the road. If your boat has been sitting idle for a while, inspect the sidewalls for signs of dry rotting.
* Battery Care: The life of a deep cycle battery hinges heavily on a timely recharge. It is always best to place batteries on charge as soon after use as possible, while the cells are still activating. Make sure batteries come to a full charge before powering off the charger.
Perform routine checks on wet cell batteries at full charge to be sure there is fluid covering the lead plates inside. If the fluid is low, use distilled water to replenish it. Tap water is a no-no.
If possible, cut the power to the main breaker switch if the boat will sit idle for an extended period. This will prevent clocks and GPS units from draining battery power prematurely.
* Battery Connections: Keep close check on battery terminals to make sure connections are tight and free of corrosion. Hand tightening won't cut it. Use pliers or a wrench.
Pulling boat maintenance duty is never fun, but performed regularly, it could save you some serious trouble and costly repair bills further down the road.
Matt Williams' e-mail address is mattwilliams@netdot.com.
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